Lebanon authorities release Salafist cleric Khaled Hablas: What to know Hablas was imprisoned for his role in the deadly 2014 clashes with the military and Hezbollah and his release follows Syria lobbying for the return of militants detained in Lebanon. Lebanon
Syria restores Raqqa oil field in former ISIS stronghold: What to know Before Syria's civil war erupted in 2011, national oil production stood at between 400,000 and 500,00 barrels per day before falling to under 100,000 bpd during the conflict. Syria
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran’s Ghalibaf: US must accept Tehran proposal By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Turkey's border reopening unlocks new sphere of influence in Syria Turkey reopened the Akcakale-Tell Abyad crossing on Monday, ending an 11-year closure along the Syria border. Turkey
Analysis MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis 'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
If Syria cease-fire fails, what is Plan B? The United States said it was encouraged that the Syrian cessation of hostilities appeared to be holding, with no significant violations reported in the past day, as analysts said Russia was backing the truce because it feared a quagmire and talk of a US "Plan B." Syria
TIMELINE: Key players reflect on US policy in Syria In this interactive timeline, US lawmakers and former administration officials open up about their failure to prevent disaster in Syria. Syria
Syrian Kurdish leader calls for federal state In an interview with Al-Monitor, Akram Hesso, the Kurdish head of Syria's Jazeera canton, spoke about the Syrian Kurds' relations with regional and international players as well as a model for federal rule in Syria. Syria
How much support did Turkey provide to Syrian opposition? The Turkish prime minister claimed that Turkey has done more than Arab countries to aid the Syrian rebels, though he stopped short of providing details about Turkey's "support." Syria
Is the Saudi, Lebanese relationship gone for good? In retaliation for Hezbollah’s support of the Houthis in Yemen, Saudi Arabia has launched a campaign designed to pressure Lebanon. Saudi Arabia
Will current truce pave way for permanent cease-fire in Syria? Experts on Syria say the recent cease-fire implemented in Syria is only a temporary truce that will not lead to a long-term peaceful solution to the crisis. Syria
Is Syrian regime about to retake Raqqa? The Syrian army has launched an unprecedented battle in Raqqa province, the stronghold of the Islamic State in Syria, and is making its way toward Tabqa city, the second-largest city in the province. Syria
How Syria's earliest refugees are about to become Turkish citizens Turkey's earliest Syrian refugees will soon complete their five-year waiting period for Turkish citizenship, and political players are calculating those Syrians' significant eventual power. Syria
27,000 Syrian refugees stranded near Jordanian border A senior European diplomat has criticized Amman for leaving Syrian refugees stranded "indefinitely" near Jordanian-Syrian border. Jordan
Why Saudis may take on Iraq’s Shiite militias Saudi Arabia sees Iraq's Popular Mobilization Units, formed from various Shiite militias to fight the Islamic State, as a dangerous long-term foe for the Sunni Islamic world. Saudi Arabia
Congress goes after Assad for war crimes A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of Feb. 29. Syria
Is Turkey 'on the hook' regarding Syria cease-fire? US-Russia agreement on Syria is a possible breakthrough in peace efforts; Erdogan calls US alliance with Syrian Kurds a “Great Lie.” Syria
