As the world convulses in war and contentiousness, its leaders convene at the UN to figure it out
Read full article: As the world convulses in war and contentiousness, its leaders convene at the UN to figure it outWorld leaders are gathering at one of the most turbulent and divisive moments in the 80-year history of the United Nations.
A Syrian president arrives in New York for UN General Assembly for the first time in nearly 60 years
Read full article: A Syrian president arrives in New York for UN General Assembly for the first time in nearly 60 yearsSyrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has arrived in New York to attend the U.N. General Assembly.
UN envoy warns of renewed violence in Syria a month into a fragile ceasefire
Read full article: UN envoy warns of renewed violence in Syria a month into a fragile ceasefireThe top U.N. envoy for Syria is warning that its transition remains โon a knife-edgeโ and violence could resume at any moment in the southern city of Sweida, which saw deadly clashes last month.
Syria's top diplomat and an Israeli delegation meet in Paris as US pushes for normalizing ties
Read full article: Syria's top diplomat and an Israeli delegation meet in Paris as US pushes for normalizing tiesSyriaโs state-run news agency says the countryโs foreign minister has held a rare meeting with an Israeli delegation in Paris.
Fresh clashes break out in Syria as the interim government struggles to ease tensions
Read full article: Fresh clashes break out in Syria as the interim government struggles to ease tensionsNew outbreaks of violence overnight into Sunday have rocked Syria at two distinct flashpoints, straining a fragile ceasefire and calling into question the ability of the transitional government to exert its authority across the whole country.
Russia hosts Syria's new foreign minister for the first time since Assad's ouster
Read full article: Russia hosts Syria's new foreign minister for the first time since Assad's ousterSyriaโs top diplomat has met with Russian officials on the first visit to Moscow by a member of the new government in Damascus since former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted.
US envoy doubles down on support for Syria's government and criticizes Israel's intervention
Read full article: US envoy doubles down on support for Syria's government and criticizes Israel's interventionA U.S. envoy is reaffirming Washington's support for Syria's new government and telling The Associated Press in an exclusive interview that there is "no Plan B" for uniting the country.
Evacuations begin in Syria's Sweida as days of deadly clashes ease
Read full article: Evacuations begin in Syria's Sweida as days of deadly clashes easeSyria's government has begun evacuating Bedouin families from the southern province of Sweida after over a week of clashes between Druze militias and Bedouin fighters.
Syria's armed Bedouins say they have withdrawn from Druze-majority city after weeklong fighting
Read full article: Syria's armed Bedouins say they have withdrawn from Druze-majority city after weeklong fightingArmed Bedouin clans have withdrawn from the Druze-majority Syrian city of Sweida after a week of deadly clashes.
US envoy says Syria and Israel agree to ceasefire as Druze minority and Bedouin clans clash in Syria
Read full article: US envoy says Syria and Israel agree to ceasefire as Druze minority and Bedouin clans clash in SyriaU.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack says that Israel and Syria have agreed to a ceasefire following Israelโs intervention this week in fighting between Syrian government forces and.
Syria's Druze find bodies in the streets while searching for loved ones after days of clashes
Read full article: Syria's Druze find bodies in the streets while searching for loved ones after days of clashesMembers of Syria's Druze community are searching for loved ones and counting their dead after days of clashes in a southern province that left bloodied bodies of civilians on the streets and homes looted.
Key players in Syria's latest eruption of violence, from the Druze and Bedouin to government forces
Read full article: Key players in Syria's latest eruption of violence, from the Druze and Bedouin to government forcesClashes that shook southern Syria this week have killed hundreds of people, including civilians, and drawn in an array of both local and international players, harking back to the dynamics of the countryโs nearly 14-year civil war.
Syrian forces who fought Druze militias leave Sweida province under a ceasefire
Read full article: Syrian forces who fought Druze militias leave Sweida province under a ceasefireSyrian government forces have started withdrawing from the southern province of Sweida following days of vicious clashes with militias from the Druze minority.
Here's what triggered the latest deadly violence in Syria, and why it matters
Read full article: Here's what triggered the latest deadly violence in Syria, and why it mattersClashes between Syrian government forces and Druze armed groups have escalated, drawing Israeli intervention and raising fears of a breakdown in the countryโs fragile postwar order.
Syriaโs government and Kurds still at odds over merging forces after latest talks, US envoy says
Read full article: Syriaโs government and Kurds still at odds over merging forces after latest talks, US envoy saysA U.S. envoy says that Syriaโs central government and the Kurds remain at odds over plans on merging their forces after the latest round of talks.
