Trump says Israel-Lebanon ceasefire extended by three weeks President Trump said the second meeting between the Israeli and Lebanese envoys went "very well." Lebanon
Analysis 'Is it worth it?' Syria's Sharaa faces backlash over Missy Elliott performance Backlash erupts after dancers perform to Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” exposing the tightrope between Sharaa’s outreach to the West and pressure from his Islamist base. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Analysis Is Syria’s Sharaa poised to outdo Turkey in formalizing gains for Kurds? Damascus is making limited but tangible progress in its engagement with Syrian Kurds, even as Ankara seeks to shape the terms of any settlement. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
US troops depart Syria, ending decade of presence in fight against ISIS The last major American bases in Syria have been turned over to the government in Damascus, US military officials confirmed to Al-Monitor. Syria
Why liberating Mosul won't lead to the end of IS Due to the wide remote area between Iraq and Syria, retaking Mosul will not mean an end to the Islamic State. Iraq
Will al-Qaeda and IS unite? Several reports indicate that an alliance between al-Qaeda and the Islamic State may take place in Iraq after the liberation of Mosul. Iraq
Will IS find popular base in Palestine? Israel is increasingly arresting Palestinians over accusations of belonging to the Islamic State, which raises questions about IS’ presence in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
Despite massive setbacks, IS still bares its fangs in Iraq As it is losing ground in Mosul, the Islamic State is carrying out attacks against Iraqi security and civilian targets elsewhere to preserve its presence in Iraq. Iraq
Islamic State turns to cigarette smuggling to fund itself As the Islamic State loses its financial resources, it turns to fund the organization through other resources such as cigarette smuggling. Iraq
