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Politics & Security

US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York, speaks during a press conference

Explainer

Who will lead Congress? Democrats weigh Schumer alternatives, Jeffries bid

A number of contenders have emerged as challengers to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, including strong critics of the Iran war and US support to Israel.

Tump

Can Trump turn midterm defeat into Iran breakthrough?

Although Iran may have contributed to Republican losses in midterms, the Trump administration still has a historic opportunity in the Middle East.

Manon Roca / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Lebanon files charges against 2 Hezbollah members as UNIFIL prepares to withdraw

The move comes amid growing security concerns in the south less than two months before the UNIFIL mandate expires.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses Turkish members of parliament during the opening of the parliamentary session at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, on Oct. 1, 2026.

Turkey’s parliament ratifies Mecca pact in boost to Saudi Arabia

Turkey will now decide the scope of military support for Saudi Arabia amid ongoing Iran-backed Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

Latest News

Explainer

Arab parties' backing gives Eisenkot edge over Netanyahu for PM: What to know

Tomer Neuberg / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Massie renews Hegseth impeachment push as GOP blames Iran war for midterm losses

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill, on July 21, 2026, in Washington.

Jared Szuba

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

Can Erdogan’s Baku visit fix Turkey-Azerbaijan rift?

TOFIK BABAYEV/AFP via Getty Images

Russia to provide Iran with 90 missile launchers as military ties grow: Reports

Russian Mil Mi-8 military helicopters fly over a joint Russian and Turkish convoy, northeastern Hasakeh province, Syria, Feb. 4, 2021.

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

Turkey's defender Merih Demiral makes a controversial hand gesture as he celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 round of 16 football match between Austria and Turkey at Leipzig Stadium, Leipzig, Germany, July 2, 2024.

Erdogan heads to Germany amid row over Turkish soccer player’s 'racist' salute

A hand gesture by a Turkish soccer player has strained Turkish-German relations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a cabinet meeting at the Bible Lands Museum in Jerusalem on June 5, 2024.

Netanyahu, Biden to discuss Hamas' latest cease-fire proposal

Israel is now studying the comments made by Hamas on the last hostage-release and cease-fire proposal.

AFP via Getty Images

Turkey launches airstrikes against Kurdish militants in Iraq

The Turkish army's strikes are the first since the Iraqi central government’s decision to ban the Kurdistan Workers Party in March.

Smoke rises after a strike near a military base in northern Israel by a rocket fired by Hezbollah, July 4, 2024.

More than 200 rockets from Lebanon's Hezbollah rain down on Israel

The escalation comes as Iranian proxies express readiness to join the fighting if war breaks out in Lebanon.

Al-Shifa hospital director Mohammed Abu Salmiya who was detained by Israeli forces since November, is welcomed by relatives after his release alongside other detainees, at Nasser hopsital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip July 1, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas militant group.

Analysis

What released Palestinian detainees say about torture in Israeli jails

A number of recently released Palestinians are saying they were tortured and abused in detention.

Daoud Kuttab

By Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

KAREN MINASYAN/AFP via Getty Images

US push for Azerbaijan, Turkey to make peace with Armenia an uphill battle

Despite some hopeful noises from Washington on a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, most Armenians hold out little hope as Azerbaijan continues to resist approving a draft that Armenian and Western officials are promoting.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana on July 3, 2024.

Erdogan meets 'dear friend' Putin as Russia, Turkey eye cooperation on Syria

The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to bilateral ties only days ahead of the NATO summit.

A view of Beita town with smoke from the teargas cannister fired by Israeli soldiers during an intervention in the clashes between Palestinians and Israeli settlers who stormed the top of Mount Al-Arma in Beita town, south of Nablus on Friday, May 03, 2024. The tensions have been rising in the areas of West Bank between the Palestinians and Israelis since October 07, and often the Israeli police intervene by firing teargas, and sending armed forces to disperse the Palestinians gathered to confront the Israe

US slams Israel's 5,300 new settlement units, Biden 'likely' to meet Netanyahu

President Joe Biden is reportedly likely to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when the latter travels to Washington late July to address Congress.

A composite image shows Egypt's new Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Aty (L) and new Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk (R).

Meet Egypt’s new foreign, defense, finance ministers after cabinet shuffle

Cairo's new government is coming in at a challenging time for Egypt, which is facing a deep economic crisis amid the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.

Presidential candidates Masoud Pezeshkian (L) and Saeed Jalili are seen in a screen grab from Monday's debate.

Iran’s Jalili, Pezeshkian spar over sanctions as calls for boycott grow

Iran's supreme leader remained silent on the record-low turnout seen last week, and state media went out of their way to draw in more voters to prevent further embarrassment.

Saudi defense chief Khalid bin Salman in Turkey received by his counterpart Yasar Guler in Ankara on July 2, 2024

Saudi defense chief in Turkey, meets Erdogan as drone sales grow

Turkey and Saudi Arabia signed a major drone deal last year in one of several recent demonstrations of strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries.

Armed men drive in the back of a pick up truck during protests against Turkey in al-Bab, in the northern Syrian opposition held region of Aleppo on July 1, 2024. A man was killed after and Turkish forces clashed in Syria's Ankara-controlled northwest, a war monitor said, in demonstrations sparked by violence against Syrians in Turkey a day earlier. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP) (Photo by BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images)

Erdogan reassures Syrian rebels but says Turkey open to talks with Assad

The Turkish president also ruled out a potential withdrawal of Turkish forces from Syria in the near future, citing the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.