UK foreign secretary visits Syria, renewing ties after 14 years of conflict
Read full article: UK foreign secretary visits Syria, renewing ties after 14 years of conflictBritish Foreign Secretary David Lammy has met with Syriaโs interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Damascus marking the restoration of relations between the two countries after years of tension.
Suicide bomber kills at least 22 in Greek Orthodox church in Syria during Divine Liturgy
Read full article: Suicide bomber kills at least 22 in Greek Orthodox church in Syria during Divine LiturgyState media says a suicide bomber in Syria has detonated himself inside a church filled with people, killing at least 22.
Syria's post-war economic recovery will require 'substantial' international support, IMF says
Read full article: Syria's post-war economic recovery will require 'substantial' international support, IMF saysThe International Monetary Fund had said it visited Syria for the first time since 2009 as the country scrambles to rebuild after over a decade of conflict.
Long-shuttered US ambassador's residence in Damascus is reopened as Washington mends ties with Syria
Read full article: Long-shuttered US ambassador's residence in Damascus is reopened as Washington mends ties with SyriaThe U.S. flag has been hoisted outside of the long-shuttered ambassadorโs residence in Damascus.
UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions lifting
Read full article: UN warns of renewed conflict in Syria but offers hope with sanctions liftingThe top U.N. official for Syria is warning of the โreal dangers of renewed conflict and deeper confrontationโ in the war-battered country.
In Syria, a Shiite shrine and community navigate a changed landscape
Read full article: In Syria, a Shiite shrine and community navigate a changed landscapeDuring Syriaโs civil war, protecting the revered Sayyida Zeinab shrine was a rallying cry for some Shiite fighters and groups from beyond the countryโs borders backing then-President Bashar Assad.
The EU says it will lift sanctions on Syria but leave those on the former Assad regime
Read full article: The EU says it will lift sanctions on Syria but leave those on the former Assad regimeThe European Union's top diplomat says the EU will lift sanctions on Syriaโs economy but keep those in place targeting the former Assad regime.
Syria's driest winter in nearly 7 decades triggers a severe water crisis in Damascus
Read full article: Syria's driest winter in nearly 7 decades triggers a severe water crisis in DamascusSyria's capital, Damascus, is suffering from its worst water shortages in years as a result of the lowest rainfall in more than six decades.
Arab leaders promise to work on reconstruction of Gaza and press for a ceasefire
Read full article: Arab leaders promise to work on reconstruction of Gaza and press for a ceasefireArab leaders meeting at an annual summit in Baghdad say called for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Opulence, business deals and a $400M plane from Qatar: Takeaways from Trump's Mideast tour
Read full article: Opulence, business deals and a $400M plane from Qatar: Takeaways from Trump's Mideast tourPresident Donald Trump has used the first major foreign trip of his second term to outline a vision for restoring global stability that is grounded in pragmatism and self-interest rather than values.
Trump handshake caps Syrian leaderโs journey from anti-U.S. insurgent to nascent Mideast partner
Read full article: Trump handshake caps Syrian leaderโs journey from anti-U.S. insurgent to nascent Mideast partnerWhen the leader of Syria shook hands with U.S. President Donald Trump, it was a striking moment for a man who was an al-Qaida fighter in Iraq and was detained by the American military.
What would lifting US sanctions on Syria mean to the war-torn country?
Read full article: What would lifting US sanctions on Syria mean to the war-torn country?President Donald Trumpโs announcement that the U.S. will ease sanctions on Syria could eventually facilitate the countryโs recovery from years of civil war and transform the lives of everyday Syrians.
Live updates: Trumpโs meeting with Syriaโs new president could mark a turning point for the Mideast
Read full article: Live updates: Trumpโs meeting with Syriaโs new president could mark a turning point for the MideastPresident Donald Trump has met with interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in Saudi Arabia.
Trump appeals for Qatar's help in persuading Iran to give up its nuclear program
Read full article: Trump appeals for Qatar's help in persuading Iran to give up its nuclear programPresident Donald Trump is urging Qatar to use its influence over Iran to persuade the countryโs leadership to reach an agreement with the U.S. over its rapidly advancing nuclear program.
Trump says he will ease sanctions on Syria and move to restore relations with new leader
Read full article: Trump says he will ease sanctions on Syria and move to restore relations with new leaderPresident Donald Trump says he will ease sanctions on Syria and move to normalize relations with its new government to give the country โa chance at peace.โ.
