The foreign policy positions of the French presidential contenders are perhaps their starkest divide, with centrist Emmanuel Macron urging close cooperation with international institutions and the far-right Marine Le Pen championing France-first nationalism.

After six years of conflict in Syria, government backers Russia and Iran and rebel supporter Turkey have signed a deal to create four "de-escalation zones" in the country.

Dozens of black veils dotted a freshly laid sand berm in northern Syria, ditched by women fleeing the Islamic State group's bastion of Raqa as US-backed fighters close in.

Outside the village of Tishreen Farms, 17 kilometres (10 miles) north of Raqa, the Syrian Democratic Forces could be seen laying sandbags to protect themselves from IS car bombs and snipers.

The battle to become France's next president boils down to a sharp clash of contrasting visions.

The six-page Document of General Principles and Policies unveiled Monday by Hamas, accepts a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders while refusing to recognize Israel.

The U.S.-led coalition has come under increasing scrutiny by monitoring groups regarding civilian casualties in the fight against the Islamic State group in Iraq, a turn that is worrying some in the country's political leadership who fear the destruction and loss of life could complicate hopes of reconciliation with the country's minority Sunnis.

The Pentagon acknowledged over the weekend that at least 352 civilians have been killed by coalition strikes in Iraq and Syria since the start of the air campaign against IS in 2014. However, activists and monitoring groups say the number is much higher.

Venezuela on Monday marks a month since the start of a wave of deadly protests against President Nicolas Maduro. 

Opponents started rallying on April 1 against moves to strengthen his hold on power, hoping they would be a tipping point in the economic and political crisis.

Since entering office, President Donald Trump has used Twitter to issue declarations on everything from America's geopolitical rivals to his personal feuds with the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Christians have been rooted in the Middle East since the very beginnings of the religion, but they have always been minority communities forced to co-exist with conflict.

From the resounding setbacks in Congress to the stunning policy flip-flops, Donald Trump has certainly been confronted with a steep learning curve in his opening months at the White House.

While the new US president has shown a capacity to change both his tone and his positions, Trump has struggled to convey a clearly articulated worldview.