Who is Abdulrahman Alfozan, Saudi national charged in bugging OpenAI meetings? The Saudi national who was arrested for allegedly planting a covert listening device at OpenAI’s offices has extensive experience working at leading technology companies in the US and serves as a venture partner at a Saudi venture capital firm. Saudi Arabia
Explainer PKK pulls out of Metina in northern Iraq amid Turkey peace process The withdrawal comes as the peace process between Turkey and the militant group gains momentum alongside increasing security cooperation between Ankara and Baghdad. Turkey
Erdogan aide named suspect in Turkey financial scandal Former AKP deputy chairwoman Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya is facing allegations of being linked to a market manipulation scandal. Turkey
Culture Syria's Kurds, Arabs find common cause in battle for language rights As Kurdish students protest language restrictions, unexpected alliances are emerging between Syria’s Kurds and Arabs. Syria
French cement giant Lafarge on trial for ‘funding terrorism’ in Syria: What to know The French company is accused of funneling millions of dollars via its subsidiary Lafarge Cement Syria to jihadi groups and intermediaries to keep its cement plant operating in northern Syria. Syria
Erdogan's top ally calls for release of Kurdish leader amid speculation of rift The nationalist leader has also pushed back against rift speculations between him and the Turkish president amid ongoing peace talks with the Kurdish militants. Turkey
Prosecutors charge two Michigan men in alleged ISIS-inspired plot: What to know The two men charged, both under 21, allegedly bought firearms and more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition, practiced shooting at gun ranges and scouted potential targets before the FBI intervened. United States
Feature Inside Congress' battle to repeal Syria's Caesar sanctions Five months after President Trump pledged to lift sanctions on Syria, the harshest penalties remain on the books. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti appeals to Trump for his release Barghouti has been imprisoned in Israel since 2002, after being convicted of planning attacks that killed five people, and he has been held in solitary confinement since October 2023. Palestine
Turkey's main opposition survives court challenge amid legal crackdown The court ruling ended months of political uncertainty over the Republican People’s Party's leadership, fueling concerns over democratic backsliding amid a broader crackdown. Turkey
Iran's state TV doxxes journalists in Israel as post-war spy hunt intensifies Since its June war with Israel, Iran has executed at least 9 people on charges of espionage. Iran
Israel's West Bank police chief condemns settler's 'cruel' beating of Palestinian woman The attack, filmed in Turmus Ayya, comes amid a surge in settler assaults on Palestinian farmers during the olive harvest. Palestine
After decade in jail, Gadhafi’s son granted $11B bail in disappeared imam case The lengthy detainment of Hannibal Gadhafi, the son of late Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi, over the 1978 disappearance of Shiite cleric Musa al-Sadr has long been a source of controversy in Lebanon. Lebanon
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans barred from UK soccer game over safety concerns Antisemitic and anti-Israel incidents are on the rise in the UK, with a recent report accusing British authorities of failing to address discrimination. Israel
In a first, ICC convicts Sudanese militia leader of Darfur war crimes Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman was found guilty of 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur between 2003 and 2004. Sudan
Supreme Court clears path for Turkey’s Halkbank trial over Iran sanctions The Turkish president personally raised the Halkbank case with US President Donald Trump at the White House, as Ankara pushes for a settlement to avoid a drawn-out legal battle. Turkey
