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

The move toward sharia-compliant sovereign financing is designed to ease liquidity and draw cash back into the formal banking system. If it works, Algeria could become a major player in the industry

Now in his ninth decade, this pillar of Arabic TV and theatre has had his fair share of run-ins with the authorities, not least those of the Assad regime. Now it has gone, 'a weight has been lifted'

While financial obligations outlive regimes, Damascus may be able to show that some of the $7.6bn in loans from Tehran was spent repressing the Syrian people—and that Iran knew about it

From Gaza to Lebanon and Syria, this is the story of a year of tumult and surprise which has reshaped the region and echoed through global affairs. And Trump's return means more uncertainty ahead.

The incoming US president might very well reach a deal with Tehran, but it will likely be a bumpy road until then

From past to present and future, the broad range of settings for Al Majalla's selection of books was emblematic. Meanwhile, controversy over an award-winner shows the power of the written word.

Fears of an arms race amid tensions in the region come alongside ambitious growth plans and hopes to boost living standards