This Month
Israel strikes Syrian military HQ as crisis grows
The Israeli government has stepped up attacks on Syria’s military in what it says is an attempt to protect the Druze minority group.
June
Why Putin and Xi will be panicking over Iran
As Iran is weakened, both China and Russia lose a key partner that shares an interest to rage against what they see as US hegemony in the region.
Why Israel attacked Iran, and what to watch for next
After decades of tension, a shift in the conflict between the Jewish state and Islamic Republic to open warfare is now be a real possibility.
They went to Syria to fight with rebels. Now they don’t want to leave
Thousands of foreign fighters answered the call to help topple the dictatorship of President Bashar Assad. Many plan to stay, despite the qualms of the US and some Syrians.
New rules for US Marines to use force against LA civilians
The Pentagon is drawing up rules of engagement for 700 armed marines deployed to the city following violent protests against Trump’s immigration raids.
May
Why is Trump so obsessed with other men’s looks?
The US president has never made a secret of his preoccupation with looks. But what has increased is the amount of time he devotes to the appearance of men.
Your next Airbnb could include a cooking class and personal trainer
The company is introducing hotel-like services, along with a new selection of local tours and classes, in a bid to take more business away from hotels.
Megadeals and hyperbole: Is Trump’s Gulf tour more fiction than fact?
The US president’s visit has been a four-day jamboree of opulent ceremonies and petrodollar-fuelled investment pledges.
Trump meets ‘young, attractive’ Syrian leader, urges ties with Israel
Ahmed al-Sharaa swept to power at the head of a group that Washington has called a terrorist organisation and once pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda.
March
Pressure on Hegseth grows as strike texts revealed
The revelation that sensitive attack plans were shared on a commercial messaging app, possibly on personal mobile phones, has triggered outrage in Washington.
The secret history of Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa
Is the man once known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani intent on moderating or a brutal strongman?
‘Hell will rain down’: Trump orders strikes on Iran-backed Houthis
US president warned Tehran against supporting the militant group which has disrupted global shipping in the Red Sea.
January
The shadow of Islamic State will loom over the Trump presidency
Whatever ISIS’s operational capacity, it has influenced a wave of radicalised ‘lone wolf’ attackers on both sides of the Atlantic.
Who is Tommy Robinson, and why does Elon Musk want him freed?
The X CEO has called for the release of the jailed British far-right extremist, while asserting that UK PM Keir Starmer had failed to prosecute child rapists.
December 2024
ASX slips; Gold miners’ silver lining; China’s new stealth aircraft
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Syria’s Islamist rulers appoint first woman to head central bank
The appointment fills a key economic role and comes as the United States and Europe look for a commitment to women’s rights in Syria.
Assad’s wife given ‘50/50 chance’ of survival as leukaemia returns
Asma al-Assad is thought to have flown to Moscow for treatment some time before the Kremlin persuaded her husband to flee in the face of lightning rebel advances.
Bassel was right about the Assads. It couldn’t save him
The 27-year-old had a Fulbright Scholarship and the future was bright. This is the story of one man’s pursuit of freedom for Syria.
Softbank woos Trump; Mother of all bubbles; 3 infuriating charts
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
The complex task for the rebels looking to rebuild Syria
The new rulers are taking control of institutions hollowed out by corruption and a devastated economy – amid a desire for revenge from some victims of Bashar al-Assad.