Newsletter: Daily Briefing Israel's Oct. 7 accountability debate Houthis strike Yemen airport, claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia; How language barriers are bringing Syria’s Kurds and Arabs closer; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Culture Syria's Kurds, Arabs find common cause in battle for language rights As Kurdish students protest language restrictions, unexpected alliances are emerging between Syria’s Kurds and Arabs. Syria
Syria’s Sharaa in Riyadh as Saudi airports come under Houthi attacks: What to know Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a visit to Riyadh as the Houthis escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia and warned international airlines against using Saudi airspace. Yemen
UAE-Syria move ahead on $20 billion real estate mega-developments Major housing and tourism projects in Damascus and Latakia are set to advance following a new agreement with UAE real estate tycoon Mohamed Alabbar. Syria
Feature Syria Golan detentions fuel fury at Israeli forces, doubts in new government By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis How militias in Anbar could complicate Iraq’s energy ambitions By Shelly Kittleson In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics
Despite unrest, northwest Syria shows baby boom Births are rising in northwest Syria, including in the displacement camps despite conditions often not being suitable for babies and mothers. Syria
Islamic State names new leader after prior chief's death An audio statement from IS confirmed previous reports that Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi is its new leader, but his real identity and background is not clear. Syria
Biden administration to announce sanctions waivers for Syrian Kurds, Sunni opposition-held areas Sanctions exemptions are aimed at expediting humanitarian aid and diminishing the economic damage in certain areas. Syria
Lawmakers urge US action on Syria's crisis-hit Rukban camp The Biden administration faces congressional pressure to help desperate civilians stranded in the Syrian camp near Jordan. Syria
Jihadis in Idlib bash Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov for role in Ukraine war Chechen jihadis in Syria seek to join the forces defending Ukraine against Russia while condemning the participation of pro-Russian and leader of Russia's Chechnya region Ramzan Kadyrov in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Syria
Residents in north Syria grow angry at Turkish-backed rebels over rise in bombings The wave of assassinations reflects the failure of the Turkish-backed opposition factions to secure the area in north Syria, while their members are accused of facilitating these operations by turning a blind eye on smuggling operations from regime and Kurdish-held areas. Syria
Will Russia turn to Syrian mercenaries for its Ukraine fight? Evidence is emerging that the Syrian government and its Russian military partners are recruiting Syrian fighters for potential deployment to the former Soviet state. Syria
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fights opponents on social media Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has created an electronic group whose mission is to track down and close social media accounts sharing posts against it. Syria
Culture Against all odds, Yazidi girl outlives her top-ranking Islamic State captors Sipan Ajo, a 22-year-old Yazidi survivor from Kocho, emerged six months ago from seven years of captivity in Syria and has described her ordeal in detail to a journalist for the first time. Iraq
Syrian opposition backs Ukraine in stand against Russian army Jihadis in Syria want to exploit the Syrian regime’s preoccupation with Russia’s war on Ukraine to open new fronts, while the Syrian opposition cheers for Ukraine. Syria
Family ties fuel Islamic State to rebel pipeline in northern Syria The stories of fighters who turned from the Islamic State to Syria's rebel opposition forces show the how kinship ties, regionalism, and material concerns often trump ideology in the Syrian war. Syria
White Helmets chief reflects on Syria’s lessons for Ukraine Raed al-Saleh, who leads the volunteer rescue group in Syria, offered advice to Ukrainians seeking to document Russia's potential war crimes in real time. Syria