Irish UN peacekeeping soldier killed in south Lebanon A UNIFIL convoy came under attack Dec. 14 resulting in the death of an Irish soldier and the injury of three others. Lebanon
Egypt’s Sisi gets warm welcome at Pentagon as Cairo assumes naval role Egypt took charge of Combined Task Force 153 on Monday as the Pentagon seeks to economize its footprint in the Middle East. Egypt
The Takeaway: Tunisia's Saied visits US, days before controversial elections Plus, Iran is expelled from a United Nations women's rights body and Morocco's underdog team is knocked out of the World Cup. Tunisia
Gulf central banks raise interest rates after Fed move Many Gulf nations have mirrored the US Federal Reserve’s decisions on interest rates all year. Israel and Egypt have also raised rates, but Turkey has been cutting — despite skyrocketing inflation. Legacy: Gulf
As Iran's protests enter fourth month, ruthless judiciary dials up executions As notorious judges lead kangaroo trials and "mock executions", activists are sounding the alarm that the Islamic Republic is using capital punishment as a fear-mongering tool to crush the protest movement. Iran
Culture Morocco loses to France, exits World Cup after heroic performance Morocco became the first Arabic-speaking and African nation ever to reach the World Cup semifinals and has won over millions of fans across the world. North Africa
Dubai’s AMEA Power wins solar contract in South Africa Both the UAE and Saudi Arabia are seeking better ties with sub-Saharan African states, including in regards to energy. Legacy: Gulf
