Syria

Damascus has artificially lowered prices for years, but Syrians today cannot afford basics like fuel without them, meaning its budget has become a delicate balancing act

The story of Shallah, who recently passed away at 92, and that of his illustrious family tell plenty about the history of Damascus and its business community over the past 100 years

The drug trade is bankrolling the Damascus government through an illicit trade valued at around $57bn. Al Majalla explains why it started and how it's shaping Syrian society.

Criminal enterprise in the country is not new, but the past decade's unstable landscape has created the perfect conditions for it to flourish. Al Majalla explains how Syria became a drug lord.

Israel has attacked Damascus multiple times this past year, but the Syrian capital is no stranger to such tactics. It has come under shelling from occupation powers numerous times in the past century.

Syria's deep economic reliance on Lebanon, shaped by years of conflict and international sanctions, has made regime-held areas particularly vulnerable to Lebanon's economic and political instability

Russia's intervention on 30 September 2015 won it a warm water port on the Mediterranean, but the political solution that was meant to follow the fighting has not yet materialised

While the potential presence of Houthis in Syria is most likely only symbolic, its implications could be significant. Israel might use this as a justification to ramp up attacks across the region.

Even though it would be good for the region and efforts toward resetting ties have regional and international backing, major challenges and even non-starters are blocking the path to rapprochement

The suspended fair remains a symbol of the global prestige Syria enjoyed in its not-so-distant past. Al Majalla recalls some of its most memorable moments.