Asma al-Assad Denies Divorce Amid UK Passport Concerns

Asma al-Assad, wife of the deposed Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, has been the subject of divorce rumors and reports of seeking to return to the UK for medical treatment amidst her ongoing battle with acute myeloid leukaemia. The Kremlin has denied these claims, stating they 'do not correspond to reality' and emphasized that the couple is not under house arrest in Moscow. Asma's family has also dismissed the divorce rumors, with her father confirming the reports are false. However, UK officials, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy, have stated that Asma is not welcome in the UK, citing her family's involvement in atrocities during the Syrian civil war. Asma has applied to a Russian court for permission to leave for the UK, but her return seems increasingly unlikely due to existing sanctions against her. The situation remains tense, as the couple navigates life under the scrutiny of both Russian authorities and international condemnation.