Former Assad official sentenced to 60 years in US for torture Samir Ousman Alsheikh was convicted by a jury in March of three counts of torture, one count of conspiracy to commit torture, visa fraud and attempted naturalization fraud. Syria
Interview Yemen separatists urge US not to let Saudi Arabia ‘call the shots’ As Houthi fighters steamroll Yemen’s Red Sea coast, the country's southern separatists say an independent South Yemen is the best check on the group’s expansion.
Trump administration approves $24B sale of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia Trump first announced the planned sale in November 2025, ahead of hosting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House. Saudi Arabia
US sanctions Iranian crypto exchange BitBank over Hormuz payments The US government says the exchange was used to channel payments from an Iranian maritime-insurance scheme to the regime. Iran
Nile dispute absent from first peace conference led by China to settle conflicts in Horn of Africa China avoided the controversial GERD dispute between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia during the first peace conference held in Addis Ababa to settle the disputes plaguing the Horn of Africa. Egypt
Sudan extradites wanted Muslim Brotherhood affiliates to Egypt Sudan has handed over to Egypt several men wanted for their alleged ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt
Egypt's opposition steps up demands for release of prisoners ahead of national dialogue With Egypt's proposed national dialogue set to open in the coming days, opposition figures are stepping up demands for the release of political detainees. Egypt
Hamas accuses Palestinian Authority of torturing, abusing political prisoners Accusations have resurfaced against security forces in the West Bank, blaming them for using torture in their prisons and detention centers against detainees for political reasons. Palestine
Turkish opposition seeks to challenge Erdogan at his own game Turkey’s opposition, which has long failed to put up a coherent attitude to the government’s foreign policy, is now turning to a hawkish rhetoric that Erdogan himself might envy. Turkey
Not so fast: Erdogan still holds cards on NATO bids by Sweden, Finland If conditions are not met, Turkey's president says it is "out of the question" that the Turkish parliament will take up Sweden and Finland's NATO membership issue; avoiding a further US-Turkish meltdown; is Syria invasion on hold? Turkey
Netanyahu wishes new Israeli premier 'security quiet' before elections Newly seated Prime Minister Yair Lapid has only four months to make a name for himself before the Nov. 1 elections in Israel, and opposition head is sure to make it as difficult as possible. Israel
Many Swedes unsettled by NATO deal with Turkey The Swedish government has come under fire for its concessions to Turkey in return for Ankara’s support for Sweden’s NATO membership, and the angst among Swedes of Kurdish origin is palpable. Turkey
Israel weighs options for confronting Iran in event of nuclear deal In the battle between Israel’s security agencies, the Mossad estimates that US President Joe Biden's administration is eager to reach a deal with Iran, at whatever cost. Israel
Iran, Iraq exchange more soldiers' remains Although the Iran-Iraq War ended in 1988, the remains of fallen soldiers continue to be repatriated between the two countries. Iran
Free Syrian Army defends areas of influence against IS, HTS cells The internal fighting among FSA factions and the ambitions of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham to expand its control in the northwest of Syria did not prevent the Turkish-backed FSA factions from continuing their security operations to crack down on Islamic State cells in the countryside of Aleppo. Syria
Egypt, Greece, Cyprus boost military cooperation in EastMed region Egypt, Greece and Cyprus have promoted their military relations in the face of security threats and to defend their interests in the Eastern Mediterranean that is rich in oil and gas reserves. Egypt