Opinion

Trump hopes to drive a wedge between Russia and China, seemingly at the expense of European countries who have yet to be included in talks to end the Ukraine war

Bashar al-Assad and Hezbollah obstructed his vision of a free Lebanon until they decided to take him out. Today, their reign has crumbled, and Lebanon and Syria can finally chart a better future.

The country's desire to atone for historical atrocities threatens to make it complicit in new ones

These policies have sparked an outcry among both citizens and economists, who find the government's approach at odds with its stated goals of revitalising the local economy

The first step of talking to Putin has been taken. Now, the real work needs to be done before the outline of a lasting peace settlement can be reached.

By dismissing the territorial integrity of nation-states on a scale not seen since World War II, the US president is trading diplomacy for might-is-right politics

Transitional authorities must proceed with caution, ensuring that reforms are balanced with social stability, or they may face a new wave of unrest that could undermine their fragile grip on power

These developments could mark the early stages of larger conflicts—or an Iran-driven "war of distraction" designed to entangle the new administrations in Beirut and Damascus

The Assads never thought of Lebanon as an independent, sovereign nation, but rather as an extension of Syria. Now, there are signs that their successors may feel the same. That would harm both states.

The Kurdish-majority group ruling much of Syria's northeast has had US protection for years, but its options are quickly dwindling, and the troops are closing in. It's time for some hard decisions.

Trump's return to the White House looks poised to disrupt the Western alliance on a number of levels—from initiating trade wars to ending Washington's support for Ukraine

One of al-Sharaa's most pressing priorities will be to form a new army and integrate armed factions. Al Majalla zooms in on this challenge for its February cover story.