Many had hoped the drug trade would stop after Assad's fall, but traffickers have shown resilience. With sustained regional demand and limited job opportunities, the industry isn't going anywhere.

Washington and Moscow broke the ice in Riyadh in more ways than one, but Russia maintains the advantage in the world's northernmost region

Given Trump's agnostic approach to foreign policy and desire to seal deals, the Israeli premier may have to show more flexibility on key regional issues

The UK, France and Canada issue their toughest warning yet to Israel, with the UK suspending trade talks. Meanwhile, the UN warns 14,000 babies could die if aid is not let in.

Trump's decision to reverse decades of US policy on Syria within just a few hours in Riyadh reflects the weight of influence that Middle Eastern leaders can have on Trump's decision-making process

These days, Cairo looks more to Beijing and Moscow than to Washington, a policy change with its roots in the toppling of Hosni Mubarak more than a decade ago.

Trump's announcement and Rubio's subsequent statement offered no clear roadmap for unwinding Syria sanctions layered under multiple authorities

Although he once deemed Syria unimportant, Trump now seems to realise how key it is to Arab states, whose cooperation he greatly values

Libya's former foreign minister, based in the country's east, says political decisions are no longer Libyan, as he recalls several missed opportunities since 2011.

The drive for shared prosperity is dependent on security, which is why the Trump administration has made this the main focus of ties