We began the week with Christopher Philips looking at Europe's increasing reliance on national service to bolster their armies' troop numbers in light of Russia's new aggression towards the continent. Not everyone is pleased.

After the deadly Islamic State infiltrator's attack on American soldiers in Palmyra, Subhi Franjieh considers the impact of this on not just US-Syria trust, but on the wider international effort to defeat the terrorist group.

Still in the Middle East and Amr Emam examines thorny Egypt-Israel relations. With the prospect of a big $35bn gas deal between the two stalling, there are other issues in play, not least Gaza and the possible impact on Sinai.

Offshore, Cyprus and Lebanon finally shook hands on an agreement marking out their maritime borders, says Michael Harari. The demarcation should reassure energy companies looking for the next gas field.

In Opinion, Houssam Itani showed how the United States' new national security strategy has now well and truly dispensed with the old idea of alliances. For Donald Trump, it is about deals, the Western Hemisphere, and China.

Something that garnered less headlines caught the eye of Abdullah al Judaya when veteran Hamas politician Khaled Mashal admitted that the war in Gaza was 'genocide' and looked to Arab states and Turkiye, not Iran. Why?

In the world of media, Donald Trump has sued his latest broadcaster, only this time it's Britain's flag carrier, not an American network in need of the government's good will over licences. Con Coughlin delves in.

Sticking with Trump, and Toufic Chanbour ponders a case before the Supreme Court next year that will not only decide the fate of the president's tariffs but that will potentially redefine presidential authority.

In Culture, Mohammed al-Bittari speaks to the Spanish playwright Helena Tornero about her creative process, her family, and the themes she focuses on in her work, including migration and violence. 

Another writer who spoke to Al Majalla is Joao Morgado, from Portugal. He told Nesrein al-Bakhshawangy about his varied genres, including historical biographies of navigators, as well as children's books.

Looking back over the past half a century, Anwar al-Ansi takes a long look at Yemen and its process of uniting North and South at the end of the Cold War. For a brief moment, everything seemed to be going well.

Finally, Ahmed Maher speaks to Prof. Sergei Karaganov, who chairs an influential foreign affairs body. He explains Vladimir Putin's calculations over Ukraine and Europe, a continent he describes as "evil".