Farid al-Qasim, the new commander of the Maghawir al-Thawra faction, has made several changes since he took over this position under the auspices of the “international coalition” forces. These modifications included renaming the faction as the Free Syrian Army, which raised question marks — especially as it coincides with the …

In remote villages across the Lebanese Bekaa region, Syrian refugees are packing their belongings and getting ready to return home. Starting Wednesday, and as part of Lebanon’s “voluntary return” plan, hundreds of refugees have returned to Syria. Syrians Returning to Devastated Country, Escaping Economic Meltdown in Lebanon (Zaman al-Wasl) Many …

During Xi’s decade-long rule, China’s foreign policy has become more assertive and aggressive, and the 20th Party Congress signaled a continuation of this trajectory. The Politburo Standing Committee is now completely made up of Xi loyalists, while those considered closer to former leader Hu Jintao have been ousted from the …