Analysis UAE gauges new Lebanon deals amid Levant economic stabilization push Beirut welcomed a high-level business delegation from the UAE in late August as Abu Dhabi pursues new regional economic engagement amid Iran's waning influence. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Why Turkey welcomes Israel-Syria talks despite mounting red lines Turkey supports US-backed Israel-Syria talks but sees little prospect of a lasting accommodation until the Israeli elections. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran sets conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz Syria, Saudi Arabia to establish joint bank; Lebanon, UAE ink deals, deepen economic ties; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Sharaa taps Visa as Syria reconnects to global finance: What to know Visa and Mastercard announced Wednesday that their networks can now be used to make international card payments in Syria. Syria
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Qatari PM heads for Tehran amid flurry of regional diplomacy By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Business & Tech Iran keeps Hormuz reopening on hold By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis Capitulation or compromise? What SDF's dissolution means for Sharaa, Turkey and Syria's Kurds By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Senate Democrats urge Israel to rein in West Bank violence By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Paris court upholds France's arrest warrant for Assad: What we know Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is wanted in France for his alleged involvement in a 2013 chemical attacks in Ghouta and Douma that left as many as 1,000 people killed. Syria
Suspected Israeli drone in south Syria kills Syrian army officer Since the Israel-Hamas war began in October, Israel has stepped up strikes inside Syrian territory, targeting Iranian-linked positions. Syria
Syrian Kurds postpone local elections amid US disapproval, Turkish threats The prevailing consensus is that the Biden administration’s opposition was the main driver of the postponement. Syria
Iraq's PM says Baghdad mediating potential Syria-Turkey reconciliation The Iraqi prime minister says he is in contact with the Turkish and Syrian presidents as part of reconciliation efforts Turkey
Turkey's Erdogan threatens Syrian Kurdish groups as local elections near The Turkish president said his country would "not hesitate to take action" as Ankara dials up its threats of a fresh military incursion into regions held by Kurdish-led groups in Syria. Turkey
Saudi-Syrian normalization takes off with Hajj flights, return of ambassador Diplomatic relations have resumed between the two countries as Riyadh appointed Faisal al-Mujfel ambassador to Syria — the first since relations were severed in 2012. Syria
Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad’s leukemia diagnosis: What we know Assad is facing a relatively difficult path to recovery due to her history of breast cancer, a leukemia expert told Al-Monitor, with sanctions on Damascus further complicating her treatment options. Syria
US repatriates 11 Americans held in northeast Syria Five years after the Islamic State lost its final stronghold in Syria, tens of thousands of women and children remain stranded in detention camps in the country's northeast. Washington Connection
Culture ‘Written Eye’ exhibit breathes life into Syria's art scene Several young artists showcased their works at a new-concept exhibition held in the heart of the Syrian capital, signaling a revival of the Syrian art scene after years of war. Syria
Iran's hold on Syria strong despite 'withdrawals' after Israeli attacks While Tehran has been withdrawing some military commanders from Syria in response to Israeli targeting, reports of a large-scale drawdown in Iranian forces in the country are exaggerated, analysts say. Syria
ISIS takes advantage of Israel-Iran spiral to mount resurgence in Syria Amid the relocation of Iranian-backed forces due to Israeli and US airstrikes and the lack of coordination between the SDF and Damascus, ISIS has intensified its operations, clawing back parts of the vital highway separating Raqqa and Deir Ezzor. Syria
Syria’s Kurds face ISIS threat, US indifference as Turkey destroys critical infrastructure Turkish strikes have left hundreds of thousands without water and electricity, as well as undermining security at prisons and detention centers where tens of thousands of Islamic State fighters and their families are being held. Syria