Syria, Israel officials to meet in Baku, says diplomatic source in Damascus
DAMASCUS - A Syrian and an Israeli official are expected to meet in Baku later on July 12 on the sidelines of President Ahmed al-Sharaa's visit to Azerbaijan, a diplomatic source in Damascus with knowledge of the issue said.
'There will be a meeting between a Syrian official and an Israeli official on the sidelines of the visit being conducted by Sharaa in Baku,' said the source, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the issue.
Israel is a major arms supplier to Azerbaijan and has a significant diplomatic presence in the Caucasus nation which neighbours its arch foe Iran.
The diplomatic source stressed that Mr Sharaa himself would not attend the Baku meeting, which would focus on 'the recent Israeli military presence in Syria'.
After
the overthrow of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December, Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes in Syria to prevent key military assets falling into the hands of the Islamist-led interim administration headed by Mr Sharaa.
It also sent troops into the UN-patrolled buffer zone that used to separate the opposing forces on the strategic Golan Heights, from which it has conducted forays deeper into southern Syria.
Mr Sharaa has said repeatedly that Syria does not seek conflict with its neighbours, and has instead asked the international community to put pressure on Israel to halt its attacks.
His government recently confirmed that it had held indirect contacts with Israel seeking a return to
the 1974 disengagement agreement which created the buffer zone.
Israel has repeatedly characterised Mr Sharaa's government as militant, in reference to his past links with Al-Qaeda.
But late in June, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel was interested in striking a peace and normalisation agreement with Syria.
A Syria government source quoted by state media responded that such talk was 'premature'.
But during a visit to Lebanon this week, US special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said: 'The dialogue has started between Syria and Israel'.
After meeting Mr Sharaa in Riyadh in May, US President Donald Trump told reporters he had expressed hope that Syria would join other Arab states which normalised their relations with Israel.
'(Mr Sharaa) said yes. But they have a lot of work to do,' Mr Trump said.
The Syrian president arrived in Baku earlier on July 12 for talks with his counterpart Ilham Aliyev.
Azerbaijan announced it would begin exporting gas to Syria via Turkey, according to a statement from the Azerbaijani presidency. AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
35 minutes ago
- Straits Times
The Straits Times: what it means to be a trusted voice for Singapore in a changing world
ST has a role to play as a unifying force beyond its mission of being the chronicler of the Singapore Story. The following is an edited speech by Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong at The Straits Times' 180th anniversary dinner on July 11. I am delighted to join all of you this evening for a truly remarkable milestone – the 180th anniversary of The Straits Times. Not many organisations endure for 180 years – let alone in the fast-changing media world. That The Straits Times has done so speaks volumes about its relevance, its resilience, and its remarkable ability to evolve. It began in 1845 as an eight-page English weekly – then called The Straits Times and Journal of Commerce – catering to the European community in colonial Singapore. Today it is the oldest English-language newspaper in East Asia – older than even global titles like The New York Times and the Daily Mail. It has built up a loyal readership across generations – in Singapore and around the world. The Straits Times has chronicled every chapter of the Singapore Story. Through the colonial era. Through our battles against communism and communalism. Through Merger, Separation, and the struggles of early independence. And through our nation-building journey – reflecting both our achievements and the many challenges and trials we have overcome, from economic downturns to terrorist threats and pandemics. As our newspaper of record, you have not only reported the events of our time. You have also captured the spirit of every generation – our hopes, our fears and our aspirations. And you have never stood still. You have embraced change and innovation – experimenting with new formats and technologies, adopting digital tools and online platforms, and rethinking how stories are told. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Public healthcare institutions to record all Kpod cases, confiscate vapes: MOH, HSA Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat And so The Straits Times has become more than just a newspaper. You are a trusted voice for Singapore – explaining the issues of the day, helping us make sense of a complex world, connecting Singaporeans to global developments, and carrying Singapore's perspectives beyond our shores. That is why I was heartened to learn that the Reuters Institute had recently ranked The Straits Times as the most trusted news brand in Singapore. This is no small feat – it is a strong affirmation of your integrity and professionalism, and your commitment to credible, quality journalism. So tonight, we honour all who have contributed to this remarkable legacy – past and present. Your efforts have shaped The Straits Times into the national institution it is today. Congratulations and thank you all for your contributions! Navigating the Next Bound Of course, a significant milestone like this is not just a reason to celebrate; it is also an occasion to look forward – and reflect on what lies ahead. Over the past decades, the media landscape has gone through multiple revolutions – from the age of print to radio