Former Assad official sentenced to 60 years in US for torture Samir Ousman Alsheikh was convicted by a jury in March of three counts of torture, one count of conspiracy to commit torture, visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud. Syria
Culture Syrian singer Assala returns to Damascus stage after 15-year exile The Syrian star, one of the Arab world’s most famous artists, had been in self-exile since 2011 after she openly supported the uprising against the since-ousted Assad government. Syria
Syria’s Sharaa talks economic ties with UAE leader: What to know The UAE is moving to boost trade and investment ties with Syria amid the conflicts in the region and following initial caution in its dealings with Damascus. Syria
Fuel price protests in Syria continue for second day: What to know The Syrian government hiked fuel prices by more than 28%, prompting massive protests across at least eight provinces. Syria
Iran's top diplomat to visit Turkey amid Erdogan-Assad thaw The foreign ministers of the two nations will hold talks next week amid ongoing Ankara-Damascus rapprochement. Turkey
UN extends Syria cross-border aid by six months By a vote of 15-0, the UN Security Council renewed the provision of aid from the Turkish-Syrian border through July. Syria
Analysis Will Erdogan and Assad soon meet to bury the hatchet? Erdogan’s opportunism, Putin’s weakness, Iran’s distraction, Israel’s vigilance all complicate Syrian endgame. By Week in Review
'I do...I'm done': Divorce spikes among Syrian refugee women in Germany The transition to their new lives in Germany has led some Syrian women to end their marriages away from the prying eyes of their home communities. Syria
Turkish defense chief warns Syrian rebels against ‘provocation’ As the Turkish president eyes a meeting with his Syrian counterpart, the Turkish defense chief warns Ankara-backed armed groups against “provocations” amid ongoing Syrian protests against the Damascus-Ankara thaw. Turkey
Erdogan presses for 'concrete steps' in Syria during call with Putin President Erdogan tells his Russian counterpart Putin that the Syrian government needs to be "constructive" for "concrete results" in Syria. Turkey
The Takeaway: Regional embrace of Syria's Assad puts US in tight spot Plus, the US responds to Itamar Ben-Gvir's controversial holy site visit, and President Joe Biden names ambassadors to Jordan and Oman. Syria
Syrian opposition-controlled areas protest Ankara-Damascus rapprochement Syrians are speaking out against a potential Turkish-Syrian rapprochement, with opposition-held areas holding vigils and protests across Aleppo and Idlib governorates. Syria
Israeli strikes on Syria put Damascus airport briefly out of service, kill two The Syrian government said on Monday that a string of Israeli strikes hit Damascus International Airport putting its service to a halt for nearly seven hours. Syria
Turkish, Syrian FMs could meet soon as diplomatic thaw gains steam The top Turkish diplomat said Saturday that he could meet with his Syrian counterpart in mid-January. Turkey
Turkey, Syrian government may cooperate on the ground Turkey is considering cooperating with the Syrian government in rebel-held Syrian territories after the first high-level talks between Turkey and the Syrian government in Moscow this week. Turkey
Turkish, Syrian defense chiefs hold landmark meeting in Russia The defense ministers' meeting in Moscow was the first official engagement between Damascus and Ankara in more than a decade. Turkey
