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Politics & Security

An elections employee tapes a poster with instructions to voters ahead of the upcoming municipal elections in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on April 21, 2026.

Feature

Gazans show cautious hope ahead of first local elections in 20 years

The city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza is set to hold municipal elections for the first time in nearly two decades.

Rasha Abou Jalal

By Rasha Abou Jalal

In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan (L) disembarks from an airplane upon his arrival at the Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut on Jan. 23, 2025.

In Lebanon, Saudi Arabia pursues quiet diplomacy as Trump pushes Israel normalization

Saudi Arabia has been engaged in intense diplomacy in Lebanon in recent days, leading up to the extension of a ceasefire with Israel.

A young man stands in the entrance of tunnels that were used by the ISIS and the Assad's regime for fighting. Tadamon, Syria, February 7, 2025. (Photo by Raghed Waked / Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by RAGHED WAKED/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Syria arrests Amjad Youssef, Tadamoun massacre perpetrator: What to know

Amjad Youssef appeared on video, allegedly killing dozens of civilians in 2013; he is the latest member of the Assad regime to be captured by the new Syrian government.

CORLU, TURKEY- MARCH 2: A B model of Bayraktar AKINCI TİHA (Assault Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in the sky on March 2, 2022 in Corlu, Turkey. (Photo by Baykar Press Office/dia images via Getty Images)

Turkey’s Baykar tests K2 swarm kamikaze drones for first time: What to know

Baykar tested its K2 and new loitering drones, featuring AI-driven swarm capabilities and the ability to operate under GPS jamming.

Latest News

Analysis

Israel fears Trump angling for Lebanon deal to offset Iran missteps

US Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa (R) holds a signed "Make America Great Again" hat while (L-R) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Lebanon Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh Moawad listen to US President Donald Trump speak during a meeting with Lebanon Ambassador to the US and Israel Ambassador to the US, at the White House in Washington, DC on April 23, 2026. US President Donald Trump met Lebanese and Israeli envoys at a new round of peace talks Thursday, with Beirut seeking a one-month extension of a

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Kuwait acquits journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin after 7 weeks in detention

Ahmed Shihab‑Eldin attends the Opening Night during the Doha Film Festival 2025 on Nov. 20, 2025 in Doha, Qatar.

Lebanon bids farewell to Amal Khalil, journalist killed by Israel: What to know

Amal Khalil, a veteran correspondent for the daily newspaper Al-Akhbar, in the southern Lebanese border village of Jebbayn in 2024.

Analysis

On eve of Palestinian local elections, competition in short supply

Women read instructions to voters ahead of the upcoming municipal elections in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on April 21, 2026.

Daoud Kuttab

By Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

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

JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli troops kill six Palestinians in Jenin as West Bank violence escalates

A few hours only after settlers rioted again in the village of Huwara, Israeli soldiers raided the West Bank city of Jenin, killing six people, including the assailant who murdered a week ago Israeli brothers Halel and Yagel Yaniv.

Lloyd Austin in Baghdad

Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin talks troop presence in surprise Iraq visit

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is playing a delicate balancing act with pro-Iran factions as Washington keeps a low profile for its military advisers in Iraq in order to subdue the Islamic State.

Protesters carry the Palestinian National Flag during a march in support of the Palestinian people in Nouakchott, Mauritania on May 19, 2021. (Photo by MED LEMIN RAJEL/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel eyes normalization with Mauritania, Indonesia to expand Abraham Accords

Jerusalem's efforts to add more countries to the Abraham Accords have intensified since Netanyahu returned to power in December.

AFP via Getty Images

Syria's Aleppo airport out of service after Israel's airstrike

Israel is suspected of carrying out several attacks on Syria this year as the Netanyahu government continues military planning related to Iran.

Hairdressers give haircuts to people displaced by the earthquake at tent camp on February 19, 2023 in Hatay, Turkey. A 7.8-magnitude earthquake hit near Gaziantep, Turkey, in the early hours of February 6, followed by another 7.5-magnitude tremor just after midday. The quakes caused widespread destruction in southern Turkey and northern Syria and has killed more than 40,000 people. (Photo by Burak Kara/Getty Images)

Turkey's earthquake victims hit by exorbitant rent spikes, topping 60%

Turkey’s Justice Ministry is working on a draft amendment that would introduce jail terms of two to five years for landlords gouging prices in times of natural disasters.

Azerbaijani servicemen stand guard at a checkpoint at the Lachin corridor, the Armenian-populated breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region's only land link with Armenia, as Azerbaijani environmental activists protest what they claim is illegal mining, on December 26, 2022.

Israel exports arms to Azerbaijan as tensions soar with Armenia: Report

According to Haaretz, 92 cargo flights have departed since 2016 from the southern Israel airport of Ovda to Baku.

Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Mohammad Eslami (R).

IAEA Iran visit opens window to restart nuclear diplomacy

The nuclear watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency meets Tuesday, as an EU official says an agreement could be "positive” for Iran nuclear talks.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R) is welcomed by US Ambassador to Turkey Jeff Flake as he arrives at Incirlik Air Base near Adana on February 19, 2023, for an official visit after a 7,8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey's south-east. - The death toll on February 18 rose to more than 44,000 from the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria in the early hours of February 6, 2023. (Photo by CLODAGH KILCOYNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey summons US ambassador over top general's Syria visit

Washington's top general Mark Milley met with senior American commanders, but not with Kurdish officials, US officials said.

Water bottles, knives and other objects are thrown on the pitch in the Bursa Timsah Arena in Turkey.

Anti-Kurdish racism stains soccer pitch in western Turkey

The attacks raised the specter of inter-communal violence ahead of watershed elections that are due to be held on May 14

LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images

US slaps visa sanction on Syrian military officer over Tadamon massacre

The State Department hit Amjad Yousef and his family with visa bans for his alleged involvement in the 2013 killing of 41 unarmed Syrian civilians.

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu makes a press statement at his party's headquarters in Ankara, on September 16, 2020. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Turkey’s opposition ends saga, names Kilicdaroglu as Erdogan challenger

Recovering from a major blow to its unity last week, Turkey’s leading opposition bloc has finally announced a joint candidate to run against Erdogan.

Passengers are seen at Moscow's Domodedovo airport, the day S7 Airlines canceled all its international flights due to sanctions imposed on Russia over the country's invasion of Ukraine, March 5, 2022.

Russia to add Gulf countries to visa-free travel list

Russia stated that it was preparing visa-free travel agreements with a total of 17 countries, which include Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Syria.