and television, to the rise of the internet and now the era of social media. Each wave brought significant disruptions, but also new opportunities and possibilities. Today the pace of change is faster than ever. News is no longer confined to broadsheets or the evening bulletin. It flows 24/7 across apps, platforms and borders – and it is consumed in a range of formats, or even summarised by AI. Audiences are no longer passive consumers. Because anyone can be a content creator. And with so many options, people expect content tailored to their interests, delivered in their format of choice. So around the world, including Singapore, we see these trends taking hold. Fewer people turn to print newspapers or TV for news and current affairs. More are getting their updates from digital and social media platforms. This is true for all of us. I have experienced these changes myself. Like all of you, many Singaporeans, I grew up with The Straits Times at home. As a boy, I did not pay much attention to the main stories or the editorials – I went straight to the comics and sports pages. But habits do change. Especially after I started working, I started reading more; perhaps, I got more interested in news and current affairs because of work requirements too. But then, reading the newspapers became a daily ritual. I would spend half an hour or more each morning reading The Straits Times cover to cover. And I would enjoy doing that. Look forward to it every morning. But over the last decade or so, with the rise of social media, my reading habits have changed yet again. Today, I still read The Straits Times, but not the printed edition. I access everything from the app either on my tablet or phone, and I keep up with breaking news through the day. And I must confess, The Straits Times is no longer my only morning companion. I have many others. I access current affairs and news from a variety of sources – both local and international. I follow commentary from individuals writing on Substack, I listen to podcasts, I watch video clips on YouTube. So it is a much more varied information diet. I am sure my experience is not unique. I suspect it is true for many others. So what does this mean for The Straits Times? Your competition is global. You are competing not just with other traditional media outlets, but also with the best content creators worldwide, and everything else on people's screens, for their time and attention. And you have to adapt to this new media environment. Your key strength is your deep and consistent coverage of Singapore, and our region, South-east Asia. So in matters of national importance – whether it is a crisis like Covid-19, or major events like the general election – people still turn to you as the trusted source of information, and your direct readership goes up. But even at other times, much of what circulates online still originates from your reports. This credibility is a real asset and competitive advantage. But as media consumption habits evolve, so must you. You will need to keep adapting, both the news products you generate, and also how you reach and engage your audiences. This will not be easy. Adapting to these shifts will involve tough choices. There will be trade-offs to manage, including the risk of cannibalising existing formats, or disrupting longstanding work processes. For example, to stay relevant, you will need to experiment with how content is presented across different platforms. This means rethinking how different formats can best serve diverse audience needs. I believe there will still be a place for print, and we should all do our best to keep print newspapers viable in Singapore for as long as possible. But 10 years from now, the printed Straits Times may well look quite different from what it is today – in style, tone and length. It has to be different, if it is to remain relevant and useful to future readers. What changes should you make in order to stay relevant? Ultimately, only The Straits Times itself can make this call – weighing the opportunities, managing the risks, and evolving in a way that stays true to your mission, while meeting the changing needs of your readers. The Government is not in a position to prescribe the solution, nor will I attempt to do so. But let me offer three broad reflections on what The Straits Times can continue to do to stay relevant in this new media environment. A trusted source First, build on your strengths as a trusted anchor for Singaporeans. Even as reader preferences become more diverse and fragmented, we will need trusted and unbiased source of information. In today's digital environment it is easy to fall into echo chambers, or be fed only what algorithms think we want to see. Singapore needs trusted media that continue to present balanced perspectives, surface different points of view, and hold meaningful conversations – so that we can better understand one another and develop a common understanding of the world. The Straits Times must remain such a unifying force – helping Singaporeans make sense of complex issues, bridging divides, and fostering a shared identity and sense of purpose. Quality matters Second, keep quality at the core of everything you do. Formats may evolve, but quality content never goes out of style. It is not true that people only want short videos or clickbait headlines. Succinct, timely reports will be an important news product. But long-form writing and deep-dive analysis can still draw loyal audiences, but provided the content is of high quality, insightful and well crafted. The temptation will be to chase eyeballs with sensational news. But that is not the path to building trust. In an age of misinformation, The Straits Times must continue to anchor public discourse with clear exposition and reliable facts. Delivering all this consistently requires you to have a strong and capable team – across editorial, production, technical, and business functions. You will need not only professional expertise, but also a clear sense of mission – and the energy and creativity to thrive in a very challenging industry. Your success will not be measured by the size of your profits. But by the trust you earn, the audiences you reach and the impact you make. And to do all these, you must offer competitive career paths and purposeful job responsibilities – to attract resourceful and enterprising young people to join you and help take The Straits Times forward. A Singaporean lens Third, speak with a Singaporean voice to the world. Today, Singaporeans can access news from countless sources. But they turn to The Straits Times for uniquely Singaporean perspectives – that reflect our values, our interests, and our place in the world. You help readers – here and abroad – make sense of global trends through a Singapore lens. As a small country navigating a complex and uncertain world, we need strong, credible institutions that can analyse clearly, explain deeply, and advocate confidently for Singapore's interests. And this is the role that The Straits Times must continue to fulfil. Supporting trusted public media Of course, delivering on this mission requires resources. The business model for quality journalism unfortunately, is coming under strain everywhere in the world. Newsrooms across the world are shrinking and many outlets have become captive to commercial interests. We cannot allow that to happen in Singapore. We do not want our national newspaper to be owned by billionaires with narrow or partisan agendas. Nor do we want public trust in the media to be eroded. That is why the Government is stepping in to support public service media in Singapore – to ensure that quality journalism remains viable, independent and accountable to Singaporeans. And for its part, The Straits Times must make full use of the government support you are receiving to produce a high-quality newspaper for all Singaporeans – one that informs, educates, connects, and holds our society together. And you have our full confidence and support in this mission. So now, more than ever, Singapore needs trusted media – to help us navigate a more complex world, to discern fact from falsehood, and to build common ground in an age of rapid change and complexity. I am heartened to see The Straits Times pressing on – evolving with the times, embracing innovation and staying true to your mission. Tonight, as we celebrate your 180th anniversary, we also launch your new app and website – another step forward in your continuing digital transformation. So finally, congratulations, once again, to everyone at The Straits Times on this milestone. On behalf of all Singaporeans, thank you for 180 years of dedicated service. May you continue to inform, inspire and speak for Singapore – for many more years to come!
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Listen first, post later: Gen-Z-ifying the general election
Christie Chiu and Wong Yang were first-time voters, but also rookies to election reporting. Their brief was slightly different – cover Singapore's 2025 General Election, but for TikTok and Instagram. This sent them scuttling from Boon Lay to Bedok, Gen-Z-ifying rally speeches and devising skits, gags and punchlines. They look back at how they put a different spin on The Straits Times' tradition of covering elections. Screenshots of ST journalists Christie Chiu and Wong Yang in a (left) PAP Fullerton rally video wrap-up, and in a video talking about cost of living as an electoral issue. Christie (C): A lukewarm comment at a party struck me some weeks before the general election. 'Don't take this personally, I don't read ST's political coverage,' she said. I had just asked the crowd of 20-somethings what kind of election content they would like to see from The Straits Times. Call it a spur of the moment bit of user research. That The Straits Times might not be a young person's top pick was not news to me, but hearing it unvarnished still landed like a punch. She had her reasons for saying what she did, but it reminded me that others like her – those who shut the door tight – do exist. Finding a way to open it a crack falls on us. Many who scroll past our articles still stumble upon our social media posts – a vital doorway of its own. That offhand remark, humbling as it was, became an unsaid yardstick as we set out to cover the general election on social media. It made the weight of our work clear: It is often the first – and sometimes only – point of contact between The Straits Times newsroom and a generation that has no shortage of media outlets courting their attention. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Public healthcare institutions to record all Kpod cases, confiscate vapes: MOH, HSA Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat Yang (Y): That speaks to how young people consume news today. With content creators and alternative media, people around our age are less reliant on traditional media as their primary source of news. So how do we report on the general election for people who are not just digital natives, but 'social natives' – those who grew up with social media, and for whom being able to comment on and share content with friends is intrinsic to their way of being in the world? New age, new tools C: This generation's connection to social media as a way of life exists also within the orbit of another term of the era: brain rot. It was the 2024 Oxford Word of the Year , and refers to the decline of one's mental or intellectual state from excessive consumption of low-quality online content. Our team's task was to push against that: creating fun, short video explainers on the election's key concepts and developments, without cheapening the analysis. Becoming part-time comedians was an unexpected, and frankly welcome, addition to the job. Getting paid to crack jokes with colleagues? A dream. But fun for fun's sake quickly wears thin when the content doesn't mean anything. What value were we adding to our audience's lives? Were we helping them become more informed voters? Those were questions that grounded our approach – while keeping the brain rot at bay. Y: The first step towards answering these questions was to simply listen to our audience. We did this through several initiatives led by our supervisor, assistant news editor Danson Cheong – an audience survey in 2024, phone interviews, a focus group discussion, and a small audience panel on Telegram. We asked them what they were concerned about heading into the election, the questions they wanted answered, and what they thought of our drafts and final videos. This helped us respond directly to topics and concerns that interested young people, rather than approach election coverage in a way that evoked a top-down sense of 'here's why you should care about this'. We put the audience front and centre, fretted less over 'sounding Gen Z' and just tried to be honest. Carrying on traditions C: In the paper's 180-year history, just a sliver – the last 10 years or so – has focused in earnest on elevating online coverage, we learnt in a recent chat with Straits Times associate editor Zakir Hussain. Still, much of the ethos behind our videos is not exactly a reinvention. Putting the audience first, decoding dense information and bridging gaps in knowledge – these are classic tenets of journalism. Just rebooted for the screen instead of the page. We took a slightly different path, but we, too, felt we were part of the paper's enduring tradition of covering elections. The ST team's – (from left) video journalist Chong Lii, senior audience growth specialist Farzanah Friday and journalists Wong Yang and Christie Chiu – last shoot for the 2025 General Election. ST PHOTO: DANSON CHEONG Our rally wraps – where we broke down the key points of candidate speeches – reminded us of the stories Zakir shared about his first general election as a rookie reporter back in 2006. He recalled how in those days before smartphones, a group order going around for digital voice recorders set each reporter back a hefty $200. A hack was used for stories that needed speed: An intern or junior reporter would head over to the rally with a fully charged cellphone, dial a landline in the office and hold the phone aloft in the crowd, so the team back at HQ could follow along and take notes in real time. Reporters on the ground back then took notes – with pen and paper, and the soon-to-be lost art of Teeline shorthand. They would then call in or quickly cab back to the office to debrief editors, file a quick first cut, and refine it before off stone (printing time) to ensure the story earned a spot in the morning paper. In 2025, the newsroom again made a bulk order – this time for smartphone-compatible microphones and tripods, which reporters picked up before heading out to assignments. It also subscribed to artificial intelligence transcription services, which allowed the newsroom to monitor what was happening as long as someone was on the ground to hit record. Our project was helmed by a team of five, including our colleagues from the audience and video teams – Farzanah Friday, Vera Ang and Chong Lii – double hatters who produced and edited the videos. At the rallies we covered, Yang and I took notes on our smartphones. We were usually accompanied by Danson, who would clear our 'first cut' – the video script and raw footage of us presenting on site, filmed with a humble smartphone on a tripod. The other team members in the office would work their magic from there, polishing the final video for different editors to vet before releasing it the next day – just in time to catch the morning traffic. The digital age is a bittersweet companion. Its tools lighten the load but raise the demands. You have to be faster, fuller, sharper. Yet some things don't change: the thrill of front-row seats to democracy in motion, the privilege of capturing a moment in history, and the responsibility of conveying these vignettes to audiences accurately, fairly... Y: ...and fairly quickly. ST journalists Wong Yang and Christie Chiu debriefing their supervisor over the phone from Cavenagh Bridge about the PAP's Fullerton lunchtime rally on April 28. ST PHOTO: CHRISTIE CHIU What the audience said Y: Producing the videos sometimes felt like sending things out into the void, or adding to what was already a noisy media landscape. After coming up with the caption, deciding on a thumbnail and hitting 'post', would people latch on to the videos when there was already an information overload? To our surprise – and relief – viewers commented that they found our videos engaging, accessible and refreshing. People who might have previously been averse to reading The Straits Times were pleasantly surprised by this alternative approach. This was a great boost for the team. It affirmed that what we did had resonated with viewers, and we managed to cut through the noise in some ways. Our young democracy C: While researching the electoral journey of Pulau Ubin, an archival binder with weathered clippings of Straits Times articles, which we'd borrowed from the company's resource centre, struck a chord with me. The clippings dated back to 1959, and we learnt that the island had its own polling station until the 1990s, when residents started riding ferries to the mainland to vote. It hit me that despite the hundreds of faded, blurry newspaper scans we sifted through each day researching on past elections, Singapore's democracy is still a young one. An archival binder from the SPH library that offers a glimpse into Pulau Ubin's past, such as its electoral history. ST PHOTO: CHRISTIE CHIU This year marks the paper's 180th