Syria Today | January 2009

Carter says US-Syrian relations will improve

Former US President Jimmy Carter said he expects US-Syrian relations to improve under the presidency of Barack Obama during a trip to Damascus on December 13.

Volunteers promote environmental awareness

Hundreds of aid agency workers and volunteers hit the streets of Damascus and Lattakia to pick up rubbish as part of International Volunteers Day on December 5.

Aoun fixes ties with Syria

Lebanese Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun turned a new page in his relationship with Syria when he met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on December 3.

Murderer of Lawand Hajo arrested

Mouthher M. confessed to the murder and robbery of Syrian choreographer Lawand Hajo on November 24.

Iraqis in Syria protest against US-Iraq security pact

Some 2,000 Iraqis in Damascus staged a protest against the Iraq-US security pact on December 2, saying the agreement surrenders Iraq to US domination.

Hariri tribunal to begin in March 2009

The UN Security Council voted unanimously to extend the investigation into the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri on December 18.

Religious Schools Under Review

The Syrian government is thoroughly revising the way it deals with private Islamic schools after one of the militants accused of involvement in last September’s deadly terrorist attack in Damascus was found to have studied at a local religious institute.

Breaking the Bonds That Bind

The number of divorces granted in Syria has increased by some 60 percent over the past nine years. While divorce is becoming more socially acceptable, it still carries with it a heavy social and financial burden, particularly for women.

Suweida Sways to the Sound of Salsa

Relations between Syria and Venezuela have strengthened considerably over the last decade, but the ties binding the two countries go back a lot further.

The Next Generation

I invite whoever wants to close these Islamic schools to come and visit and see how we teach civilisational dialogue and languages and open our hearts” – religious institute director Hussam ad-Din Farfour.