Trump in Saudi speech urges Iran toward a 'new and a better path' as he pushes for nuclear deal
Read full article: Trump in Saudi speech urges Iran toward a 'new and a better path' as he pushes for nuclear dealPresident Donald Trump in a speech in Saudi Arabia has urged Iran to take a โnew and a better pathโ as he pushes for a new nuclear deal.
Syria's leader says his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to avert an escalation
Read full article: Syria's leader says his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to avert an escalationSyrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa says that his country is holding indirect talks with Israel to prevent recent hostilities from getting out of control.
What is behind the latest round of clashes in Syria between Druze and pro-government gunmen
Read full article: What is behind the latest round of clashes in Syria between Druze and pro-government gunmenFour days of clashes between pro-government gunmen and members of a minority sect in Syria have left nearly 100 people dead and raised fears of deadly sectarian violence.
New Syrian foreign minister attends UN Security Council in first US appearance since Assad's fall
Read full article: New Syrian foreign minister attends UN Security Council in first US appearance since Assad's fallSyrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani has attended a U_N_ Security Council briefing, raising his countryโs new flag at the international body and saying he represents a "new Syria.โ.
Baghdad invites new Syrian president to a summit, sparking political division in Iraq
Read full article: Baghdad invites new Syrian president to a summit, sparking political division in IraqThe official invitation extended by Iraq to new Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa to attend the upcoming Arab League summit in Baghdad has triggered sharp political divisions within Iraq.
Lebanese president says Hezbollah disarmament will come through dialogue not 'force'
Read full article: Lebanese president says Hezbollah disarmament will come through dialogue not 'force'Lebanonโs president says the disarmament of the militant group Hezbollah will come through negotiations as part of a national defense strategy and not through โforce.โ.
In a turbulent time, Turkey lays claim to a role of stability for Europe, Syria and global trade
Read full article: In a turbulent time, Turkey lays claim to a role of stability for Europe, Syria and global tradeTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday sought to position his country as a point of stability in an increasingly tumultuous world, saying Turkey was essential for European security and able to span geopolitical divisions over Ukraine, Syria and U.
Kurdish fighters leave northern city in Syria as part of deal with central government
Read full article: Kurdish fighters leave northern city in Syria as part of deal with central governmentScores of U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters have left two neighborhoods in Syriaโs northern city of Aleppo part of a deal with the central government in Damascus.
Syria swears in new transitional government 4 months after Assad's removal
Read full article: Syria swears in new transitional government 4 months after Assad's removalSyriaโs new transitional government has been sworn in nearly four months after the Assad family was removed from power and as the new authorities in Damascus work to bring back stability to the war-ton country.
Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 years
Read full article: Syrian leader signs constitution that puts the country under an Islamist group's rule for 5 yearsSyriaโs interim president has signed a temporary constitution that leaves the country under Islamist rule for five years during a transitional phase.
Syria's government signs a breakthrough deal with Kurdish-led authorities in the northeast
Read full article: Syria's government signs a breakthrough deal with Kurdish-led authorities in the northeastSyriaโs interim government has reached a deal with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the countryโs northeast.
Syria's neighboring foreign ministers call for lifting sanctions and reconciliation
Read full article: Syria's neighboring foreign ministers call for lifting sanctions and reconciliationSyriaโs top diplomat and his counterparts from neighboring countries have called for the lifting of Western-led sanctions and post-war reconciliation.
American Jews who fled Syria ask White House to lift sanctions so they can rebuild in Damascus
Read full article: American Jews who fled Syria ask White House to lift sanctions so they can rebuild in DamascusAmerican Jews who fled their Syrian homeland decades ago went to the White House this week to appeal to the Trump administration to lift sanctions on the country.
Syrians begin fasting during first Ramadan without Assad family rule in decades
Read full article: Syrians begin fasting during first Ramadan without Assad family rule in decadesSome restaurants and coffee shops in Syria were closed during the day as observant Muslims began fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.
Syria's national dialogue conference held as the battered country seeks to rebuild
Read full article: Syria's national dialogue conference held as the battered country seeks to rebuildSyriaโs new rulers have held a long-awaited national dialogue conference to rebuild the country after nearly 14 years of civil war and the fall of former President Bashar Assad.
Syrians express hope and skepticism as national dialogue conference kicks off
Read full article: Syrians express hope and skepticism as national dialogue conference kicks offA long-awaited national dialogue conference intended to help chart Syriaโs political future after the fall of former President Bashar Assad is set to begin.
