Syria's new authorities will hold a national dialogue conference starting on February 25 to discuss a new path for the nation after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in December, two members of its preparatory committee said on Sunday.
Foreign capitals will be closely watching the conference as part of a political process in Syria that they say needs to be inclusive of its ethnically diverse and multi-religious population as they consider suspending sanctions on the country.
Holding the conference has been a key pledge of former Al Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) which took control of Damascus on December 8 in a stunning offensive that prompted then-president Assad to flee to Russia, ending more than 50 years of his family's autocratic rule.
The preparatory committee's seven members consulted with some 4,000 people across Syria over the last week to gather views that would help shape a constitutional declaration, a new economic framework and a plan for institutional reform, the committee told reporters on Sunday.
HTS-appointed President Ahmed Sharaa has said the conference was part of an inclusive political process to draft a constitution, which he said could take up to three years, and then hold elections, which he said could take four years.
The conference is scheduled for two days but could be extended if necessary, committee member Hassan Dugheim said, and a new government expected to be formed next month would also benefit from the conference's recommendations.
The World Bank has said it's approved more than $1 billion in new funding to support rebuilding efforts and infrastructure development in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague to discuss key regional and global issues.
At least 20 people were killed and more than 50 injured after a suicide bomber attacked a church in central Damascus, Syria’s capital, on Sunday, officials confirmed.
Switzerland has announced the lifting of a wide array of economic sanctions on Syria, including measures targeting the country’s central bank. The move follows a series of international steps aimed at supporting Syria’s recovery after the fall of former president Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.
More than 2 million Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons have returned to their homes since December, according to the UN refugee agency, which emphasized the urgent need for a political resolution to prevent renewed instability.
Greek firefighters are battling a large wildfire south of Athens as the country faces its first major heat wave of the summer, with temperatures nearing 40°C and strong winds fuelling the flames.
At least 29 students were killed and more than 250 injured in a stampede at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, authorities confirmed Thursday.
China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun has urged member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to push back collectively against what he called “hegemonic behaviour”, as defence ministers met for their annual summit in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao.
European Union leaders renewed economic sanctions on Russia for another six months on Thursday and reviewed the latest U.S. trade proposals during a summit in Brussels.
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington signed a trade agreement with China the previous day, though no details of the deal have been made public.
Iran launched 18 ballistic missiles late Sunday targeting the U.S. military’s Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest American installation in the Middle East.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
Wizz Air has suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its European services to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately until 15 September due to escalating situation in the Middle East. Also, the air carrier temporarily suspended its flights between Astana, Kazakhstan, and Abu Dhabi.
China has unveiled a mosquito-sized bionic drone designed for covert military operations and battlefield reconnaissance, marking a major advance in micro-robotics and stealth technology as part of the country’s growing focus on next-generation warfare capabilities.
A fire that broke out Thursday evening at the “Azerbaijanfilm” studio in Baku has been brought under control, following an explosion reported in an old pyrotechnics area of the complex.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Israel’s recent victory in its conflict with Iran opens a path to expanded peace deals, including the possible addition of Saudi Arabia and Syria to the Abraham Accords.
A key unit at Iran’s South Pars gas field, damaged during Israel’s first strike on the country’s energy infrastructure, has resumed operations just 10 days after the attack.
Uzbekistan’s economy is set to expand by 6.5 percent by the end of 2025, driven by rising household income and sustained investment, according to the Eurasian Development Bank.
Kazakhstan will create six new nature conservation institutions to preserve biodiversity, aiming to increase protected territories to 12.5% of the national area.
Greek firefighters are battling a large wildfire south of Athens as the country faces its first major heat wave of the summer, with temperatures nearing 40°C and strong winds fuelling the flames.
At least 29 students were killed and more than 250 injured in a stampede at Barthelemy Boganda High School in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, authorities confirmed Thursday.
China’s Defence Minister Dong Jun has urged member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to push back collectively against what he called “hegemonic behaviour”, as defence ministers met for their annual summit in the eastern Chinese city of Qingdao.
European Union leaders renewed economic sanctions on Russia for another six months on Thursday and reviewed the latest U.S. trade proposals during a summit in Brussels.
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington signed a trade agreement with China the previous day, though no details of the deal have been made public.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment