ALEPPO, Syria, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- In the heart of the bustling city of Aleppo in northern Syria, Alaa al-Sayyed, a lawyer by profession and a historical researcher by passion, has spent more than 10 years on the rescue of the old books of Syria. Al-Sayyed began to collect books and documents...

As Syria steps out of its diplomatic isolation, calls for reconstruction are mooted by former opponents seeking to justify their relations and by the Syrians themselves, eager to capitalize on their new friendships. The recent dalliance with the Assad regime does not, however, illustrate the...

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis opened a big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church on Wednesday by saying it was in need of repair to make it a place of welcome for “everyone, everyone, everyone,” not a rigid barricade riven by fears and ideology. Francis presided over a solemn...

The passing of renowned Syrian author Khaled Khalifa has shocked the community at home and abroad. Khaled died at his home in Damascus after a sudden heart attack, at the age of 59. I met Khaled Khalifa in Damascus in the early 1990s, just as his fame as a screenwriter was taking off, and we...