US officials made a rare visit to Myanmar this week to secure the release of an American businessman who had been detained in the war-torn country since June.

The deadly collapse of a multistory building in Gaza has drawn new attention to the hardships facing Palestinians there nearly a year after a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas promised to kickstart reconstruction.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he has spoken to Tehran "directly," adding that the Iranians "want to make a deal" with the United States. He also said the war, which began on Feb. 28, is "hopefully" coming to an end in the near term.

Oil prices fell around 1% as additional Saudi crude supplies helped ease disruption fears. Fresh Saudi-Houthi strikes raised concerns that the widening Middle East conflict could further threaten energy supplies.

The international fact-finding mission on Iran says the findings center on a pair of airstrikes, including one on a school in the southern city of Minab.

It is the second consecutive year the State Department has prevented key Palestinian officials from attending the U.N. meeting in New York.

Iranian forces in recent days have brought down at least two American MQ-1 unmanned aircraft, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter.

Russians have begun three days of voting in the country’s first wartime parliamentary election. It's a heavily managed election featuring virtually no opposition in order to secure the