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
What comes next for Turkey after Jarablus victory? Turkey’s strategic goals and field preparations signal that it plans to stay in northern Syria for quite some time. Syria
How Ankara, Washington plan to achieve regional energy security US Vice President Joe Biden was in Ankara last week, and Cyprus and energy security joined Turkey's attempted coup and the Islamic State as discussion topics. Syria
Biden’s diplomatic triage in Turkey Ankara reconsiders its Syria policy amid strains in US-Turkey ties and a reset in Iran-Turkey diplomacy. Syria
Has Turkey really stepped into 'Syrian quagmire'? Political developments in the region will determine the fate of the recent Turkish incursion into Syria. Syria
Was wedding blast in Gaziantep revenge for IS defeats in Syria? Some suspect the Aug. 20 suicide bombing of a Kurdish wedding party in southern Turkey was the work of the Islamic State avenging its recent losses in Syria. Syria
What's Turkey really up to in Syria? Many observers think Turkey's true goal in entering Syria is to prevent the Kurds from dominating northern Syria, not to fight the Islamic State. Syria
Will Turkey's Jarablus win lead to showdown with Kurds? Turkey’s incursion into Jarablus and demands that Kurdish forces retreat have shaken the balance of power in the region. Syria
Why Iran isn't rattled by Turkey-Russia turnabout Post-coup Turkey raced to patch up ties with Russia, but Iran does not seem concerned that the rapprochement will be at its expense. Syria
Kerry, Lavrov will meet to finalize Syria deal US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva on Aug. 26 to try to finalize a deal on Syria that has been complicated by an escalation of fighting in Aleppo. Syria
Did Turkish government see Gaziantep attack coming? Turkish officials apparently ignored intelligence information that warned of the Aug. 20 wedding massacre in Gaziantep. Syria
Why did Russian use of Iranian air base stir up controversy? Despite controversy, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council says Russian planes in Iran left according to a previously designated agreement. Syria
Resetting Turkey’s Syria policy Ankara is trying to regain its lost influence over Syria with a radical change in policy, but its past mistakes make that a difficult challenge. Israel
