Analysis UAE gauges new Lebanon deals amid Levant economic stabilization push Beirut welcomed a high-level business delegation from the UAE in late August as Abu Dhabi pursues new regional economic engagement amid Iran's waning influence. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Why Turkey welcomes Israel-Syria talks despite mounting red lines Turkey supports US-backed Israel-Syria talks but sees little prospect of a lasting accommodation until the Israeli elections. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran sets conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz Syria, Saudi Arabia to establish joint bank; Lebanon, UAE ink deals, deepen economic ties; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Sharaa taps Visa as Syria reconnects to global finance: What to know Visa and Mastercard announced Wednesday that their networks can now be used to make international card payments in Syria. Syria
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Qatari PM heads for Tehran amid flurry of regional diplomacy By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Business & Tech Iran keeps Hormuz reopening on hold By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis Capitulation or compromise? What SDF's dissolution means for Sharaa, Turkey and Syria's Kurds By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Senate Democrats urge Israel to rein in West Bank violence By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Northern Syria health care plagued by issues as UN extends cross-border aid A US-based group of doctors conducted a detailed assessment of the region’s health sector in both Kurdish and rebel territory. Syria
German court convicts ex-Syrian officer of crimes against humanity Anwar Raslan is the highest-ranking former Syrian government official to be tried for crimes committed in Syria's civil war. Syria
Syrians dig for Islamic State left-behinds in eastern desert Many unemployed Syrians have embarked on dangerous search and excavation operations for money, gold and weapons left by the Islamic State in Deir ez-Zor governorate. Syria
Poverty forces Syrian children to skip school, collect ordnance For several child workers in the Idlib countryside, the detritus of war has become their livelihood. Syria
Intel: Biden faces bipartisan frustration over Syria policy The top members on the House and Senate foreign affairs panels cautioned against giving “tacit approval of formal diplomatic engagement with the Syrian regime.” Syria
Syrian Kurdish forces require displaced Arabs to obtain 'expat card' to remain in their areas The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is requiring Arabs displaced from all Syrian regions who are living in the areas under their control to obtain an expatriate card to be allowed to enter or remain. Syria
UN extends Syria cross-border aid without challenge from Russia The Biden administration eased restrictions on aid groups working with the Syrian government in November. Syria
Syrian activists tell stories of displacement over lost decade Displacement and exile have become a common narrative for Syrians since 2011. Syria
UN accuses Syria of failing to answer for chemical weapons program The UN's top disarmament official said Syria's full disclosure was "essential" to resolving outstanding issues. Syria
Islamic State ramps up activities in eastern Syria Islamic State is applying Sharia rules in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor and imposing taxes on residents by force of arms. Syria
Ancient Kurdish rain ritual revived in Syria as drought continues Kurdish farmers in the countryside of Qamishli revive an ancient ritual called Ziwa, or the Bride of the Rain, to invoke rain after seasons of drought. Syria
Syrian soldiers killed in deadly Islamic State ambush in Deir Ezzor The Syrian army loyal to Bashar al-Assad has struggled to control the country's eastern desert. Syria
