Breaking | Last Updated: April 27, 2026, 3:43 pm Iraq's Shiite alliance nominates Ali al-Zaidi as PM candidate: What to know Ali al-Zaidi, who leads a bank accused of money laundering, received support from previous nominee Nouri al-Maliki and incumbent Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, though it remains unclear whether the Trump administration will approve of him. Iraq
'Treason is war for external interests': Lebanon’s Aoun hits back at Hezbollah Lebanese President Joseph Aoun rejects Hezbollah’s criticism of talks with Israel, insisting negotiations are aimed at ending hostilities and saying “treason” is taking the country to war for external interests. Lebanon
Why US, Israel are freezing France out of Lebanon talks With talks between Israel and Lebanon being held in Washington, Paris still insists that it must be involved to balance possible American bias and to protect Beirut’s interests. Israel
Syria arrests Amjad Youssef, Tadamoun massacre perpetrator: What to know Amjad Youssef appeared on video, allegedly killing dozens of civilians in 2013; he is the latest member of the Assad regime to be captured by the new Syrian government. Syria
Analysis Israel fears Trump angling for Lebanon deal to offset Iran missteps By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Israel sees chance of US-Iran deal as almost 'non-existent,' readies for war By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Iraqi Sunnis look to KRG for safety as militias concerns fester As attacks believed to be by Iran-linked armed groups continue amid questions over how long US forces will retain a presence in Iraq, Sunni Arabs are again seeking safety in the Kurdistan Region of the country. Iraq
Jailbreak from Israeli prison shakes up Palestinian public The escape of six Palestinians from a maximum security Israeli prison jolted observers. Palestine
US citizens on first Qatar Airways flight from Kabul since pullout Qatar’s special envoy to Afghanistan said the Hamid Karzai International Airport is “fully up and running” and that another passenger flight will depart on Friday. Qatar
Iraqi PM vows to fix Kirkuk security issues after gruesome Islamic State attack Following an Islamic State attack in which over a dozen Iraqi policemen were killed, the prime minister criticized military leaders’ “shortcomings” and pledged to address the issue. Meanwhile, counterterrorism operations continue in the same disputed province to prevent further attacks. Iraq
After Afghanistan pullout, US pursues long-distance diplomacy from Qatar Without a diplomatic presence on the ground in Kabul, the United States will engage with the Taliban from a remote mission in Doha. Qatar
Quds Force commander says Iran will take 'realistic' approach in Afghanistan Iran must strike a balance between accepting the reality of the Taliban and supporting Shiite and other ethnic groups. Iran
Taliban rules out relations with Israel A Taliban spokesman told a Russian news outlet that the Afghan Islamist group wants relations with other Asian states, but "of course" not Israel. News Brief
SDF transfers extremist IS women to Roj camp in Hasakah The Syrian Demographic Forces moved 300 families of extremist women from al-Hol camp to Roj camp in Hasakah countryside, to confine them to one camp and control security in al-Hol camp. Syria
Clashes in Libya’s capital raise concerns over stability ahead of elections The UN's assistance mission to Libya expressed "grave concern" over the heaviest fighting in months. Libya
How will Taliban’s return affect jihadi movements in Turkey, Syria? Salafi-jihadi groups in Turkey and neighboring Syria may look for inspiration from the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, but their prospects appear rather limited at present. Turkey
Pentagon defends Kabul drone strike as ‘righteous’ The rules of engagement were followed in the lead-up to a strike that killed 10 people, including children, the top general says. Qatar
Iran-Afghan trade has murky future under Taliban While the chaos that followed the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan will present challenges to trade, resulting geopolitical shifts could provide some opportunities for Tehran. Iran
