Middle East crises loom in background as NATO leaders gather in Washington While this year's summit is expected to focus largely on the ongoing war in Ukraine, Iran's military support for Russia and Turkey's strategic balancing act with Moscow are expected to weigh on NATO leaders gathered in Washington. Washington Pulse
US, Israel hold second virtual meeting on Rafah Biden administration officials have denied offering to green-light an Israeli invasion of Rafah if Israel holds off on retaliating against Iran. Washington Pulse
One year on Sudan’s war: 14,700 killed, 8.6M displaced, 4.9M face starvation As the war in Sudan enters its second year, the humanitarian situation is worsening by the day with no prospects of an imminent end of the hostilities. North Africa Pulse
State Department staffer resigns over Biden's handling of Gaza Annelle Sheline is the second State Department official to publicly resign since Oct. 7, citing the erosion of US credibility on human rights in the Middle East as a result of the war. Washington Pulse
The UAE's 'alternative GCC' With no solution to the Qatar-GCC crisis in sight, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have formed their own alliance to support their regional foreign policy. Saudi Arabia
Jerusalem recognition serves mainly Trump, Netanyahu The Trump administration claims that recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital is just the beginning of a larger strategy for peace, but the US president's complex diplomatic plan may be more of a mirage. Palestine
Women carve niche in Gaza's small theater world Three determined Gazan women have established their own all-female theater production company. Palestine
Independent Egyptian film reaps awards but not box office profits The box office failure of "Withered Green," one of the most-decorated Egyptian films internationally, came as no surprise to some critics. Egypt
Soccer success offers Tunisians respite from country’s problems Soccer fans in Tunisia have been reveling in their national team’s qualification for the FIFA World Cup after missing two consecutive tournaments. North Africa
Pentagon acknowledges higher number of US troops in Syria The United States now officially has 2,000 troops in Syria, up from 500 previously, despite the Islamic State’s collapse. Syria
Yemen’s new, dangerous post-Saleh power vacuum The death of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh further complicates the conflict that has left Yemen in the throes of a humanitarian crisis. Saudi Arabia
Russia’s multilayered Syrian diplomacy worries Iran Mistrust and differing objectives continue to mar Iran-Russia relations, even as the two countries move forward on Syria. Saudi Arabia
#MeToo movement is stillborn in Turkey The #MeToo movement has focused on violence in Turkey with significant support, but the attackers are neither named nor punished, and sexual misconduct is still a taboo subject, so its victims often suffer alone in shame. Turkey
Lebanon’s tech-savvy youths poised for bright future Initiatives in Lebanon assist youths in exploring technology and science, which could give them a boost in the job market in the future. Lebanon
Palestinians cancel Capitol Hill Christmas over Trump remarks The Palestinian mission in Washington abandoned attempts to court the White House and Congress with the mission's first-ever Christmas party on Capitol Hill after it was announced that President Donald Trump would make a major statement on the status of Jerusalem on Wednesday. Palestine
Saudis fail at their own conspiracy The fiasco surrounding the death of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh shows how Washington needs to help Saudi Arabia end the war on its neighbor. Saudi Arabia
