Inside UAE, Saudi roles in facilitating release of Brittney Griner A high-level Gulf source with access to the details of the exchange told Al-Monitor that the exchange happened at a UAE airbase at 5:00 pm Abu Dhabi time (8:00 am ET). Legacy: Gulf
Child abuse case drags Turkey’s religious sects into public eye A woman’s claims that she was married at 6 has raised questions about the role of Islamic orders and their influence in the state. Turkey
Protests erupt in southern Iraq as man sentenced for tweeting against PMU Security concerns for southern Iraq have risen following an attempted suicide attack near Karbala and deadly protests in Nasiriyah sparked by a prison sentence for a man accused of insulting security forces. Iraq
Ukrainian efforts to stir Circassians against Russia divide diaspora in Turkey A heated debate has erupted in the Circassian diaspora over calls to establish a Circassian battalion against Russia in Ukraine. Turkey
EU halts talks with Israel on police intelligence-sharing agreement After signing a draft of a cooperation agreement between Europol and Israeli Police, the political leadership of the European Union is now backing away from the agreement. Israel
Saudi, Chinese companies sign investment deals on renewable energy, cloud services during Xi’s visit Xi Jinping’s trip to Saudi Arabia has focused largely on economic and energy ties so far. Legacy: Gulf
Jihadists accuse HTS of conspiring with Syrian government to kill IS leader Jihadis opposed to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in northern Syria accuse it of sending fighters from Idlib to Daraa, in the south of the country, to aid the Russians and government forces in eradicating Islamic State cells and their leader in the province. By Ahmed Read Jamus
Analysis The Takeaway: Xi's Saudi Arabia trip sends a message to US Plus, the Biden administration gears up for next week’s summit of African leaders and warns that Iran is still fueling Yemen’s war. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
TIME magazine names Iranian women ‘heroes of the year’ Iranian women are leading the protests in Iran that began after an Iranian Kurdish woman was allegedly beaten to death over her head covering. Iran
Saudi Arabia, China sign deals on tech, climate for Xi’s visit The trip is a sign that Saudi Arabia is seeking more cooperation with China, especially in regards to energy and despite the kingdom’s relationship with the United States. Legacy: Gulf
