World

Armed Factions in Syria: Identity, Affiliations, and Strategic Positioning
SpotlightArmed Factions in Syria: Identity, Affiliations, and Strategic Positioning

Over thirteen years since the beginning of the war, Syria remains a stage for complex conflicts, with numerous factions vying for control over different zones of influence. Last Wednesday, following the establishment of a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, Syrian opposition forces led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Cham launched an offensive from their ...

Macron, bin Salman Sign Strategic Partnership
Macron, bin Salman Sign Strategic Partnership

President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman signed a strategic partnership on Monday aimed at deepening bilateral ties and de-escalating conflict in the Middle East, including Lebanon, where the two leaders called for presidential elections. The French leader arrived in Saudi Arabia on Monday for a three-day state visit ...

Fatah-Hamas Negotiations Aim Towards Full PA Governance in Gaza
Fatah-Hamas Negotiations Aim Towards Full PA Governance in Gaza

Egypt's foreign minister said Monday rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas were in Cairo for talks seeking to bring post-war Gaza under the full control of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Hamas has been locked in a deadly conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack on Israel on October ...

AIDS: In the Footsteps of a Major Scientific Scandal (1/2)
ExclusiveAIDS: In the Footsteps of a Major Scientific Scandal (1/2)

In the early 1980s, a previously unknown disease emerged, signaling an unprecedented upheaval in the history of global public health. It all began on June 5, 1981, with the publication in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of an article titled Pneumocystis Pneumonia—Los ...

French PM Faces Ouster as Opposition Vows No-Confidence Vote
French PM Faces Ouster as Opposition Vows No-Confidence Vote

France's Michel Barnier faced an abrupt end to his premiership Monday after key opposition parties said they would back a no-confidence motion against his government after only three months in power. Certain that the National Assembly would deny him a majority backing the government's social security financing plan for next year, Barnier forced ...

Iraq Deploys Armored Vehicles to Border With Syria
Iraq Deploys Armored Vehicles to Border With Syria

Iraq sent armoured vehicles on Monday to reinforce its long border with Syria, in a bid to ease concerns after a surprise offensive in the neighboring country by Islamist-led insurgents. The lightning offensive by Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allied factions saw government forces lose full control of Syria's second city ...

Assad Claims Rebels Attempting to 'Redraw' Regional Map
Assad Claims Rebels Attempting to 'Redraw' Regional Map

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Monday branded an Islamist-led offensive that has captured swathes of territory an attempt to redraw the regional map in line with US interests. His comments in a phonecall with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian came as Syria's military and its ally Russia launched deadly air raids on areas under ...

Qatar’s Emir Begins UK State Visit Hosted by King Charles III
Qatar’s Emir Begins UK State Visit Hosted by King Charles III

The emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will arrive in the UK Monday for a two-day state visit hosted by King Charles III. The emir, 44, and his consort, Sheikha Jawaher bint Hamad Al Thani, are due to arrive at Stansted airport east of London. The state visit will begin Tuesday when the Qatari couple are greeted by heir to the throne ...

Hochstein Warns Israel Over Alleged Ceasefire Breaches in Lebanon
Hochstein Warns Israel Over Alleged Ceasefire Breaches in Lebanon

US special envoy Amos Hochstein reportedly informed Israel in a letter, delivered on Monday, of alleged violations of the ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, according to Israeli media reports. Sources cited by Ynet revealed that Hochstein highlighted "Israeli violations of the cease-fire agreement, mainly the visible and audible return of Israeli ...

Saudi Crown Prince's UAE Visit Focuses on Preventing New Regional Conflicts
Saudi Crown Prince's UAE Visit Focuses on Preventing New Regional Conflicts

Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler discussed "new crises" in the Middle East with the UAE's president during his first visit to the country in three years, Emirati media said. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met on Sunday in Al Ain, a former oasis on the Omani border, hours after a Gulf Cooperation ...

Araghchi in Ankara: Iran and Turkey Advocate Syrian Sovereignty
Araghchi in Ankara: Iran and Turkey Advocate Syrian Sovereignty

The Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Aragchi, continued his regional tour on monday, in Ankara, by meeting his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, following a visit to Damascus. In a joint press conference, Aragchi emphasized the agreement between Tehran and Ankara on a key principle: "The unity and sovereignty of Syrian territories must be ...