1.5 billion tourists over five continents raked $11tn into the global economy in 2024, surpassing pre-COVID levels. Meanwhile, North Africa broke records as a new hot-spot destination.

After dramatic action from the central bank, an $8bn IMF loan and a $35bn development deal, Cairo aims to bounce back in the new year, but faces both familiar and new problems first

Watching Gabriel García Márquez's epic on TV as Syria awoke from its 'eternal' slumber, Assad's ouster felt like the scene the Colombian writer forgot to write in his most famous novel

'Ghost Trail' is a timely French thriller about Assad-era atrocities, revealing what went on in the regime's darkest corners and how justice can be done by those determined enough to find the culprits

The Assad family's 54-year rule over Syria has collapsed, as has the Iranian axis. In control of Damascus, HTS and its allied factions can write a new chapter in Syrian history.

The Assad family's 54-year rule over Syria has collapsed, as has the Iranian axis. In control of Damascus, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allied factions can write a new chapter in Syrian history

Destroying most of Syria's defence assets, Tel Aviv has left its northern neighbour vulnerable to the same instability that followed the dissolution of the Iraqi army. That suits Netanyahu nicely

The painter with a famous namesake travels the world and is Lebanese to his core, but as his art shows, he is many other things too. In the end, his art is all about helping people take a breath