Congress on verge of passing long-stalled Assad sanctions package Congress is on the brink of sanctioning Syria’s Bashar al-Assad government after three years of struggling to get the legislation approved. Syria
Intel: Why US is likely to raise concerns about China’s investment in Oman A Chinese state-owned company has inked a deal to take over nearly half of Oman’s power transmission firm, which is valued at $2 billion. Oman
Algerians skeptical of the military state’s new civilian figurehead The protest movement that took down Abdelaziz Bouteflika is keeping the pressure on his replacement, Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Algeria
Analyzing Iran’s new state budget Iran's state budget introduced no major structural changes, but it did improve transparency in some sectors. Iran
Residents in northeast Syria brace for winter as oil smugglers thrive While Deir ez-Zor is shipping oil other places thanks in part to a man named Hyena, many of its residents are suffering from poverty and the cold. Syria
Turkey’s military involvement in Libya set to grow Turkey's formalization of military support to Libya's internationally recognized government has prompted worries of an on-the-ground confrontation with Russia. Turkey
What Israel's left could learn from the Arab Joint List The leadership of the left-wing democratic-Zionist camp should follow the example of the Arab Joint List's approach to the September elections if they want their parties to stand a chance in the March 2020 balloting. Israel
Intel: How Iranian influence operations are receiving new scrutiny in Washington The Senate is poised to follow the House lead in passing legislation to create a center to monitor Iranian, Russian, Chinese and North Korean efforts to sway US public opinion. Congress
Hard-line paper asks for answers on those killed in Iran protests The silence of Iranian officials regarding the number of those killed in the November protests has concerned even hard-line media. Iran
Lebanon parliament consultations postponed amid popular anger Lebanon's parliament consultations were postponed as police wielded batons and tear gas against protesters in downtown Beirut. Lebanon
Israel worried by Erdogan's meddling in Palestinian affairs Israel believes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to gain some control over Jerusalem and the Palestinian Authority and is therefore trying to influence the Palestinian battle to succeed Mahmoud Abbas. United Arab Emirates
Netanyahu’s relations with Likud members: The ultimate test Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has nurtured his relationship with Likud members for more than three decades. Now he's not sure that they will continue to follow him. Israel
Will Libya become Turkey’s next Syria? The recently signed Turkey-Libya military cooperation deal and maritime delimitation agreement threatened to raise tensions not only in Libya but throughout the Eastern Mediterranean with Turkey asserting the right to intervene militarily in Libya if requested and to drill for oil and gas. Turkey
Is proposed site in Gaza really a hospital, or spy station? Some Palestinian authorities have pledged to obstruct plans to build what they fear could be a US-Israeli military intelligence camp, while Hamas says the facility will be a field hospital in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Will Turkey rid Abbas of Dahlan before Palestinian elections? The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced that it would include the dismissed leader of the Fatah movement, Mohammed Dahlan, on the list of most-wanted terrorists, which observers see as a golden opportunity for Abbas to rid of his rival before the elections. United Arab Emirates
The Istanbul Archaeological Museums return, piece by piece A vast plan to restore and revitalize Turkey's first modern museum, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums, established in 1869, remains a partial work in progress, but the completion of the first phase has produced a visitor friendly and engaging environment. Turkey