France's Macron urges Syria's interim government to join a US-led coalition fighting extremists
Read full article: France's Macron urges Syria's interim government to join a US-led coalition fighting extremistsFrench President Emmanuel Macron offers to back Syriaโs interim government in potential partnership with the U.S.-led international coalition fighting against extremist groups in Syria and Iraq at a conference in Paris to discuss the countryโs future after the fall of former Syrian president Bashar Assad.
Syria's interim foreign minister says Russia-Iran ties to Assad are an open wound after war
Read full article: Syria's interim foreign minister says Russia-Iran ties to Assad are an open wound after warSyriaโs relations with Iran and Russia remain an open wound for its people after the nations backed autocratic President Bashar Assad during its long war.
Turkey ends former Afghan governmentโs diplomatic tenure, paving way for Taliban-appointed mission
Read full article: Turkey ends former Afghan governmentโs diplomatic tenure, paving way for Taliban-appointed missionTurkey has terminated the mission of diplomats appointed by Afghanistan's former pro-Western government.
Middle East latest: Hostages freed from Gaza rarely saw sunlight, families say
Read full article: Middle East latest: Hostages freed from Gaza rarely saw sunlight, families sayThe families of hostages freed from Gaza over the weekend described difficult conditions โ including rarely seeing the sun โ during their captivity.
US-backed commander says his Kurdish-led group wants a secular and civil state in post-Assad Syria
Read full article: US-backed commander says his Kurdish-led group wants a secular and civil state in post-Assad SyriaThe commander of the main U.S.-backed force in Syria says that the recent ouster of the Assad family from power should be followed with building a secular, civil and decentralized state that treats all its citizens equally no matter their religion or ethnicity.
Syria's interim president visits Saudi Arabia on first trip abroad, likely a signal to Iran
Read full article: Syria's interim president visits Saudi Arabia on first trip abroad, likely a signal to IranSyriaโs interim president has made his first trip abroad, traveling to Saudi Arabia in a move likely trying to signal Damascusโ shift away from Iran as its main regional ally.
Middle East latest: Eight hostages are released from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners
Read full article: Middle East latest: Eight hostages are released from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisonersHamas has released eight hostages from Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Leader of rebels who toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad is named country's interim president
Read full article: Leader of rebels who toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad is named country's interim presidentThe Syrian factions that toppled President Bashar Assad last month have named an Islamist former rebel leader as the countryโs interim president in a push to project a united front as they face the monumental task of rebuilding Syria after nearly 14 years of civil war.
EU ministers will consider easing sanctions on Syria at a meeting later in January
Read full article: EU ministers will consider easing sanctions on Syria at a meeting later in JanuaryThe European Union's foreign policy chief says the bloc's foreign ministers will discuss easing sanctions imposed on Syria at a Jan. 27 meeting in Brussels.
Syrian intelligence agency says it thwarted a planned Islamic State attack on a Shiite shrine
Read full article: Syrian intelligence agency says it thwarted a planned Islamic State attack on a Shiite shrineIntelligence officials in Syriaโs new de facto government say they have thwarted a plan by the Islamic State group to set off a bomb at a Shiite shrine in the Damascus suburb of Sayyida Zeinab.
Syria's foreign minister visits Qatar as new authorities seek regional and global diplomatic ties
Read full article: Syria's foreign minister visits Qatar as new authorities seek regional and global diplomatic tiesSyriaโs new foreign minister has met with his Qatari counterpart and Qatarโs prime minister in Doha on Sunday.
Middle East latest: Germany and France seek a 'new beginning' with Syria
Read full article: Middle East latest: Germany and France seek a 'new beginning' with SyriaThe top diplomats from Germany and France are in Syria to send what the German minister called a clear signal that a โpolitical new beginningโ between Europe and Syria is possible after the ouster of Bashar Assad.
Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections
Read full article: Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold electionsSyriaโs de facto leader has said it could take up to four years to hold elections in Syria, and that he plans on dissolving his Islamist group that led the countryโs insurgency at an anticipated national dialogue summit for the country.
Syria's embassy in Lebanon suspends services as Lebanon hands over former Syrian army officers
Read full article: Syria's embassy in Lebanon suspends services as Lebanon hands over former Syrian army officersSyriaโs embassy in Lebanon has suspended consular services a day after two relatives of deposed Syrian President Bashar Assad were arrested at the Beirut airport with allegedly forged passports.
