Syria's hereditary republic grew into a mafia-style family regime. The similarities between their 54-year rule and the fictional Corleone family in 'The Godfather' movies are more than skin-deep
Bashar's uncle was a key figure in the Assad regime who oversaw the bloodiest massacre committed by an Arab state against its own people in history, earning him the title 'the Butcher of Hama'
To the surprise of many, Syria's interim president has neither removed Assad-era staff nor sought revenge on his key lieutenants. It has helped stop Syria from fragmenting.
Al Majalla reveals the full story of Bashar al-Assad's former head of media whose brother disappeared two months before she was killed in an incident eyewitnesses say was no 'accident'.
The Assads bound Syria to regional power plays far beyond its means. As the country embarks on a new path, hollow rhetoric must be replaced with a vision grounded in freedom, equality, and sovereignty
The combined effect of the shocks to the Assad regime and Hezbollah's operational capacity has been to transform, rather than end, illicit cross-border economies like arms and captagon
The 'Detainees and the Disappeared' installation in Damascus enshrines harrowing stories of individual imprisonment into a collective archive to remind future generations of their pain and sacrifice
An investigative report by Al Majalla details the manner and extent to which the former Syrian regime used legislation to seized citizens' property across the country
The sense that the US may be less committed to its allies' security is prompting a rethink of long-held assumptions, much to the delight of China and Russia
Supporting Israel used to help politicians get elected, but with Americans far more critical of Tel Aviv's influence on US policy, it has now become a liability at the ballot box
It is not just a fancy name for the air-conditioning industry, but an intricate system that begins with power stations and extends to the design of buildings and cities
The Palestinian-German author speaks to Al Majalla about the challenges facing Palestinian voices in Germany and how she engages German readers from within their own cultural and political context