Mocking clerics, falling in love at rallies and mending a broken society: even if Iraq's young protesters have failed to overthrow entrenched politicians, they have scored by shattering decades-old taboos.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on Tuesday called for the creation of humanitarian corridors in northwestern Syria, expressing horror at a Russian-backed regime offensive in the area.

Syrian troops pressed an offensive Tuesday on the country's last major rebel enclave where the mass displacement of civilians is sparking fears of a humanitarian catastrophe.

The airport in Syria's northern hub of Aleppo is to reopen to civilian flights this week for the first time since the war forced its closure in 2012, state media said Monday.

EU foreign ministers agreed Monday to a naval operation to enforce an arms embargo on war-torn Libya, overcoming objections from countries who feared it may encourage new migrant flows.

Qatar should scrap several laws which impede free speech and expression, the EU's human rights envoy said on Monday at an event in Doha promoting the online rights of activists.

The Syrian army has discovered a mass grave containing around 70 bodies in a former rebel bastion near Damascus, the state news agency reported Monday.

The United Arab Emirates said Monday it has issued a licence for a reactor at its Barakah nuclear power plant, the first in the Arab world, hailing a "historic moment".

The North African country of Algeria has been the scene for the past year of huge protests against the ruling elite and political system.

Turkey's foreign minister said on Sunday he has told his Russian counterpart that the Damascus regime's attacks on the last rebel-held bastion in Syria must stop.