US flag raised over ambassador's residence in Damascus
The United States' newly appointed Syria envoy Thomas Barrack on Thursday (May 29) raised the American flag over the ambassador's residence in Damascus for the first time since the U.S. embassy there closed in 2012. The flag-raising underlines a rapid expansion of U.S. ties with Damascus since President Donald Trump unexpectedly announced the lifting of sanctions and met Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Sun
31 minutes ago
- The Sun
Anti-EU football hooligan ‘pimp' Karol Nawrocki wins Poland's presidential election after knife-edge vote
ANTI-EU football hooligan "pimp" Karol Nawrocki has won Poland's presidential election. According to the final result from the electoral commission, right-wing historian with a past of football hooliganism Nawrocki, 42, won the election with a slim 50.89% of the votes. 2 Just six months ago, Nawrocki was a fairly unknown name - but in the run up to the election, the historian posted videos of himself at shooting ranges and boxing rings - cultivating a tough-guy image for voters. While his liberal opponent Rafal Trzaskowski played up his European credentials, Nawrocki met Donald Trump at the White House and received the US President's backing. Unlike other eurosceptics in central Europe like Hungary's Viktor Orban, Nawrocki supports giving military aid to help Ukraine in the bloody war with Russia. But he also revealed prior to his win that he will oppose membership in Western alliances for Ukraine. This view aligns with the falling support among Poles for Ukrainians, with the country having hosted more than a million refugees from across the border. His backers in the Law and Justice (PiS) party had supported fast-tracking membership in the EU and NATO for Kyiv while in power until late 2023. Nawrocki's critics said he was fuelling unease over Ukrainian refugees at a time when the far-right is highlighting migration, the cost of living and security. He cited his campaign slogan, Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April. Nawrocki's past has been a topic of intense public debate following a series of negative media coverage. Robert Prevost elected as Pope Leo XIV - the first from North American There were questions over his acquisition of a flat from a pensioner -and even an admission that he took part in orchestrated brawls. Nawrocki, an amateur boxer, told a debate when confronted over reports he had been involved in mass organised fights between football hooligans: "All my sports activities were based on the strength of my heart, the strength of my muscles, my fists. "It was a fair competition, regardless of the form." His Law and Justice party backers have accused the government of orchestrating the controversies with the help of Poland's special services and liberal media. Nawrocki portrayed the election as a referendum on the government, which he described as a metropolitan elite out of touch with their concerns. "I am simply one of you," he told voters in the eastern town of Biala Podlaska while on the campaign trail. .


The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Scottie Scheffler emulates Tiger Woods with latest dominant win
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler emulated Tiger Woods by successfully defending the Memorial Tournament title at Muirfield Village. Only five-time winner Woods had previously retained the crown between 1999 and 2001, but Scheffler claimed a second consecutive success with a four-stroke victory over Ben Griffin. "Well, you did it again," tournament host Jack Nicklaus told him walking off the green. Scheffler has now won three times in four starts after wins at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson and PGA Championship. "It's pretty cool," Scheffler told CBS Sports after his 16th PGA Tour victory. "It's always a hard week as it's so challenging to play this tournament. "I battled really hard over the weekend and Ben made things interesting down the stretch, but overall it was a great week." Scheffler took a one-shot lead into Sunday and the chasing pack failed to put him under any concerted pressure. Birdies at the seventh, 11th and 15th gave Scheffler breathing space in a final round two-under par 70, with a solitary dropped shot coming at the 10th – his first bogey in 32 holes. Griffin closed with a 73 to finish one ahead of Austria's Sepp Straka, with Nick Taylor a shot back in fourth. "You know Scottie's probably going to play a good round of golf. The guy's relentless,' said Straka after the round. 'He loves competition, and he doesn't like giving up shots. But it's one of those courses where it can always happen, so you got to be prepared for it. I felt like I gave myself a lot of chances to kind of make a push." England's Tommy Fleetwood was tied 16th, Scotland's Robert MacIntyre tied 20th but Shane Lowry, of Ireland, dropped down the leaderboard for a share of 23rd place with a disappointing 77. Meanwhile, Rickie Fowler had his first top 10 of the year at just the right time. He made par on the 18th to tie for seventh, earning him the lone available qualification spot for The Open at Royal Portrush in July. Fowler tied with Brandt Snedeker at one-under but gets the one Open exemption available based on a higher world ranking – Fowler at No 124 and Snedeker at No 430. "That's one I've wanted on the schedule," said Fowler, who faces a 36-hole qualifier for the US Open on Monday.


Daily Mail
35 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Robert Irwin reveals what he REALLY thinks of Prince William after working together
Robert Irwin has revealed what Prince William is really like after the pair teamed up for a major environmental initiative last year. The 21-year-old conservationist was named a Global Ambassador for the Prince of Wales' prestigious Earthshot Prize, which is awarded annually to five people in recognition of their services to environmentalism. In an interview with Us Weekl y, the reality TV star said he was thrilled at the chance to work alongside royalty to promote the planet. 'I think Prince William has been such an amazing person to work with. There is such an incredible synergy between what he does, who he is and who we are,' he said. 'It's all about conservation. It's wonderful that someone is so influential - that has such a fantastic platform - is using that to really better our environment. He is a true environmental hero, working with him has been a great privilege.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! co-host praised the royal's down-to-earth personality and said the pair have been sharing ideas and insights on how to protect nature on a global scale. 'We've definitely compared a lot of notes in the conservation space,' Robert said. 'It doesn't matter where you're from - whether internationally, in Australia, here in America, wherever you are - we need to prioritise taking care of our natural world. And he's really at the forefront of that. 'Plus, he's just a great guy. When you have a conversation with him, he's the most lovely, intelligent person to talk to and is just so easy-going, so much fun. I love working with him. A really good guy.' The wildlife advocate took part in The Earthshot Prize ceremony in South Africa last year and spoke passionately at the time about the initiative's power to inspire global action. 'The Earthshot Prize is a beacon of hope for all of us who care about the environment and about our ability to ensure a liveable future for ourselves and future generations,' he said. 'Healthy oceans, ecosystems, and species equal a healthy planet, and The Earthshot Prize recognises the importance of investing in and helping grow solutions that protect these critical resources.' Launched by Prince William in 2020, The Earthshot Prize aims to spotlight and support innovative solutions tackling the world's most pressing environmental challenges. The I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! co-host praised the royal's down-to-earth personality and said the pair have been sharing ideas and insights on how to protect nature on a global scale In November, Prince William went on a walk with Robert on the second day of his visit to South Africa for the initiative. William traversed a rocky climb as he walked up Signal Hill and quipped as he spied the waiting media: 'I'll try not to wipe myself out in front of everybody.' Robert later tweeted a video of him with William, in which he asked the prince what his 'favourite African animal' was. William replied: 'It's a tough question. I think I'm going to have to say the cheetah. Fantastic animal,' and Robert replied his favourite was the chameleon. The prince also spoke with park rangers, firefighters, mountain rescue volunteers, biodiversity experts and youth volunteers in front of the scenic backdrop. They told him about the diversity of fauna and flora and the work they do to protect the environment while ensuring residents and tourists are able to enjoy the area.