Ahmed al-Sharaa is promising justice, stability and unity. Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, says he will set the country on a path to development. But it’s no easy task. Nearly half the population is displaced. The World Bank estimates more than a decade of war has destroyed infrastructure to the tune of $11bn. Parts of … Read more
After 13 years of war, an offensive by Syrian opposition groups ousted Bashar al-Assad as Syria’s president in just 11 days. What happened? Who’s running Syria now? And what could happen next? Start Here with Sandra Gathmann explains. This episode features: Wafa Ali Mustafa | Syrian activist and daughter of Ali Mustafa, who was detained … Read more
Several European countries pause Syrian asylum requests days after the al-Assad dynasty collapsed. More than a million Syrians have sought asylum in Europe in the past 13 years. But the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad is raising questions about the future of about 100,000 refugees. At least eight nations have frozen Syrian asylum applications. What … Read more
Paris and Berlin that make up almost half of the eurozone economy face political and economic woes. France and Germany have long been deemed the main axis of power in the European Union. But, both are now facing serious political and economic turmoil. The uncertainty has come at a critical moment, with US President-elect Donald … Read more
Years of war and sanctions have left much of the country in ruins. Years of war and sanctions mean Syria is in dire need of reconstruction. Foreign funding is essential, along with political stability so work vital to the country’s future can begin. So how can this be achieved? And who will pay? Presenter: Nick … Read more
Israel moves to seize more Syrian land near the Golan Heights after opposition forces topple former President Bashar al-Assad. As former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government falls, Israel seizes more territory in Syria’s Golan Heights. That move tears up a 50-year-old ceasefire agreement. But Israeli far-right ministers say their country’s borders should extend further – … Read more
Rescue teams and relatives of disappeared people in Syria are searching for their loved ones at the notorious Sednaya Prison in Damascus after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s government. An intense search was under way at the jail on Monday for “hidden underground cells, reportedly holding detainees”, said the White Helmets rescue group, which dispatched emergency teams … Read more
Syrians gathered in cities around the world to celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government with chants and prayers after opposition fighters entered the capital Damascus following a stunning advance. The Syrian opposition said that it had defeated al-Assad’s regime in the early hours of Sunday, forcing the ousted president to flee the country. Russian … Read more
US president-elect Donald Trump is handing over US Middle East policy to people “who see God as some kind of cosmic real estate agent”, argues Stephen Zunes, chair of the Middle Eastern Studies Program at the University of San Francisco. Regarding Trump’s “to whom it may concern” threat that “there will be all hell to … Read more
Advances by opposition fighters raise questions over how Russia, Iran, Turkiye, Arab states and the US will respond. In Syria’s war, Russia, Iran, Turkiye, the United States and Arab states are all backing different factions. After a years-long deadlock, a swift opposition offensive has ushered in a new phase in the conflict. So how will … Read more