Syria

One of Syria's four largest cities, Hama's history pre-dates Christianity. However, it is most famously known for a bloody assault carried out by Hafez al-Assad in 1982, which killed thousands.

After taking Aleppo and Hama, armed Syrian opposition factions are making their way further south as the regime increasingly appears to be hollowing out

After years of relative quiet, renewed fighting in Syria could be the new US administration's first major foreign policy challenge

The signs are bad but there is international agreement when it comes to Syria. If they act now, Arab states can still re-establish control over events, but the usual statements of support won't cut it

The opposition fighters making such strides on the battlefield want to carry on all the way to Damascus. For everyone else, there are reasons to call a halt to proceedings sooner rather than later

A surprise offensive by the Turkish-backed HTS came after Israel warned Damascus it would pay a 'heavy price' if it keeps arming Hezbollah. How might Syria's stakeholders respond? Al Majalla explains.

Moscow has boosted its military presence in southern Syria near deconfliction lines with Israel, and its revitalised interest in being a key regional player hasn't gone unnoticed in Israel

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