Like many, I was unprepared for the torrent of emotions that gripped me on my first visit to Damascus after 13 years. These are my observations, reflections and reasons for cautious optimism.

Key questions about its organisation, participant selection, and structure have yet to be answered, raising doubts about whether it will genuinely reflect the aspirations of all Syrians

Despite some softening of Cairo's diplomatic position toward Damascus, it is unnerved by the threat of political Islam nearby and the wider ambitions of states such as Türkiye

The president elect's threat that 'all hell will break lose' if the hostages are not released does little to bridge the entrenched positions of Hamas and Israel over the terms of a ceasefire

Tehran is taking his promise to "open the gates of hell" should Israeli hostages in Gaza not be freed seriously and has reined in most of its militias

Major international organisations condemn Israel's conduct in Gaza—and they're not getting enough attention

Despots do not build states to last; they build states to serve them. When they leave, the house comes tumbling down. Syrians have a lot of rebuilding to do.

The suspect who killed 15 people posted Islamic State videos hours before he went on the rampage in a truck adorned with an Islamic State flag. It poses questions for the incoming president

We saw conflict after conflict in 2024, and future strife is threatened in countries that can ill afford it. The best solution is to recalibrate so that wealth trickles down, rather than funnels up

With five foreign militaries on Syrian territory and the risk of division within the country, the new leaders in Damascus are treading a fine line

Both sides are clambering to bolster their negotiating hand, but it may all hinge on NATO membership. A deal-breaker, says Putin. A must, says Zelensky. Let's talk, says Trump

Allowing an ill-disguised Israeli land grab contravenes international rules and norms, shattering the credibility of a system that is supposed to apply to all while threatening Syria's fragile rebuild