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Syria open to meeting Hezbollah 'if interests require it', says Syrian FM

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani is in Lebanon and met President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, a Hezbollah ally, according to Al Jazeera. The former rebel fighters who now govern Syria fought against Hezbollah for years, as it was deployed there to support former President Bashar al-Assad. It would be the first time the two sides have met. Al-Shaibani said Syria is open to meeting Hezbollah representatives “if interests require ⁠it”, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. His visit comes as Damascus insists it does not want to intervene militarily in Lebanon despite pressure from the United States to do so. President Trump has repeatedly said Syria could “take care of Hezbollah” while criticising Israel’s failure to destroy the Lebanese armed group. Lebanese president says Syrian counterpart pledges 'new chapter' in bilateral ties Lebanese President Joseph Aoun sai...
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Major 7.5-magnitude quake hits off Japan, tsunami warning issued

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday, as authorities urged residents to stay away from coastal areas where tsunami waves of up to three metres (9.84 ft) were expected. The tremor had an epicentre in the Pacific Ocean and was 10 km deep, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The biggest waves were expected in Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, authorities said. Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task force and urged citizens in the affected areas to evacuate to safety. Read: Japan offers $10b support to help Asian neighbours secure oil Broadcaster NHK showed ships sailing out of Hachinohe port in Hokkaido in anticipation of the waves, as an alert 'Tsunami! Evacuate!' flashed across the screen. Meanwhile, bullet train services in Aomori at the northern tip of Japan's main Honshu island were halted due to the tremors, Kyodo news agency reported. The quake measured an 'upper 5' on Japan's seismic intensity scale – strong enough to make it difficult for people to move around. In many cases, unreinforced concrete-block walls collapse. Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, with a tremor occurring at least every five minutes. Located in the "Ring of Fire" of volcanoes and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin, Japan accounts for about 20% of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more. There are no nuclear power plants currently in operation in Hokkaido and Tohoku regions but Hokkaido Electric Power Co and Tohoku Electric Power Co have a number of shutdown nuclear power plants there. Tohoku Electric said it was checking the impact of the earthquake and tsunami on its Onagawa nuclear power plant.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

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Arab countries, Pakistan likely to observe Eid on same day

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