An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violence
Read full article: An uneasy calm settles over Syrian city of Homs after outbreak of sectarian violenceSyriaโs new security forces checked IDs and searched cars in the central city of Homs a day after protests by members of the Alawite minority erupted in gunfire and stirred fears that the countryโs fragile peace could break down.
Clashes between Islamists now in power in Syria and Assad's supporters kill 6 fighters
Read full article: Clashes between Islamists now in power in Syria and Assad's supporters kill 6 fightersA British-based war monitor said clashes between Islamists who took over Syria and supporters of ousted President Bashar Assadโs government have killed six Islamic fighters and wounded others.
Prominent Lebanese figure meets Syrian insurgent who led Assad's ouster, seeking better relations
Read full article: Prominent Lebanese figure meets Syrian insurgent who led Assad's ouster, seeking better relationsA prominent Lebanese politician has met with the insurgent who led the overthrow of Syrian leader Bashar Assad, and both expressed hope Sunday for a new era in relations between their countries.
Sectarian violence in Syria has been less intense than feared since Assad's ouster
Read full article: Sectarian violence in Syria has been less intense than feared since Assad's ousterThe toppling of Bashar Assad has raised tentative hopes that Syrians might live peacefully and as equals after a half century of authoritarian rule.
US drops $10M terrorism bounty offered for capture of Syrian rebel leader who ousted Assad
Read full article: US drops $10M terrorism bounty offered for capture of Syrian rebel leader who ousted AssadThe Biden administration says it has decided not to pursue a $10 million reward it had offered for the capture of a Syrian rebel leader whose forces led the ouster of President Bashar Assad.
What Assad's fall has revealed about Syria's trade in the stimulant drug Captagon
Read full article: What Assad's fall has revealed about Syria's trade in the stimulant drug CaptagonSyriaโs nearly 14-year-old civil war fragmented the country, crumbled the economy and created fertile ground for the production of the highly addictive drug Captagon.
Israel's borders have shifted throughout its history. Action in Syria may reshape them again
Read full article: Israel's borders have shifted throughout its history. Action in Syria may reshape them againPrime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israeli troops will remain in Syrian territory indefinitely, and that blurs the border with Israel's northern neighbor.
US officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that ousted Assad, Blinken says
Read full article: US officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that ousted Assad, Blinken saysSecretary of State Antony Blinken says American officials have been in direct contact with the Syrian rebel group that led the overthrow of Bashar Assadโs government but is designated a foreign terrorist organization by the United States and others.
The Detroit area's many Syrians are celebrating Assad's overthrow and planning long-delayed visits
Read full article: The Detroit area's many Syrians are celebrating Assad's overthrow and planning long-delayed visitsLike millions of Syrians around the world, the thousands who have settled in the Detroit area are excited about the prospect of visiting now that rebels have overthrown the government of ousted President Bashar Assad.
Who was in ousted Syrian President Assad's inner circle and where are they now?
Read full article: Who was in ousted Syrian President Assad's inner circle and where are they now?After insurgents toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad this month, many senior officials and members of his dreaded intelligence and security services appear to have melted away.
Syrians cheer end of 50 years of Assad rule at first Friday prayers since government fell
Read full article: Syrians cheer end of 50 years of Assad rule at first Friday prayers since government fellExuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad, gathering in the capitalโs historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule.
Here's how the US is countering the Islamic State group during Syria's upheaval
Read full article: Here's how the US is countering the Islamic State group during Syria's upheavalMassive U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State militants in Syria are meant partly as a message to the group and a move to ensure that the insurgents donโt try to take advantage of the chaos following the overthrow of President Bashar Assadโs government.
Middle East latest: Israeli strikes hit Gaza and also target suspected weapons sites in Syria
Read full article: Middle East latest: Israeli strikes hit Gaza and also target suspected weapons sites in SyriaIsraeli strikes have hit suspected chemical and long-range weapons sites in Syria and the foreign minister says the aim is to keep them from rebels who seized Damascus.
Syria latest: Syrians celebrate in the streets as Russian media says Assad has arrived in Moscow
Read full article: Syria latest: Syrians celebrate in the streets as Russian media says Assad has arrived in MoscowSyrians poured into the streets in celebration after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad familyโs 50 years of iron rule.
Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad?
Read full article: Who is Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the insurgency that toppled Syria's Assad?Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the militant leader who led the stunning insurgency that toppled Syriaโs President Bashar Assad, has spent years working to remake his public image and that of his fighters.