Israel to Close Al Jazeera, Ban Journalists - AJ

According to AJ themselves, Israel's communication minister has announced Israel has plans to revoke media credentials and close AJ in Jerusalem

"We have based our decision on the move by Sunni Arab states to close the Al Jazeera offices and prohibiting their work," Ayoub Kara said, adding that the channel is being used by groups to "incite" violence - an accusation AJ has denied. 

In response, AJ wrote: "Al Jazeera stresses that it will closely watch the developments that may result from the Israeli decision, and will take the necessary legal measures towards it."

Israel has repeatedly claimed to be "the only democracy in the Middle East" but AJ's coverage of "the occupied Palestinian territories" doesn't make things easier for it. Other Middle Eastern countries also don't like AJ because it is based in Qatar, with which Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and other neighbors are currently in a kind of "cold war." (Read more about that: Qatar's Neighbors Deliver List of Demands)

Iraq's PM Arrives in Mosul, Declares Victory Over ISIS

With only a few hundred ISIS fighters left (who have said they will fight to the death), Prime Minister al-Abadi arrived Sunday to congratulate his army in winning the city, now significantly deserted and smashed by explosives after 9 months of combat.

Although ISIS as a unified force in Mosul is defeated, there will be ongoing troubles with sleeper cells and suicide bombings. The army also still has to clear out the city of booby-trap explosives left by the extremist military organization.

ISIS still holds smaller cities to the south of Mosul, and the battle for these parts of Iraq will continue. Also, the US-led coalition continues to fight the group in Raqqa, Syria.

Qatar: "Demands Made to Be Rejected"

"This list of demands [was] made to be rejected. It's not made to be accepted or not made to be negotiated," said Qatar's foreign minister this week.

He said Qatar was ready to provide the proper conditions for further dialogue with the country's neighbors. Four countries cut links with Qatar in June, claiming they were unhappy with Qatar's support for terrorism.

No resolution to the dispute appears to be in sight.

Refugee Situation in Syria Has Reversed

According to the UN, around half a million Syrians have returned to their homes year.

The Syrian government has re-established control of many areas of Syria in recent months.

Qatar's Neighbors Deliver List of Demands

"I can assure you that our situation today is very comfortable," Qatari Ambassador to the U.S. Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani said this week in response to a list of demands sent by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and other neighbors. "Qatar could continue forever like that with no problems."

The conflict started a couple of weeks ago. Unhappy with Qatar's continued relationships with Islamist groups (Qatar denies it funds terrorism, but admits it hosts Hamas and other groups, saying its important to foster good relations for dialogue to take place), its neighbors cut off ties. Qatar was getting a large percentage of its food from Saudi Arabia, and that suddenly ended. Qatar only has one land border (with Saudi Arabia), although it is across the water from Iran.

Since then, Qatar has obtained food from Turkey and elsewhere, ending the initial panic.

Qatar says they feel no pressure to resolve the crisis quickly. Qatar is a rich nation (highest per-capita income in the world), with wealth based on natural gas reserves. It also holds considerable sway in terms of information, as the state owns Al Jazeera news agency.

There may be a political consequence to the crisis though, Analysts say the political stability of the ruling al-Thani family could be threatened if the de facto blockade becomes prolonged.

This week, Kuwait (who is acting as a mediator for this Arab-state "family affair," as it is being framed) delivered a 13-point list of demands from Qatar's neighbors. The demands are not starting points, according to the neighbors, but are their bottom line.

The nations also said that there is no military component to their actions in the conflict.

Which countries are involved? The main 4 are Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt. Yemen and Maldives also joined the group.

Here are the most important of the demands, from a list obtained by AP News:

- Curb diplomatic ties with Iran, and limit trade and commerce
- Close Al Jazeera
- Stop funding other news outlets, including Arabi21, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed and Middle East Eye
- Hand over “terrorist figures” and wanted individuals from 4 countries
- Stop all means of funding for groups or people designated by foreign countries as terrorists, including Muslim Brotherhood
- Pay an unspecified sum in reparations
- Stop all contacts with the political opposition in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain

The Pay TV Market in North Africa and the Middle East

17% revenue growth is expected between now and 2022, according to a recent report by Research and Markets.

Currently, revenues for these 20 countries is $3.5b. The 2022 number will be $4.1, and of the 20 countries, 5 countries will make up 75% of that revenue.

The 17% gain in revenue will be from 5m new pay TV homes, bringing the number of pay TV homes to almost 20m by 2022, a 4% change from 2016.

The region is mostly serviced by TV operator Digiturk. They have a large margin over second-place beIN, and this is expected to continue.

Middle East and North Africa Pay TV Forecasts

Qatar Cut Off by Neighbors

Saudi Arabia and other neighbors of Qatar have accused Qatar of supporting terrorism and embracing Iran, and have cut it off.

Diplomatic communications and air transport was halted. Embassies, borders, air space, and maritime access (40% of Qatar's food supplies come from Saudi Arabia by boat) were shut off.

It is considered a dramatic escalation to a longer-term issue in the region.

Qatar says they are not sponsoring terrorism, but the nation does regularly (and currently) host prominent extremists.

Analysts have called it "almost an Arab region Cold War.'

Kuwait is seen as trying to mediate a solution to the crisis, and if they do, citizens of Qatar might not be expelled from their neighboring countries.

U.S. Sanctioning Syrians Tied to Government Chemical Weapons

As part of the U.S. government's response to alleged use of chemical weapons by Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, it is placing sanctions on 271 individuals linked to the Syrian agency that produces that country's chemical weapons and ballistic missiles.

The sanctions include travel blacklisting and financial restrictions.

Assad has said that the accusation he used chemical weapons on his people was a "fabrication" and "a pretext for the attack" the U.S. launched on a Syrian military base after the chemical attack story broke.