With an eye on the Lebanese presidency, the Phalange commander and sworn enemy of Syria sends secret messages of 'reassurance' to al-Assad. Meanwhile, Damascus refuses to host PLO fighters.
Analysts have accused the Lebanese government of exploiting the issue of Syrian prisoners to secure additional funding from the international community
Some Lebanese see this as a "bribe" to prevent Syrian refugees from travelling by boat to Cyprus and then on to Europe. Lebanese Caretaker PM Najib Mikati denies this assertion.
Erast Belling, an émigré from the Bolshevik revolution, soon found himself in tune with Damascus society and helped found a rich musical tradition, both there and in Lebanon
The Captagon trade has generated billions of dollars for the al-Assad regime, but Biden has hesitated to wield sanctions effectively. The Captagon 2 Act has more teeth, but will he use it?
From the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus to Iran's retaliation on Israel, the Syrian leader has been acting strangely normal. Al Majalla gives a breakdown of the past two weeks.
After a decade of conflict, natural disasters, and economic woes, Syrians are increasingly turning to art to express themselves. 'The Cirque' exhibition in Damascus displayed some promising works.
The remarkable precision of Israeli assassination strikes on Iranians and Hezbollah operatives in Syria has raised anxiety levels in Damascus and abroad
Weeks after his release, Abu Maria al-Qahtani has been assassinated. He was challenging Abu Mohammed al-Jolani within Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Now al-Jolani has a clear road ahead.
Cheap unmanned aerial vehicles cost only a few thousand dollars to make, but are costing millions to defend against, turning the economics of war on its head
Britons seem fed up with establishment parties after Labour's disastrous performance in this week's local elections, and the Tories' similar failure two years ago
Nestled on the southern Mediterranean coast, Egypt's quaint coastal metropolis marked its inception as an ancient city that wore many hats across civilisations