by Michael Kelly – Business Insider – There are three primary reasons, as illustrated by this report by Krishnadev Calamur of NPR.  1) Strategic: Syria’s port of Tartus hosts the only remaining international military base outside of the former Soviet Union. 2) Financial: As of June 2012, Russia’s economic interests in Syria total approximately $20 billion, about […]

ALEPPO, Syria — Aleppo is basically “Little Syria,” a melting pot, representative of the diverse ethnic and religious groups that make up the nation. Christians in Aleppo have tended to live together in close-knit communities in neighborhoods usually clustered around churches.  It would be very accurate to describe some areas of Aleppo as “Christian,” although […]

Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Monday reiterated his call for political parties to close ranks in the wake of the deadly bombings that rocked Tripoli and Dahieh. After offering condolences at the headquarters of the Higher Islamic Shiite Council on Dahieh’s outskirts over the victims of the Rweiss blast, al-Rahi said "what happened on August […]

The Obama administration was inching closer to a decision on how and whether to strike Syria, after Secretary of State John Kerry and the White House both declared that the evidence showing chemical weapons were used in a deadly attack last week is "undeniable." "What is before us today is real, and it is compelling," […]

  A pinch of coarse sea salt. A dash of rosemary. A bit of olive, almond, and coconut oil. Blend together, put over fire, and stirred for about two hours. Sound like a recipe? It is, but it’s one used for soap. At Khan el Saboun in Daher el Aayn, Tripoli, the Bader Hassoun family […]

  BEIRUT: Pressure is mounting on the United States and its allies to respond to an alleged chemical weapons attack outside the Syrian capital that officials say was probably perpetrated by the government, even if they cannot establish responsibility with certainty. U.N. weapons inspectors were to begin moving in to the site of the attack […]

TRIPOLI, Lebanon — Car bombs exploded outside two Sunni mosques in this northern Lebanese city on Friday as many worshipers were just finishing prayers, killing dozens of people, wounding hundreds and sending new sectarian shudders through the country, already deeply unsettled by the conflict in neighboring Syria. The double bombing was the first time that […]

He gave no details, but media reports say the US Navy is strengthening its presence in the eastern Mediterranean. On Friday, President Barack Obama said fresh allegations of chemical weapons use by the Syrian government this week was of "grave concern". Syria’s main ally Russia said there was evidence rebels were behind the attack. The […]