France on Wednesday praised the election of Salim Al-Joubouri as President of the Iraqi Parliament, as well as that of Haydar Al-Abadi and Arab Mohammad Ali as first and second vice-presidents of the Baghdad Assembly,

Hailing Russia as “our country’s greatest friend,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi told Russian President Vladimir Putin that India was committed to deepening ties between the two countries and to exploring new areas of cooperation.

Proclaiming the Syrian people winners in a “dirty war” waged by outsiders, President Bashar Assad was sworn in on Wednesday, marking the start of his third seven-year term in office amid a bloody civil war that has ravaged the Arab country.