Syrian First Lady Diagnosed With Breast Cancer

The wife of Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, has begun treatment for early-stage breast cancer, the presidency said on Wednesday.

Asma al-Assad is beginning the first stage of treatment for a malignant tumour in the breast that was discovered at an early stage.

The announcement came with a photo of the first lady in loose clothing and trainers, sitting on a chair in a hospital room with an intravenous drip inserted in her left hand.

She was smiling at her husband, President Bashar al-Assad, who sat to her right. Asma, whose father is a cardiologist and whose mother is a diplomat, has two sons and a daughter with Assad.