Last Christian in Idlib recalls his community The last Christian in Idlib is 90 years old. Despite the war and the challenges, he stayed in Idlib even as all Christians left as a result of the war and restrictions imposed by extremist Islamic factions. Syria
Iran says much of nuclear deal text is ready Iran says progress has been made in Vienna, but the United States must decide on sanctions removal. Iran
Palestinian, Turkish ethnic mixture persists over times Many Palestinians from Gaza are leaving the besieged enclave for Turkey in search of better living conditions. Palestine
SDF hands over 50 Iraqi IS suspects as prison concerns mount The SDF has transferred another group of IS suspects with Iraqi nationality but arrested in Syria, alongside some of the thousands of Iraqis in al-Hol camp, to Iraq as the potential for jailbreaks remains high. Iraq
Fatah builds bridges with Syria after rupture with Hamas A senior Fatah delegation visited Syria, carrying a message from President Mahmoud Abbas to his Syrian counterpart about the need to bring the Palestinian cause back on the table in the run-up to the Arab summit scheduled to take place in Algeria in March. Palestine
Caricatures challenge restrictions, depict suffering of Idlib citizens Despite the risks of being a female caricaturist in Idlib, many young Syrian women have successfully entered the field to express the concerns and pain of Syrians and make their voices heard. Syria
Turkish-backed factions wary of jihadi group in north Syria The opponents of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham are accusing it of trying to wrest control over the areas of the Turkish-backed factions in north Syria, in light of its recent rapprochement with some of these factions. Syria
Libyan government's push to promote marriages faces backlash In the space of a few months, Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh has managed to anger many Libyan women. North Africa
Israeli military releases video of purported Hezbollah drone launch fail The video, which was shared by the Israeli military’s Arabic spokesman, shows apparent Hezbollah members trying to launch a spy drone into Israeli territory. By Al-Monitor Staff
Hints of progress on Iran nuclear talks, but time running out The ongoing JCPOA talks in Vienna are still complicated, and the timeline is down to a ‘few weeks,’ says US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Iran
Gulf stock markets mixed after US signals higher interest rates The Dubai Financial Market fell to close the week, while the stock exchanges in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf states went up. By Al-Monitor Staff
Fighting in Yemen's Marib intensifies amid government advances Yemen’s bloody war is ramping up once again as the UN warns of dire consequences for civilians. Yemen
Tunisian police fire water cannon, tear gas on anti-Saied protesters The protesters gathered in downtown Tunis on what marked the 11th anniversary of the uprising that toppled Tunisia's former dictator. Tunisia
Turkey, Armenia hold 'constructive' first round of normalization talks Following talks in Moscow on Friday, representatives for the two countries agreed to meet again without preconditions. Turkey
Turkey to begin mass producing fighter jet training plane The Hürjet is now expected to take first flight next year. Turkey
Lebanese minister seeks economic boost with Iraq visit George Boushekian visited Baghdad this week to seek cooperation with his Iraqi counterparts and facilitate business deals between Iraqi and Lebanese entities amid Lebanon's economic crisis. News Brief
