White House withdraws Rayburn’s nomination for top Mideast policy role Decision raises questions about future role of the State Department’s Near Eastern Affairs Bureau as the Trump administration relies on special envoys to cut through bureaucracy with big promises for a region still reeling from interlinked wars. Syria
Lebanon army chief visits Qatar amid push to disarm Hezbollah Haykal has held meetings with the Qatari army chief, the country’s prime minister and its minister of state for defense affairs. Lebanon
As Syria finalizes candidates for parliament, women make up 14% of list Syria’s parliamentary elections are set for Sunday, when electoral committees will select 140 lawmakers before President Ahmed al-Sharaa appoints the remaining 70. Syria
Saudi Arabia and Qatar pledge $89M for Syrian public sector: What to know The new Syrian government has struggled to pay public workers sufficiently and is implementing a plan aimed at rooting out “ghost employees" who do not show up to work. Syria
Analysis Sudan’s new PM dissolves government but military control remains firm By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Analysis Hussein Sheikh as PLO's first vice president: Palestinian reform or Abbas gesture? By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Analysis Can Modi leverage Saudi-China ties to reshape India’s global standing? By Sabena Siddiqui In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran
What is the fate of Baghdad-Erbil’s oil-for-budget agreement amid ongoing protests? Iraqi political sides vow to block a recent oil-for-budget agreement by Iraq’s caretaker government with the Kurdistan region. Iraq
Sisi favors security appointees for Egypt's governorships Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's decision to appoint security personnel as new governors is quietly controversial. Egypt
Iran not letting Iraq go without a fight Iraqi protesters have had enough of Iran’s heavy hand, but don’t expect the Iranians to pack up and go home. Iraq
Amid rising protests, PMU prevents confrontation with US The Popular Mobilization Units try to distance themselves from the current confrontation between Iran and US in order to preserve PMU interests in Iraq. Iraq
Egypt plans to reinstate municipal oversight councils Parliament hopes to pass a bill yet this year to tackle corrupt municipal workers in Egypt, even as the federal government is cracking down on protesters who are trying to take on alleged malfeasance at the highest levels. Egypt
Kurdish leaders support Iraq's embattled prime minister The Iraqi Kurdistan government is trying to calm protesters' demands for the central government's prime minister to be removed. Iraq
Egypt’s opposition threatens to freeze political activities over crackdown Some Egyptian political parties, reacting to recent arrests made to curtail protests, have threatened to cease political activity to express opposition to the authorities' approach. Egypt
Why do some Iraqi MPs refuse to be sworn in? More than a year from the formation of the Iraqi parliament, some members of the parliament refuse to be sworn in, hoping to gain executive posts. Iraq
Baghdad sends delegation to Erbil to resolve disputes Baghdad sent a delegation, headed by President Barham Salih, to the Iraqi Kurdistan region to discuss the budget, oil and other contentious issues. Iraq
Will PMU allow parliament to appoint its leaders? Some Iraqi parliamentary blocs are working to mandate that parliament appoint the leaders of the Popular Mobilization Units. Iraq
Iraqi opposition parties form shadow government Some Iraqi political forces are poised to form a shadow government, but other Iraqi groups say the effort is a fool's errand. Iraq
Amendments to Iraqi provincial elections law spark controversy Large political blocs in the Iraqi parliament voted for a new law organizing provincial elections for 2020 that gives the blocs an advantage over smaller groupings. Iraq
