Newsletter: Business & Tech Iran keeps Hormuz reopening on hold Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remained low, with only five commodity vessels transiting the waterway on Tuesday, according to data from maritime tracking firm Kpler. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Large UAE delegation set to arrive in Lebanon in major investment push A large Emirati delegation of around 70 business leaders and government officials is heading to Beirut, in the latest sign of thaw between the United Arab Emirates and Lebanon. Lebanon
Newsletter: Daily Briefing US lifts Syria's terror designation Pakistan and Iran report “significant progress” in talks on ending conflict; Lebanon’s Transport Minister Rasamni visits Damascus; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
In shift, Lebanon grants Iranian ambassador residency extension Mohammad Reza Sheibani’s visa was set to expire early Tuesday morning and he was first ordered to leave in March. Iran
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Syria, Israel hold US-mediated talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran threatens ‘devastating’ response as US ramps up sanctions By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Beirut's archaeological heritage threatened by construction The new construction sites in Beirut are built without taking into consideration the archaeological heritage of the capital. Lebanon
Assad dismisses security chief of powerful 'Branch 40' The dismissal of Col. Hafez Makhlouf, head of Syria's internal security, may be a sign of reformist policies or even a change of leadership within the regime. Lebanon
Erdogan's Syria policies spark riots in Kurdish cities Turkey’s Syria policies spark massive protests in Kurdish cities, with at least 30 protesters killed; no relief for Syrians in Homs and Aleppo; Jabhat al-Nusra attacks Hezbollah in Lebanon. Lebanon
Nusra attacks on Lebanon attempt to 'change rules of game' Attacks by Jabhat al-Nusra on Hezbollah-controlled positions inside Lebanon represent a troubling development for the Lebanese and possibly the regime in Damascus as well. Lebanon
Jihadists target Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon’s Bekaa Gunmen from the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra have exploited Eid al-Adha to attack Hezbollah in a new location in the center of Lebanon’s border with Syria. Lebanon
Israel's war with the US As Israel-US ties continue to deteriorate, Israel is dealing with two other fronts: the Lebanese border where an explosive device just wounded two soldiers, and the mysterious explosion at the Parchin nuclear plant in Iran. Israel
Israel, Hezbollah recalibrate mutual deterrence The deterrence established between Israel and Hezbollah over the past eight years along with Hezbollah joining the fight against IS might open the way to quiet understandings between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel
Lebanese women conquer abroad, suffer at home Successful Lebanese women abroad are making international headlines, but Lebanese women at home continue to face legal and social discrimination, impeding them from similar success. Lebanon
Will Lebanon swap prisoners with IS, Jabhat al-Nusra? The families of kidnapped Lebanese soldiers have been calling on the government to agree to a prisoner exchange to secure their relatives’ release, but a number of obstacles stand in the way. Saudi Arabia
Hezbollah squeezed out of Golan by Jabhat al-Nusra, Israel The infiltration of Syrian militants into Lebanon threatens Hezbollah’s presence in the strategic Golan Heights. Israel
Lebanon concerned about spillover from US-led airstrikes on IS During the Paris Conference, the Lebanese delegation expressed its concerns that the US-led airstrikes on the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria will have repercussions for Lebanon — concerns that foreign ministers tried to alleviate. Lebanon
Beirut, the concrete jungle of the Middle East Poor urban planning and government inefficiency has resulted in a highly congested Beirut, with little green space and ailing infrastructure. Lebanon