- Verstappen wins fourth consecutive Formula One world title
- Survivors, sniffing dogs join anti-mine march at Cambodia's Angkor Wat
- Far right eye breakthrough in Romania presidential vote
- Jaiswal slams majestic 161 but Australia fight back in Perth
- Edinburgh's alternative tour guides show 'more real' side of city
- IPL teams set to splash the cash at 'mega-auction' in Saudi Arabia
- Olympics in India a 'dream' facing many hurdles
- Wounded Bangladesh protesters receive robotic helping hand
- Majestic Jaiswal 141 not out as India pile pain on Australia
- Giannis, Lillard lead Bucks over Hornets as Spurs beat Warriors
- Juan Mata agent slammed as 'cowardly' by angry A-League coach
- Marta inspires Orlando Pride to NWSL title
- Palestinian pottery sees revival in war-ravaged Gaza
- Main points of the $300 billion climate deal
- Robertson wants policy change for overseas-based All Blacks
- Israel retreat helps rescuers heal from October 7 attack
- Afghan women turn to entrepreneurship under Taliban
- Mounting economic costs of India's killer smog
- At climate talks, painstaking diplomacy and then anger
- Uruguayans head to polls with left hoping for comeback
- Trump's mass deportation plan could end up hurting economic growth
- Iran director in exile says 'bittersweet' to rep Germany at Oscars
- US consumers to bargain hunt in annual 'Black Friday' spree
- Cheers, angst as US nuclear plant Three Mile Island to reopen
- Scientists seek miracle pill to stop methane cow burps
- Australia ditches plans to fine tech giants for misinformation
- Developing nations slam 'paltry' $300 bn climate deal
- Red Bulls win 'Hudson River derby' to reach conference final
- Neuville wins world title after Tanak crashes at Rally Japan
- Neuville wins world rally title after Tanak crashes in Japan
- Colapinto cleared for Las Vegas GP despite heavy crash
- 'Smiling One' Amorim vows he has ruthless streak Man Utd need
- Marseille down Lens to stay in touch with Ligue 1 leaders, Lyon draw
- New Zealand beat 'proud' Italy in Cane's Test farewell
- Barca collapse in Celta draw without Yamal, Simeone hits milestone
- Thailand's Jeeno equals Yin for lead at LPGA Tour Championship
- New Zealand beat Italy in Cane's Test farewell
- Marseille down Lens to stay in touch with Ligue 1 leaders, Lyon held to draw
- Liga leaders Barca suffer late collapse in Celta draw
- Retegui fires Atalanta top of Serie A ahead of Inter
- Greaves hits maiden Test century as West Indies dominate Bangladesh
- Venezuela opposition calls for mass anti-Maduro protest on Dec. 1
- 'Fragile' Man City in uncharted territory, admits Guardiola
- Erasmus hails Springbok strength in depth after thrashing Wales
- Postecoglou calls for consistent Spurs after Man City rout
- 'We've never lived this situation' admits Guardiola
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- Under-fire Gatland 'motivated' to continue as Wales coach
- South Africa send Wales crashing to 87-year low in Test rout
Rare Mideast snow brings Jerusalem joy, misery for Syria refugees
Snow carpeted Jerusalem and the eastern Mediterranean Thursday as a rare storm turned the holy city into a winter wonderland but brought misery to the region's Syrian refugees.
The cold snap, which has already caused major disruption in Athens and Istanbul, saw heavy snowfall in areas better known for their summer heat.
In the alleyways of Jerusalem's walled Old City, children pelted each other with slushy snowballs after the first flakes fell late on Wednesday.
By morning, snow crowned the golden-tipped Dome of the Rock in the Al-Aqsa mosgue compound, Islam's third holiest site, and carpeted the esplanade in front of the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray.
Israel's meteorological service reported that between 15 and 25 centimetres (six and 10 inches) of snow had fallen overnight.
It took until midday for snow ploughs to reopen the main highways leading into Jerusalem from the north, south and west.
Schools in Jerusalem and northern Israel were closed, leaving children free to play in the snow, which was not expected to last as temperatures rose and rain fell.
The Israel Electric Company reported that power consumption reached an all-time high overnight as Israels switched on the heating.
Snow also covered higher ground in the occupied West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority closed schools and some public services.
In neighbouring Jordan, heavy snowfall closed roads in the capital Amman and made driving conditions treacherous across much of the country.
Jordan's Meteorological Department forecast more snowfall on higher ground with temperatures expected to fall below freezing again on Thursday night.
Egypt recorded its coldest winter in a decade, with temperatures as much as seven to eight degrees below the seasonal average.
The storm whipped up waves of nearly six metres (20 feet), disrupting shipping in the eastern Mediterranean, the meteorological office said.
- 'Sick and barefoot' -
In Syria, days of heavy snowfall blanketed displaced persons' camps in the rebel-held northwest where families huddled together under canvas in temperatures well below zero Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit).
"We've been trapped in the snow for four days," said Abu Hussan, who lives with his family in a makeshift camp outside the city of Jisr al-Shughur.
"We have no shoes. We are soaked with water. The children are sick and walk barefoot. They have nothing."
The UN humanitarian agency OCHA said this week that at least 227 displacement sites across the northwest have been hit by severe winter weather since January 18.
"545 tents have been reported destroyed and 9,125 tents damaged by snowfall, floods and winds, along with belongings of displaced people," it said.
In crisis-hit Lebanon, refugees and Lebanese alike struggled to secure fuel for heating as severe weather blocked mountain roads and left Syrian refugees shivering in flimsy tents.
In the small Mediterranean country, where economic crisis has driven more than 80 percent of the population into poverty, fuel prices have skyrocketed after the cash-strapped government lifted subsidies last year.
Conditions have been particularly severe in the town of Arsal, high in the mountains on the Syrian border, where Lebanese families and some 70,000 Syrian refugees have been struggling to cope with the cold.
"Most of the people can't afford fuel for heating," Arsal mayor Basel Hujeiri told AFP.
B.Shevchenko--BTB