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
Hariri reverses political slide by backing Aoun presidency Saad Hariri’s success as prime minister will depend on new compact with Michel Aoun and Hezbollah, less so on Saudi Arabia; Al-Monitor breaks news of Russian draft plan for Syrian Kurdish autonomy; United States seeks ground force to isolate Raqqa. Saudi Arabia
Who will liberate Raqqa? The United States says a military operation to isolate the Islamic State stronghold of Raqqa needs to get underway within weeks, but Turkey as well as Washington’s Syrian Arab allies oppose any plan to use Kurdish forces to take the city. Iraq
Aleppo braces for harsh winter Residents of besieged eastern Aleppo fear they might not survive the winter as their already meager and expensive fuel sources are running out. Syria
The many dimensions of Mosul, and what comes next There's much more at play in Mosul than a campaign for its immediate liberation from the Islamic State. Iraq
Syria rejects Russian proposal for Kurdish federation Russia's attempt to broker a Kurdish solution was warmly received by Kurds but got the cold shoulder from Damascus. Syria
Israel wary of Russian comeback to the region Russia has extended its presence in the region to such an extent that any IDF jet crossing the Israeli border in the north immediately appears on Russian military radar screens. Israel
Are Egyptian-Saudi disputes just a passing crisis or a decisive storm? Egyptian-Saudi squabbles over Syria and Yemen have gone viral, and some worry that this will have a lasting negative effect on the relationship between Cairo and Riyadh. Saudi Arabia
Did Putin give green light to Turkish attack on US-backed Syrian Kurds? Kurds again in crosshairs as Turkey weighs options in Mosul. Iraq
The battle of the Euphrates islands: The last stages in the fight against IS In conjunction with the Mosul operation, the Iraqi army has launched an operation in Anbar province to liberate islands in the Euphrates River that are under Islamic State control and are used as IS safe havens. Iraq
Syrian regime promotes another image of the war-torn country The Syrian state media has been promoting a false image of the country and its capital, spreading images of untouched cities and holding entertainment events, while the war rages on in the opposition areas. Syria
Turkey’s misguided policies now haunt it at Mosul Turkey criticizes the Mosul operation but is doing everything possible to be part of it. Iraq
Russia's Mideast role hot topic in final Clinton-Trump debate The release of Democratic emails to WikiLeaks may have been less about helping a Republican candidate Russians see as unpredictable and more about fending off US interference in Russia's 2018 presidential election. Syria
