Arab world
Geographical and cultural region in Africa and the Middle East
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We include updates on Syrian civil war, Nakba, Sahara, Muslim Brotherhood, Occupied Palestinian territories, Belly dance, Blockade of the Gaza Strip, Demographics of the State of Palestine, USS Cole bombing, 2011 Egyptian revolution, Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian right of return, Syrian opposition, Qatar diplomatic crisis, Palestinian Legislative Council, Southern Transitional Council ... and more.
| 2025 |
Sahara
A genetic study sequenced individuals from Takarkori (7,000 years before present), revealing a distinct North African ancestral lineage previously unknown. The study challenged previous interpretations about population movements in the Green Sahara period.
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| April 23 2025 | Jordan's Interior Minister Mazin Al Farrayeh announced an immediate ban on the Muslim Brotherhood, seizing its assets and offices after uncovering a suspected sabotage plot. |
| April 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Saudi Arabia planned to pay off Syria's $15 million World Bank debt, indicating increased diplomatic and economic engagement with the new Syrian government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa.
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| 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Canada reestablished diplomatic relations with Syria.
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| March 31 2025 |
Prime Minister of Syria
Transition of governmental leadership following the fall of the Assad regime, with the Prime Minister becoming the head of the Syrian transitional government.
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| March 29 2025 | The Ministry of Water Resources was merged with the Ministry of Electricity and the Ministry of Oil and Mineral Resources to form the new Ministry of Energy. |
| March 29 2025 |
President of Syria
Al-Sharaa announces the second Syrian transitional government at a ceremony at the People's Palace in Damascus, with new ministers sworn in and delivering speeches about their agendas.
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| March 29 2025 |
Syrian civil war
President al-Sharaa issues Presidential Decree No. 122, forming the Second Syrian transitional government and the 98th Council of Ministers of Syria, replacing the previous transitional government from December 2024.
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| March 20 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Germany reopened its Embassy in Damascus.
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| 2025 |
Prime Minister of Syria
New Interim Constitution establishes a presidential system, removing the position of prime minister and concentrating executive power in the president's hands.
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| March 18 2025 | Issam al-Da'alis is killed during the Gaza war, leading to the establishment of a 15-member Community Support Committee to assume government affairs of the Gaza Strip. |
| March 2025 |
Canada–Syria relations
Canada officially suspended economic sanctions against Syria and appointed Stefanie McCollum, the ambassador to Lebanon, as its non-resident ambassador to Syria.
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| March 18 2025 | Essam al-Da'alis takes office in the Justice Ministry, concluding his term as Head of the Government Administrative Committee. |
| March 13 2025 |
President of Syria
Al-Sharaa signed a temporary constitution, placing Syria under Islamist rule for five years while committing to protect the rights of all Syrians during the transitional phase.
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| March 13 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Canada announced plans to ease sanctions against Syria and name its ambassador to Lebanon to serve in a parallel role in Syria.
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| March 12 2025 |
Syrian civil war
All revolutionary factions united into the First Syrian transitional government.
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| March 12 2025 |
Syrian civil war
Suwayda Military Council agrees to integrate into state institutions, unifying Syrian revolutionary factions.
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| March 2025 |
Sectarianism and minorities in the Syrian civil war
Massacres of Syrian Alawites in western Syria resulted in targeted killings of non-Alawite religious minorities, including Christians, with many fleeing to the mountains.
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| March 8 2025 |
Sectarianism and minorities in the Syrian civil war
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported a massacre of more than 740 Alawite civilians by Syrian security forces and pro-government fighters during clashes in western Syria.
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| March 6 2025 |
Syrian civil war
Mass killings and massacres against Alawites began after the defeat of Assad and rise of the Transitional government. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported 1,614 civilians killed by armed militias supporting the Syrian government.
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| 2025 |
Turkish occupation of northern Syria
Continued fighting between Turkish forces and Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria following the initial offensive.
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| March 2 2025 |
President of Syria
Al-Sharaa declared the establishment of a committee to draft a constitutional declaration to guide Syria's transition.
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| February 18 2025 |
Syrian civil war
Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reach a disarmament agreement with al-Sharaa's government. SDF leader Mazloum Abdi congratulates al-Sharaa and invites him to visit northeast Syria.
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| February 12 2025 | Syrian Negotiation Commission president Bader Jamous met with new Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa and Hadi al-Bahra (president of the Syrian National Coalition) to agree on dissolving both the Negotiation Commission and the National Coalition within the Syrian transitional government, two months after the fall of the Assad regime. |
| February 11 2025 | The Syrian National Council (SNC) begins preparing to dissolve, instructing employees to apply for positions in the new administration. |
| February 7 2025 | The Kurdish National Council withdraws from the Coalition. |
| January 30 2025 | The Syrian Interim Government places itself 'at the disposal' of the transitional government. |
| January 29 2025 |
President of Syria
The 2012 constitution was officially phased out.
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| January 29 2025 |
President of Syria
Ahmed al-Sharaa appointed as President of Syria in a transitional capacity, succeeding the previous president.
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| January 29 2025 |
Syrian civil war
At the Syrian Revolution Victory conference, the new government announces the dissolution of armed militias and their integration into the Syrian Ministry of Defense. Ahmed al-Sharaa, former HTS leader, is appointed as president during the transitional phase.
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| January 2025 | Samir Sattouf announces that the Syrian National Coalition and Syrian Negotiation Commission would not be officially invited to the dialogue conference due to their expired mandates. |
| January 2025 | United States-brokered ceasefire went into effect, with Hamas retaining control over the Gaza Strip as IDF withdrew. |
| January 2025 |
President of Syria
New Interim Constitution of Syria implemented, defining presidential powers and roles, including supreme command of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces.
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| January 16 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Spain reopened its Embassy in Damascus.
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| January 8 2025 | Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa meets with a Syrian National Coalition delegation headed by Hadi al-Bahra. |
| January 2 2025 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced plans to re-establish diplomatic relations with Syria.
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| 2024 | After the fall of the Assad regime, the Syrian National Coalition relocated from Istanbul to Damascus. |
| 2024 |
Politics of Qatar
Qatar held a constitutional referendum introducing amendments to end elections for the Shura Council and allow naturalized citizens to be appointed as government ministers, presented as measures to promote national unity and stability.
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| 2024 | Osama Abu Zaid becomes the last Minister of Water Resources in the First Syrian transitional government |
| 2024 | Moataz Qattan appointed as Minister of Water Resources in the Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali government |
| 2024 |
Tourism in the Arab world
United Arab Emirates continues to be a popular tourist destination, receiving 16.7 million tourists in 2024.
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| 2024 |
Tourism in the Arab world
Egypt maintains its strong tourism performance with 17 million tourists, solidifying its position as a major tourist destination in the Arab world.
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| 2024 |
Tourism in the Arab world
Saudi Arabia leads the Arab world in tourism, attracting 17.5 million tourists in 2024, marking a significant milestone in the region's tourism industry.
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| 2024 |
Arab flags
Syria adopts its current national flag with three horizontal bands of green, white, and black, and three red five-pointed stars on the white band.
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| 2024 |
Bahrain–Syria relations
Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani visited Damascus, marking the first visit by a Bahraini foreign minister to Syria in 13 years.
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| 2024 |
Foreign relations of Syria
Syria's embassy in Rome was reopened.
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| 2024 |
Governor of Grande Comore
Ibrahim Mze Mohamed assumes the role of Governor of Grande Comore, succeeding Mhoudine Sitti Farouata
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| 2024 |
Blockade of the Gaza Strip
Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas member, publicly acknowledged that the blockade significantly complicated Hamas's ability to import components for their weapons industry, forcing them to label machine tools and explosives as civilian goods or hide them within food shipments.
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| 2024 |
Syrian civil war
Syrian opposition launches new offensives against government or opposing forces, indicating continued active conflict in the region.
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| 2024 |
Corruption in Kuwait
Transparency International released the Corruption Perceptions Index, scoring Kuwait 46 out of 100, ranking the country 65th among 180 countries evaluated for public sector transparency and corruption levels.
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This contents of the box above is based on material from the Wikipedia articles Governor of Grande Comore, Canada–Syria relations, National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Syrian civil war, Syrian Negotiation Commission, Hamas government in the Gaza Strip, Sahara, Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas government of October 2016, Ministry of Water Resources (Syria), Prime Minister of Syria, Blockade of the Gaza Strip, Foreign relations of Syria, Politics of Qatar, Tourism in the Arab world, President of Syria, Turkish occupation of northern Syria, List of Arab flags, Bahrain–Syria relations, Sectarianism and minorities in the Syrian civil war & Corruption in Kuwait, which are released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.