A deadly bomb blast has ripped through a crowded café in central Damascus, killing at least five people and injuring 16 others, according to Syrian state media. The explosion occurred near the Palace of Justice, with authorities saying the bomb had been planted inside the café. Security forces quickly sealed off the area and launched an investigation, while no group has immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

In a reversal of decades-long hostility, U.S. President Donald Trump formally welcomes Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa to the White House, marking Syria's first official state visit to Washington since 1946. The meeting symbolizes a major diplomatic shift, as Syria joins the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State under new leadership following Bashar al-Assad’s ouster. The White House also announced the lifting of long-standing economic sanctions on Damascus and the reopening of bilateral channels that had been frozen for decades. WATCH