State media SANA reports on meeting between Syrian president and Russian Duma delegation as sides look to boost cooperation in the education and health sectors following recent gains against the armed opposition
Religious and political figures pay tribute to the Aleppo-born priest and controversial activist, who was once convicted of smuggling weapons to Palestinian militants in the 1970s, after passing away earlier this month in the Italian capital
Editor-in-chief of the pro-regime online newspaper admonishes the US president for continuing to support key regional allies and failing to back Syria, Russia and Iran’s fight against terror in the Middle East
Political opposition stands its ground against attempts by Moscow to influence the make-up of its negotiating delegation at the upcoming Geneva talks, while the US presidency begins meetings with UN and regional leaders on the Syrian issue, Sada al-Sham writes
Walid Bunni argues that America’s success in reversing the Trump travel ban is evidence of the importance of a democratic system that adheres to the separation of powers between the executive, judicial and legislative branches
State rubber stamps initiative for the reconstruction of Syria, including formation of institutions and the modernization of infrastructure, loyalist media reports
Amid intensified efforts to clear Damascus and its surroundings of rebel forces following the fall of Aleppo, Enab Baladi lists the areas in which the opposition continues to hold off inside the capital region
Top opposition members weigh in on agenda of upcoming Geneva talks during meeting with HNC representatives, Coalition media reports
In Saudi-owned Al-Hayat, Ibrahim Hamidi breaks down the current struggle for representation at the upcoming negotiations as well as the tug of war around prioritizing the political and military tracks
Questions remain around how the international community will deal with and classify the new Tahrir al-Sham alliance, which has strong ties to Al-Qaeda, according to Zaman al-Wasl
In the Syrian capital, women’s fixation on obtaining and maintaining ‘beauty’ has fostered a dangerous culture of cosmetic surgery, opposition outlet Enab Baladi writes
The country’s Alawite sect, which has been largely marginalized by Syria’s opposition, must be embraced in any future transitional stage if they are to reach the goals of the Geneva communique, writes Saleh Qallab for Saudi-owned Asharq al-Awsat
Loyalist Al-Thawra reports on the Syrian Foreign Ministry’s statement to the UN calling on the international community to end Turkish aggression after forces crossed into northern Syria
“The war brought out the worst in people,” says Safaa, who left her marriage after being subjected to cruelty by her ex-husband’s family. Facing the trying pressures of wartime, many Syrians have witnessed a break up of their closest relationships, Enab Baladi writes
Chief HNC negotiator slams UN envoy for suggesting he would take the role of choosing an opposition delegation to attend the upcoming Geneva talks if members failed to present a list by February 8, according to Coalition news center
Opposition website Enab Baladi says Syrian government threatening to imprison those who practice journalism without permission, in an apparent effort to crack-down on opposition journalists covering the regime
Syrian president calls business owners a “a source of pride” for continuing production during meeting to discuss the impacts of war on industrialists, loyalist Al-Baath reports
Syrian president tells Venezuela’s Maduro over the phone that the struggles the two countries are facing are the result of foreign attempts to weaken the two states, government media reports
Saudi-owned Al-Hayat details the recommendations inside the separate Kurdish and Russian draft constitutions, which call for greater autonomy for Kurds and a more decentralized government, while also acknowledging the multi-ethnic make-up of Syria’s demography
Loyalist newspaper Al-Watan explains Syrian political opposition figures invited to Russia’s capital Moscow for meetings after news emerged of Russian plans to impose a new constitution on the rebel delegation at Astana
