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Politics & Security

A shop owner counts Iranian banknotes at a store in the capital Tehran on Jan. 7, 2026.

How Iran stands to win major financial relief in Trump-backed deal

Iran will receive some upfront sanctions relief despite the Trump administration's pledge of “no dust, no dollars.”

Lebanese army forces set up a checkpoint at the entrance of the village of Ghandourieh in southern Lebanon on June 15, 2026.

Senate bill adds restrictions on US effort to train Lebanon army: What to know

Lawmakers want to know the number of Lebanese special forces recruits, their equipment and religious background as part of a planned $36 million DOD train-and-equip project aimed at dismantling Hezbollah.

Jared Szuba

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

Latest News

Turkey captures alleged ISIS-K media chief near Afghanistan-Pakistan border

A Turkish police officers patrols at the scene of a motor-bike bomb explosion, next to a police station on Oct. 6, 2016, in Istanbul.

After US-Iran deal, Ghalibaf says Tehran seeks deeper ties with China

Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf speaks with Tehran's Chamber of Commerce, June 17, 2026.

Read the full 14-point US-Iran deal

Trump

Syrian Kurd commander Kobane kicks off European tour amid scrutiny from Damascus

Mazloum Abdi (Kobani), commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), speaks with AFP during an interview in the countryside outside the northwestern Syrian city of Hasakah, in the province of the same name, on January 24, 2019. - Any deal between Syria's Kurds and the Damascus regime should respect the "special status" of Kurdish-led forces who fought the Islamic State (IS) group, Kobani said. The SDF control around a third of Syria after expelling jihadists from a large northeastern swathe of t

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

An exterior view of the building of US Department of the Treasury is seen on March 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP) (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)

Breaking | Last Updated: January 25, 2023, 4:50 pm

US sanctions Hezbollah financial adviser in Lebanon

The US Treasury has imposed sanctions on Lebanese economist Hassan Moukalled, his two sons and his money-exchange business.

Smoke plume rising after the new collapse of the northern section of the grain silos at the port of Lebanon's capital Beirut, which were previously partly destroyed by the 2020 port explosion. (Photo by DYLAN COLLINS/AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images)

Lebanon's blast investigator charges former PM Diab, senior security officials

Among those charged are Prosecutor General Ghassan Oweidat, the head of Lebanon's domestic intelligence agency Major General Abbas Ibrahim, former army commander Jean Kahwaji, and other current and former security and judicial officials.

MAYA ALLERUZZO/AFP via Getty Images

Ousted Israeli minister still holds sway in Netanyahu's coalition

Until Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu finds a way to reinstate Shas leader Aryeh Deri to his ministerial positions, the ousted minister will wield much of his influence from outside the government.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (C) and head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel (R) with CIA Director William Burns (L) during their meeting, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 23, 2023.

CIA director in Egypt after Libya and Ukraine, meets Sisi

The Egyptian president met on Monday with the CIA director as the two held talks discussing various bilateral, regional and international issues.

Kuwaiti parliament members attend a session of the National Assembly at its headquarters in Kuwait City on Jan. 10, 2023.

Kuwait's government resigns in latest parliament standoff

This is the fifth Kuwaiti government that has resigned in the past two years, highlighting growing tension between the country’s authorities.

US army officers stands in front a US Patriot missile defence system during a joint Israeli-US military exercise "Juniper Cobra" at the Hatzor Airforce Base on March 8, 2018.

US, Israel kick off largest ever military exercise as Iran nuclear talks falter

As Iran turns to Russia for advanced fighter jets, the race is on to ensure the United States can actually stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon — and to dissuade the new Israeli government from acting unilaterally.

Namazi

'Bring us home': American held in Iran ends weeklong hunger strike

“Don't let President Biden leave us in this abyss of misery,” Siamak Namazi said in a letter penned from prison.

HUSSEIN FALEH/AFP via Getty Images

Iraq's soccer team celebrates with militia leaders after Gulf Cup victory

The team held up a photo of militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who was killed by a US drone strike in 2020.

YASIN AKGUL/AFP via Getty Images

Erdogan says Sweden lost NATO bid support as Turkey fumes at Quran burning

Three days of protests followed a demonstration in Stockholm as President Erdogan says Sweden lost Turkey's support for its NATO accession

A picture taken from the northern Israeli town of Metula near the border with Lebanon shows a member of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon talking with Israeli soldiers through the border fence, on the outskirts of the southern village of Kfarkila, Lebanon, Jan. 19, 2023.

Lebanon's army 'on alert' following border tension with Israel

The Lebanese army is on alert following rising tensions with Israeli forces at the border.

The US Treasury Department building is seen in Washington, DC, January 19, 2023. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Breaking | Last Updated: January 23, 2023, 10:05 pm

US targets Iranian officials with human rights sanctions

The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on 10 Iranian individuals and one entity connected to the protest violence.

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry give a joint press conference, Cairo, Egypt, Jan. 22, 2023.

Large Arab boycott of Libya conference as Italy's FM visits Egypt

On the sidelines of a heavily boycotted Arab League consultative meeting, Egyptian officials met Italy's foreign minister to discuss illegal immigration from Libya, among other issues.