Politics & Security - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

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Politics & Security

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Explainer

Iran war pushes up coal use, complicating Turkey’s COP31 pledge

Turkey is asking world leaders at COP31 to back a global push to use more electricity, even as the Iran war has driven up natural gas prices and pushed some power producers back to coal.

Ahmed al-Alwani in an undated photo

Ex-Iraqi MP Ahmed Alwani found dead in Lebanon: What to know

Ahmed al-Alwani was a prominent leader of anti-government protests by Iraqi Sunnis in 2013, and was released from prison last year.

Iranian-made Zolfaghar missiles

Iran unveils new underground 'missile city': What to know

Iran has moved much of its missile stockpile underground as the threat of a new war looms.

OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey bars MP’s wife from travel after his fund scandal criticism: What to know

Opposition politicians and rights advocates described Yonca Verdioglu Sik’s brief detention as an attempt to intimidate her husband, opposition lawmaker Ahmet Sik, over his criticism of the government.

Latest News

GCC to build military command center in Kuwait as region simmers: What to know

ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images

Hegseth strikes defiant tone, calls House impeachment process 'farce'

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Jared Szuba

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Explainer

From Oct. 7 inquiry to blocking Netanyahu: Eisenkot's bloc maps out Knesset agenda

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) casts his ballot, next to his wife Sara

Slotkin, Van Hollen emerge as potential challengers to Schumer’s Senate leadership

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 23: U.S. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) speaks at a press conference on China AI export controls at the U.S. Capitol on September 23, 2026 in Washington, DC. Slotkin, joined by fellow Senate Democrats, urged Senate Republican's and the Trump administration to enact stronger export controls on AI technology and computer chips to China. The Democrats also call for a vote on bipartisan export control legislation, including the AI OVERWATCH Act, the MATCH Act, and the Chip Security Act. (

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Ezgi Akin

Associate Editor (Turkey)

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

A Syrian worker is pictured at a makeshift refining installation in the Tarhin area near the Turkish-controlled city of al-Bab, in the north of the Aleppo province, on Nov. 19, 2021.

US eases sanctions on investment in Kurdish, Turkish areas of Syria

Kaftancioglu

Turkey’s top appeals court upholds jail term for prominent opposition figure

Canan Kaftancioglu, head of the CHP’s Istanbul branch, sentenced to nearly five years and barred from politics for insulting Erdogan and the Turkish government.

Fattah

Hope may be fading for release of Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah

Alaa Abdel Fattah enters his sixth week of hunger strike.

Iraqi election officials conduct the electronic count of votes at a polling station in Erbil, Iraqi Kurdistan, Oct. 10, 2021.

Upcoming KRG election marred by political divisions

Due to the political dispute in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, the Oct. 1 regional parliamentary election is likely to be delayed.

Iraqi-Kurdistan

Students attend a lecture in this undated image at the Nesin's Mathematics Village.

Turkish educational foundation says accounts frozen on bogus charges

The Nesin Foundation, which built Turkey’s famous Mathematics Village, says its accounts were blocked on unfair charges after it conflicted with a neighboring Islamist foundation.

Syrian Kurds demonstrate on June 10, 2021, in the northeastern Syrian city of Qamishli.

Syrian Kurdish unity talks crumble as Turkey escalates anti-PKK campaign

The breakdown between sides serves Turkey’s agenda of keeping its Kurdish foes divided and weak.

JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images

Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh's colleagues recount her killing

The journalists with Shireen Abu Akleh when she was shot described it as among the worst experiences of their lives.

ABBAS MOMANI/AFP via Getty Images

Israel insists joint probe needed into journalist's death as PA resists

Preliminary findings from the IDF indicate that no gunfire was directed at Shireen Abu Akleh, but Israel is finding a cold reception for its investigation.

Arab Joint List leader Mansour Abbas and other party members attend a meeting with President Reuven Rivlin at the president's residence, Jerusalem, April 5, 2021.

Israeli-Arab Parties divided over Raam's return to coalition

The opposition Joint List refrained from supporting two no-confidence votes against the government, and the announcement of Ra’am ending its coalition membership suspension, reflect the ongoing tensions between Israeli-Arab politicians.

Sergey Lavrov.

Hamas appeals to Russia for support in confrontation with Israel

A Hamas delegation visited Moscow at a time when relations between Russia and Israel are taking a more tense turn due to Israel’s position in the Russia-Ukraine war.

ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images

Iran says it will execute Iranian-Swedish scientist

Iran’s judiciary still plans to execute Ahmad Reza Jalali, an Iranian-Swedish citizen convicted of espionage.

Putin Erdogan

Analysis

The Takeaway: Russia, Israel weigh consequences of fallout in ties over Ukraine

Dmitiri Simes has the take from Moscow, Ben Caspit the scoop from Jerusalem; Hamas opens terrorist front inside Israel; skepticism over Assad’s refugee strategy; does Egypt’s national dialogue include Brotherhood?; Israel’s psychedelic nasal spray.

Andrew Parasiliti

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Andrew Parasiliti , Elizabeth Hagedorn