International

The new Syrian authorities plan to end compulsory military service

Ahmed al Charaa, leader of the insurgent coalition that overtoched the Bashar al-Asad regime last week and known as the war name of Abu Mohamed al Jolani, said on Sunday that they are studying the possibility of ending compulsory military service.

He said this in a meeting with journalists and activists related to the insurgents, who published several videos on social networks.

In one of those recordings, Al Charaa is asked what will happen with compulsory military service, to which he replied “we are studying it, but in principle it will be an Army of volunteers.”

Defense “of the homeland”

Even so, he qualified shortly after that the defense of “the homeland” is mandatory and is something that concerns everyone, and he did not rule out that in the future a temporary recruitment of fifteen days or twenty days can be applied for “a very short time”.

Mandatory military service has existed in Syria since 1947, a year after the country’s independence. Over time its duration has changed and the Armed Forces have been a pillar of the system, especially during the dictatorship of the Al Asad family that began in 1971 (first with Hafez al Asad and then with his son Bachar al Asad).

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At the beginning of 2011, the year in which the protests against the Government of Bashar al-Asad broke out, it lasted 18 months, but after the beginning of the conflict the soldiers were usually kept in their posts regardless of whether that period had ended.

The Al Asad regime fell a week ago after twelve days of offensive launched by a coalition led by the Islamist group Levante Liberation Agency along with other factions backed by Turkey.

Qatari delegation arrives in Syria to open its embassy

Meanwhile, a diplomatic delegation from Qatar arrived this Sunday in Syria to complete the procedures that allow it to open its embassy in the country “after the success of the revolution” that overthrewed the regime of the deposed Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, Qatari official sources reported.

The official spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed al Ansari, announced today in a statement that “a Qatari diplomatic delegation arrived in Damascus to complete the necessary procedures for the opening of the Qatar State embassy in the Syrian Arab Republic.”

Al Ansari said that the delegation met with the “transitional government” in Syria and reaffirmed the “full commitment of the State of Qatar to support the Syrian people in achieving their aspirations for security, peace, development and prosperity after the success of their revolution.”

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According to the Foreign Ministry spokesman, the delegation discussed with the Syrian side ways to improve the flow of humanitarian aid from Qatar and evaluated the needs of the Syrians “during this important phase” of transition.

Reopening

Last Wednesday, Al Ansari already announced Qatar’s intention to reopen its embassy in Syria “soon”, although an official date for it has not yet been announced.

Qatar, which maintains good relations with Turkey, has been very critical of the government of Bashar al-Assad and has denounced that during his mandate the overthrown president had wasted opportunities to fully reintegrate into the international community and end 13 years of war in Syria.

The small country of the Persian Gulf was one of the first to express on Sunday – after the flight of Al Asad and his family to Moscow -, its “firm support for the Syrian people”, and called on the different insurgent factions and the country’s political groups to “opt for dialogue” for “a better future for Syria.”

He has also set himself up as a mediator and, over the weekend, welcomed in Doha the foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia and Iran – the upprors of a ceasefire in Syria until the fall of Al Asad – to address the future and a peaceful transition in the punished Arab country.

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International

Air Canada suspends JFK flights amid soaring fuel costs linked to Iran conflict

Air Canada announced on Friday that it will suspend its flights from Montreal and Toronto to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport from June through late October, citing rising jet fuel costs driven by the conflict involving Iran.

“Since the beginning of the conflict with Iran, some routes and less profitable flights have become economically unviable, so we are making adjustments accordingly,” the airline said in a statement.

Despite the suspension, the carrier confirmed it will continue operating 34 daily flights from six Canadian cities to New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Air Canada expects to resume its JFK operations after October 25.

Meanwhile, Iran announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz amid a temporary ceasefire in the region. However, jet fuel shortages could persist even if the truce holds.

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Fuel accounts for between 25% and 30% of operating costs for most airlines, and carriers worldwide have responded to the crisis by raising fares and suspending select routes due to safety and profitability concerns.

International

UK braces for potential CO₂ shortage amid Middle East tensions

The government of United Kingdom is preparing contingency measures amid fears of a potential shortage of carbon dioxide (CO₂), which could impact the agri-food industry if the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, The Times reported on Thursday.

According to the newspaper, officials assessed this scenario during a recent crisis meeting aimed at evaluating the consequences of a prolonged conflict, triggered on February 28 by joint attacks from United States and Israel against Iran.

Under this scenario, CO₂ supplies—primarily a byproduct of fertilizer production using natural gas—could fall by up to 18%, affecting multiple sectors including agriculture and food production.

The gas is widely used in the slaughter of pigs and poultry, as well as in extending the shelf life of packaged foods. Breweries could also face disruptions due to reduced availability.

“I don’t want to comment on a leak, but now that the information is out there, I hope people feel reassured knowing we are working on it,” said Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in remarks to Sky News.

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While a drop in CO₂ supply is not expected to cause major shortages in supermarkets, it could limit product variety, The Times noted, citing access to internal government documents.

To mitigate the impact, authorities are considering prioritizing CO₂ supply for critical sectors such as healthcare and civil nuclear energy, where it is used in cooling systems for blood reserves, organs, vaccines, and electricity generation. The government may also request domestic producers to increase output.

Central America

El Salvador and Paraguay approve 2026–2028 cooperation program

The governments of El Salvador and Paraguay approved the 2026–2028 Cooperation Program, which includes six joint development projects, according to Salvadoran Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Adriana Mira.

Mira stated that El Salvador will act as the “main provider of cooperation,” contributing five initiatives focused on road infrastructure, tourism, and local development. She also noted that one of the projects will be led by the Paraguayan side, although no further details were disclosed.

The agreement was reached during the Second Meeting of the Joint Commission on Technical and Scientific Cooperation between both countries.

According to Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the First Meeting of the Political Consultation and Bilateral Coordination Mechanism was also held, with the participation of Vice Minister Víctor Verdún.

In an official statement, the Paraguayan government reported that both delegations agreed to identify mechanisms to promote competitiveness, economic growth, and market access. They also committed to signing agreements related to air transport cooperation.