Meet Khalida Boufedech, the first woman to lead Algeria’s parliament Khalida Boufedech became Algeria’s first woman parliament speaker and the highest-ranking woman to hold constitutional office in the country’s history. Algeria
Newsletter: Gulf Riyadh's Yemen dilemma As Houthi attacks shift from symbolic strikes to Saudi energy infrastructure, Riyadh faces difficult choices over how far it is willing to go to protect its Red Sea strategy. By Francesco Schiavi In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance
Analysis Katz riles Iran, US as Netanyahu-Trump meeting raises questions Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to settle for a brief meeting with President Donald Trump, while his defense minister, Israel Katz, appeared intent on provoking Iran by publicly disclosing sensitive intelligence. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iraq's Zaidi cancels Riyadh visit after US-Saudi strikes Netanyahu lauds 'excellent' Trump meeting; Turkey detains another opposition mayor; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Why Ukraine's strike on Iranian ship marks dangerous new phase in ties By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Sudan army steps up airstrikes as Darfur siege tightens: What to know In September, a top Sudanese general announced an offensive to take back the Darfur region from the RSF, and the army is following through. Sudan
Analysis Netanyahu hamstrung by far right, Trump as Hamas drags feet on Gaza plan The Hamas commanders in Gaza remain the main obstacle to advancement of the Trump plan and are expected to seek amendments even as Israel’s military steps up its offensive on Gaza City. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Egypt steps up alarm on Ethiopia megadam as Sudan battles floods: What to know Sudan’s government earlier this week warned of high risk of floods across six of the country’s 18 states. Sudan
Two killed by police as Morocco’s anti-government protests enter day 5 Two protesters were killed in Morocco on Wednesday as demonstrations continue. Morocco
Newsletter: China-Middle East China's Gaza calculus As the Gaza conflict nears its two-year mark, China’s regional interests in the Middle East are coming under increasing strain. The war has exacerbated instability and disrupted trade routes for Beijing. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Israel to deport intercepted Gaza flotilla activists Plus: Trump signs order to ‘guarantee’ Qatar’s security, UAE deepens Asia ties, and more. By Beatrice Farhat In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict
Turkey: Istanbul jolted by 5.3 magnitude earthquake, no casualties reported Turkey’s disaster management body said no casualties or significant damage were reported after the quake, which was felt in surrounding provinces. Turkey
Iran defense chief visits Turkey to boost military ties: What to know The Iranian defense chief met with his Turkish counterpart as Tehran seeks to enhance its defense ties with Ankara. Turkey
US targets Iran's military tech with sanctions after allies trigger snapback New sanctions aim to increase pressure on Iran to restrict the IRGC’s relentless development of ballistic missiles and military aircraft, but risk pushing Tehran further into the orbits of Russia and China. United States
Newsletter: Palestine How Ramallah sees Trump's Gaza plan Ramallah sees the new US peace plan as a pathway to reassert the Palestinian Authority’s role in Gaza. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Israeli navy begins intercepting Gaza-bound international aid flotilla The Israeli Navy has begun its operation against an international Gaza flotilla carrying humanitarian supplies to the enclave. Israel
Lebanon seizes $1.5M in cocaine at Beirut airport: What to know The country has recently stepped up its fight against drug trafficking, seizing large amounts of cocaine at ports and airports and targeting Captagon production. Lebanon