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
Is conservative Iranian candidate reviving Ahmadinejad’s Cabinet? Ebrahim Raisi is increasingly leaning on officials from former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s presidency. Iran
Will Riyadh’s new DC ambassador draw US deeper into Yemen war? While the new Saudi ambassador to Washington, Khaled bin Salman, wants to convince the Trump administration to get more involved in the war in Yemen, history may deter the US administration. Saudi Arabia
Does Erdogan expect Trump to ditch Syrian Kurds? US and Turkish presidents talk, agree to meeting in Washington; Saudi-Iraqi ties hit Iranian ceiling; Turkey sees al-Bab as safe haven for displaced Syrians. Saudi Arabia
Is prominent conservative cleric really a threat to Rouhani? While Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and cleric Ebrahim Raisi have to some extent shared backgrounds in public service, the incumbent Iranian president’s greater experience in politics remains the biggest thorn in the side of his conservative opponents. Iran
Iran’s Guardian Council announces presidential candidate list The Guardian Council has given the green light to six candidates to run in Iran’s May 19 presidential election, with former hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad being disqualified. Iran
Jordan’s photography festival captures snapshot of country's history For the sixth year, Jordanian photographer Linda al-Khoury is holding the international Image Festival in Jordan to create a cultural exchange and promote photography. Jordan
Russia steps up its game in Mideast diplomacy The heavy traffic between Moscow and the Middle East after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Russia last week signals that Russia is looking to quickly solidify its relationships with regional partners. Saudi Arabia
Why some Reformists may not support Rouhani's re-election While Iran's Reformists announced they are supporting President Hassan Rouhani in the election, some activists are asking for transparency in the decision-making process. Iran
Nuclear deal critics silent as Trump says Iran complying Lawmakers who once insisted Iran was cheating aren’t taking the administration to task for saying otherwise. United States
Raisi slams Iran state TV for coverage 'biased' toward Rouhani Conservative presidential candidate Ebrahim Raisi has attacked the Iranian state broadcaster for excessively covering President Hassan Rouhani’s speeches. Iran
Yemen’s cultural capital Taiz torn by conflict The city of Taiz, Yemen’s third largest, is living under tragedy as a result of the two-year war. Legacy: Gulf
Will Jordan confront IS in southern Syria? Some analysts say that recent movements and activities by the Islamic State near the Jordanian border could push Jordan to intervene militarily in southern Syria. Jordan
