After gun found in lake, French police probe link to 2012 Iraqi family murder A recently discovered Luger pistol may have been used in the mysterious 2012 killing of the al-Hilli family near the Alpine town of Chevaline in eastern France. Iraq
US expands Iran campaign with strikes on oil tankers Airstrikes on Iranian oil tankers mark a subtle tactical pivot after months of periodic bombardment targeting IRGC military infrastructure failed to shut down the IRGC’s attacks in Hormuz. Iran
Iran vows continued military action amid renewed hostilities with US Iran responded to US attacks with a wave of drone and missile strikes against countries across the region, raising fears of a return to war. Iran
Xi makes first Egypt visit in decade as Cairo gets caught in US-China AI row China's Huawei last month submitted a bid to build advanced AI data centers and supply more than 2,000 AI chips for Egyptian government systems. Egypt
Analysis Israel favors status quo as tensions in Iran's leadership fuel escalation risk By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Iran maneuvers to avert E3's snapback sanctions as deadline looms France, Britain and Germany have warned that unless significant progress is made on curbing Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, they will move to reinstate UN sanctions by the end of August. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
US approves $4.67B NASAMS air defense package for Egypt The State Department announced the massive arms sale after Trump suggested the US may re-engage diplomatically with Egypt and Ethiopia, resurrecting a bid to resolve a yearslong dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. Egypt
Newsletter: Palestine PA rethinks approach to Trump In a diplomatic reversal, Palestinian Authority leaders hosted US Ambassador Mike Huckabee in Ramallah this week, marking the first high-level contact with a Trump administration official since 2017. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Macron: France to recognize Palestine as a state French President Emmanuel Macron said he will formalize the decision at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Palestine
Analysis AI pivot: Trump loosens export rules, opening path for Gulf tech surge Gulf states have been lobbying the Trump administration to loosen export restrictions on AI technology, although concerns have lingered among some within the current administration over security risks regarding China. By Jared Szuba , Samuel Wendel
Syria turns to Turkey for military support as US envoy urges strategy rethink The move deepens Ankara’s influence with the new government as Kurdish forces in Syria's northeast face new pressure to integrate with Syrian army. Syria
Turkey defense chief meets Saddam Hifter as thaw with Libya continues Turkey's defense chief met with the ground forces commander of the Libyan Armed Forces as Ankara reaches out to Libya’s eastern administration. Turkey
UAE launches 25-year climate plan for Abu Dhabi: What to know The Abu Dhabi Climate Change Adaptation Plan sets out a road map to address the growing impacts of climate change through 2050. United Arab Emirates
2 Iranian border guards killed in Kurdistan province: What to know Iraq agreed to move Iranian Kurdish groups farther from the border in 2023, but some clashes have occurred since then. Iran
Turkey, UK near deal as Germany approves Eurofighter sale: What to know Turkey and the United Kingdom inked a preliminary agreement for the sale of 40 Eurofighter jets after Germany lifted its hold on the deal. Turkey
Newsletter: Gulf Gulf defense spending surges The UAE and Saudi Arabia are staging a notable presence at IDEF 2025, Turkey’s major defense industry exhibition taking place in Istanbul. Both nations are leveraging the expo to reinforce regional partnerships and solidify new joint ventures. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Analysis Broken dams, broken trust: How Iran’s water crisis and heatwave have sparked emergency Water and electricity shortages are reaching crisis levels across Iran, triggering widespread public service disruptions and forcing industrial closures. As reservoirs rapidly deplete and rolling blackouts increase, mismanagement and delayed reforms are being laid bare. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics