CIA official arrested for top-secret leak on Israel plans to attack Iran: What we know Asif W. Rahman was charged in a federal court in Virginia last week with two counts of willful retention and transmission of national defense information. Israel
Iran arrests 7, kills 4 over alleged Israel links in southeast According to a spokesperson, an elite military unit killed four “terrorists affiliated with the Zionist regime” and arrested seven others in the province that is home to a separatist group. Iran
Saudi PIF trims Nintendo stake from 7.5% to 6.3% in second cut of month A filing with Japan’s Finance Ministry said the move follows the sale of more than 17 million Nintendo shares, which concluded in October. Saudi Arabia
With Rubio as top diplomat, Trump signals hard-line Iran approach The Florida Republican has hawkish views on Iran and is fiercely pro-Israel. United States
Trump picks Mike Huckabee, staunch ally of settlers, as ambassador to Israel “There’s really no such thing as a Palestinian,” Mike Huckabee said in 2008, and he has insisted over the years on referring to the occupied West Bank as Judea and Samaria. Israel
Analysis What to make of Saudi-Iranian flurry of diplomatic activity, military channels? A high-level military meeting between Saudi Arabia and Iran on Sunday marked another in a series of recent diplomatic engagements between the two nations. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Despite missed deadline to boost Gaza aid, US says Israel arms flows to continue The Biden administration will not follow through with threatened consequences after Israel missed a deadline to surge humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Israel
Analysis Are Turkey's Erdogan and his nationalist ally about to fall out over Kurds? For weeks assorted Turkish officials have been leaking claims that there is indeed daylight between the president and his ally of a sort that may even result in an unraveling of their nine-year partnership that has helped keep the AKP in power. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
