Briefly

SYRIA

New constitutional declaration ratified

Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa ratified a new constitutional declaration on Thursday, laying the legal foundation for a five-year transitional phase aimed at rebuilding political and legal structures. The declaration underscores the aspiration for a "new Syria" while maintaining the official state name of "Syrian Arab Republic". It specifies that the president must be Muslim, and Islamic jurisprudence remains a primary source of legislation.

PORTUGAL

Election set for May 18 as parliament dissolved

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced on Thursday that he will dissolve the parliament and call an early parliamentary election for May 18. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's government entered caretaker status after failing to secure a majority in a parliamentary confidence vote on Tuesday. This will be Portugal's third snap election in three years.

THE NETHERLANDS

Duterte appears before ICC judges via video link

Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte failed to appear in person at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Friday at the opening of his crimes against humanity hearing. The 79-year-old appeared briefly on a video screen from the detention center nearby where he is being held. The court was to set a date for a key pretrial hearing to assess whether there is enough evidence to proceed to a full trial, which could take years.

Agencies - Xinhua