Analysis MENA wheat importers face food security risks as Hormuz crisis festers Home to many of the world's largest wheat importers, the Middle East and North Africa face acute food security risks as the US-Israel-Iran war disrupts global fertilizer flows and pushes up prices. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis How Iran is rebuilding its bruised military as ceasefire masks recalibration Iran is using the fragile truce to recover by blending redeployment and reverse engineering into broader preparedness for renewed conflict. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
US sanctions Iran’s shadow banking channels moving oil proceeds from China The latest sanctions come as the Trump administration weighs Iran's latest proposal to end the war. Iran
Analysis Without exit strategy, Israel faces emboldened Hezbollah, limited options on Iran While President Donald Trump remains undecided on striking Iran again, the Israeli military is sinking deeper into its Lebanon quagmire with a reinforced Hezbollah. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran defies Trump's blockade as oil prices soar By Beatrice Farhat In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict
Qaim residents fearful following conflict between US, Iran-backed militias Recent US attacks on positions along the Syrian border held by Iran-linked armed groups — some of whom are on the Iraqi government payroll — have led to insecurity among local residents, who had been seeing improvements in their lives. Iraq
Pentagon: 34 US troops injured in Iranian strike Dozens of US troops have left Ain al-Asad air base for medical evaluation following Iran's missile strikes earlier this month, despite the US administration claiming earlier that no service members had been injured. Iraq
Trump administration adjusts policies to new realities in Syria and Iraq Syrian Kurdish leader Mazlum Kobane has suggested in an interview new confidence-building measures with Turkey. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Barham Salih have managed expectations in their meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Iraq
Iran pares election roster in favor of hard-liners With less than a month until Iran's parliamentary elections, the already-dim chances for strong voter turnout are fast diminishing amid a sweeping removal of Reformist candidates from the competition. Iran
As Iraq's protests continue, is political solution on the horizon? As the Iraqi government feels the pressure of protests, political leaders are moving toward forming a national front to resolve the Iraqi crisis. Iraq
US Syria envoy: Any talks on troop withdrawal from Iraq must include all aid US envoy James Jeffrey says the United States wants to see its operations against the Islamic State in Iraq — which have been paused as US and coalition troops focus on protecting themselves in the wake of an escalation between US forces and Iranian-backed groups — resume as soon as possible. Iraq
Iran says plane crash investigation will be made public Iran’s defense minister said the investigation into the Ukraine plane shooting is ongoing but will be made public. Iraq
Erdogan's Libya strategy: Jump first, think later By openly taking sides in Libya, Turkey could end up undermining the clout it believes it has gained in that country. Syria
Pentagon steers away from brain trauma diagnoses after Iranian strike Donald Trump downplayed the injuries of US troops stemming from an Iranian missile strike. Iraq
Intel: Iraq bank set to halt Iran gas transfers as US sanctions waiver expires The Trade Bank of Iraq is expected to stop processing payments to Iran if US sanction exemptions expire next month. Iraq
Iraq president calls for restraint after meeting Trump in Davos Stressing the need for reforms to address youth unemployment and security, Iraqi President Barham Salih said "this is not time for another conflict" after meeting with his US counterpart in Davos. Iraq
Will Russia provide missiles to 'close the entire sky' over Iran? Given the recent escalation in tension between Tehran and Washington, Moscow is examining ways to possibly beef up Iranian military capabilities. Russia