By Hassan Hassan and Bassam Barabandi (The Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy)- In a well-publicized announcement on Thursday, Jabhat al-Nusra announced that it was changing its name in order to distance itself from the al-Qaeda brand. The maneuver was a well-executed public relations...

Lebanon’s Hezbollah said the partition of Iraq and Syria was a possible outcome of sectarian fighting across the region and there was no prospect of any end to the war in Syria until after November's U.S. presidential election. Sheikh Naim Qassem, deputy leader of the Iran-backed group,...

(The Daily Star)- A Syrian national with dozens of arrest warrants out for him over drug-related crimes was arrested Wednesday in the northern city of Tripoli. A police statement said Kh.D., described as “one of the most wanted fugitives,” was found with 12 grams of Salvia packed in seven...

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Rebel factions killed 20 regime troops and destroyed military vehicles on many points north of Zara town in the southern countryside of Hams, activists said. Military sources in the northern Homs countryside operation room and Jund Badir Brigades said the Syrian resistance...