birthday, yet it also marks only the nation's 14th general election since independence. Our democracy, it turns out, is less than half as old as The Straits Times itself. This truth has revealed itself in several ways, especially in my own experience existing on people's feeds this election. The scrutiny of my mannerisms, appearance and voice by thousands of anonymous usernames often left me wondering – did these people even hear the message? The scripts we spent countless late-night hours crafting? It also deepened my empathy for the women politicians, who were often reduced to superficial comparisons – how attractive they were, rather than the substance of their political arguments. Our videos, engaging as they were, were a drop in the hours upon hours of work professional journalists put into the 2025 General Election. But when we tackled issues such as the cost of living, the significance of the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC walkover, or rally speeches, we tried to spark conversation – to plant a seed that would lead viewers to dig deeper or read more. That, to me, was the value of a cross-media publication: the ability to weave a tapestry of interconnected viewpoints. Videos, visuals and traditional reporting all play a part in painting a fuller story. ST executive producer Vera Chong (in pink) and video journalist Chong Lii orchestrating a scene for an explainer video that unpacks the significance of the Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC walkover. Journalists Wong Yang and Christie Chiu are seen here preparing to fight for a 'seat' in Parliament. ST PHOTO: DANSON CHEONG Y: As Christie and I stood among Singaporeans of all ages and persuasions at the rallies, what stood out – as we listened to the crowd cheering and jeering – was the sheer diversity of views simmering in our political cauldron. These views all come from somewhere: they are shaped by every individual's unique lived experience and ever-expanding modes of 'being Singaporean', be they in the way we think of success, love, family or what the good life looks like. So, if going to the polls is about voting for the Singapore we want to see, how can we as journalists arm our audience – who hold these varied perspectives and aspirations – with the knowledge to make an informed decision at the ballot box, and in a way that speaks to them? As this experience covering the general election and working with our audience has shown, in a world full of sound and fury, it doesn't hurt to listen first.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Zelensky names new prime minister, taps official who spearheaded US minerals deal
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Ukraine's Economy Minister and First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko attends a press conference in Kyiv on May 8. KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky asked First Deputy Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko on July 14 to lead a new government, setting the stage for a political reshuffle as Ukraine's war with Russia raged on. Mr Zelensky also proposed that Ukraine's current prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, take over as defence minister, describing him as holding the right qualifications for a very important job. The nominations, which require parliamentary approval, came as diplomatic efforts to end the war, now in its fourth year, have stalled and as Ukraine seeks to revive its cash-strapped economy and build up a domestic arms industry. "We ... discussed concrete measures to boost Ukraine's economic potential, expand support programs for Ukrainians, and scale up our domestic weapons production," Mr Zelensky wrote on X. "In pursuit of this goal, we are initiating a transformation of the executive branch in Ukraine," he said, adding that he had proposed that Ms Svyrydenko lead the government and "significantly renew its work". Ms Svyrydenko, 39, is an economist and has served as first deputy prime minister since 2021. She played a key role in recent negotiations for a minerals deal with the United States. In his nightly video address, Mr Zelensky praised Mr Shmyhal's "vast experience" as very "valuable in the position of minister of defence of Ukraine." Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Public healthcare institutions to record all Kpod cases, confiscate vapes: MOH, HSA Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat "This is precisely the area where the country's maximum resources, maximum tasks and a great deal of responsibility are currently concentrated," he said. Mr Shmyhal has served as prime minister since March 2020, making him the longest-serving head of government since the country gained its independence from Moscow in 1991 amid the collapse of the Soviet Union. He would replace Mr Rustem Umerov, who Mr Zelensky suggested last week could be named Ukraine's ambassador to Washington. Ukraine relies on financial aid from its Western allies to finance social and humanitarian spending as the bulk of state revenues go to fund the army and domestic weapons production. Financing the arms industry Ukrainian officials have also urged Kyiv's partners to help finance the country's arms industry, including through joint defence projects. In his address, Mr Zelensky said Ukraine would continue to "boost production of its own weapons and develop its own defence projects -- our own Ukrainian and jointly with our partners". Writing on X, Ms Svyrydenko said she would pursue deregulation, cut back bureaucracy, protect business and reduce non-critical expenditure to achieve the "full concentration of state resources" for defence and post-war recovery. "The state apparatus has no right to waste the resources and potential of our country," she said. "Ukraine deserves to be among the strongest economies in Europe." REUTERS
