Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran says US strikes render April ceasefire ‘meaningless’ Fresh US strikes and Iranian retaliation deepen regional tensions, while Washington tightens sanctions, France pushes for a larger role in Lebanon, and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Russia in talks on 'reformatting' its military sites in Syria: What to know Moscow signals it wants to maintain its presence in Syria, where President Ahmed al-Sharaa recently said that Russian bases will be converted into training centers. Syria
Newsletter: Business & Tech Gulf investors eye payday ahead of SpaceX IPO The IPO could leave Saudi investors holding a combined stake worth well over $15 billion in one of the world’s most coveted technology companies. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump says Iran will 'pay the price’ for dragging out talks US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Wednesday, saying that Tehran had waited too long to reach a deal after the largest direct exchange of fire between the two countries since an April ceasefire. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Lebanon Needs Viable Solutions For Displaced Syrians Just as it is inevitable that displaced Syrians will continue to flow across the Lebanese border, it is also inevitable that the Lebanese state’s inability to keep up with the burden will drag Lebanon into a crisis of its own. Lebanon
Turkish Diplomat Discusses Missteps in Syria In an interview with Taraf, veteran Turkish diplomat Yasar Yakis speaks about Turkey's position toward Syria and his views on recent Kurdish developments in northern Syria. Syria
Killing of Kurdish Leader Further Complicates Syrian Factions The assassination of a prominent Syrian Kurdish opposition figure has raised questions about the future of northern Syria. Syria
Back to the Future for US Policy In Egypt and Syria The Obama administration gives priority to containing Islamic extremism, not promoting democracy, in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia
The Struggle for Justice In Aleppo, a 'Feral City' Divisions among Syrian opposition groups have made life even more unbearable for Aleppo’s residents. Syria
Has Turkey Made U-Turn On Syria’s Kurds? The leader of the Democratic Union Party of Syria (PYD), Salih Muslim, says Turkey has given the green light for autonomy for the Kurds in Syria. Syria
Al-Qaeda's Syrian Recruits: The Case of 'Abu Majed' Amer Ghajar went from being a student at a prestigious private university to al-Qaeda jihadist, falling in battle last week. Syria
Turkey's Egypt Question Turkey's role in the Middle East will turn on how it handles the crisis in Egypt. Egypt
Al-Monitor’s Gursel Wins Award; Watch US House on Syria Al-Monitor’s coverage of press freedom in Turkey, the US House of Representatives on Syria, and Iraq as possible mediator on Iran; Daoud Kuttab discusses the Middle East with Fareed Zakaria. Iraq
Turkey’s Missed Opportunities With the Kurds Disarray in Turkish foreign policy is not allowing Turkey to play its rightful role in supporting Kurdish national unity. Iraq
Dempsey on Syria: Think Before You Shoot In a Washington overrun by interventionists, Joint Chiefs Chairman Martin Dempsey presses the consequences of heightened US involvement in Syria. Syria
Erdogan’s Assad Problem Could Syrian President Bashar al-Assad outlast Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in office? Syria
