Interview Trump's Africa adviser denies Libya plan would entrench rival families The reported unification plan for Libya has been met with pushback in a country torn apart by rival factions and foreign interference.
Analysis Can Netanyahu turn Israel's UN isolation into strength at home? The absence of a Trump meeting would have been awkward for Netanyahu, who has long portrayed himself to Israeli voters as uniquely close to the US president. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Sudan pushes back after US calls army-led government illegitimate Washington appears to be turning up the pressure on the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces to accept a US ceasefire proposal he rejected in July. Sudan
Rubio: US-Iran talks 'positive,' no breakthrough yet The top US diplomat said it was "significant" the two warring sides spoke at all. Iran
Analysis Why Netanyahu is distancing himself from Trump ahead of Israeli election By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Fate of missing Saudi journalist puts Turkey in ironic position As mystery remains over the fate of a missing dissident Saudi journalist, Ankara finds itself in a position in which it may try to rescue a foreign journalist at a time when more than 100 journalists are behind bars in Turkey. Saudi Arabia
Intel: What Iraq is doing to avoid being caught in tug of war between US and Iran The Iraqi embassy in Washington is working overtime to avoid getting caught up in the feud between the United States and Iran. Iraq
How can Turkey survive US sanctions on Iran? At the United Nations, Turkey repeated its intention to ignore US sanctions. How the Erdogan administration will calculate costs and benefits of subverting the US sanctions remains a mystery. Turkey
While US dithers on peace plan, Israeli right shores up support While the US administration delays presenting its peace plan, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman is busy promising the Israeli right more construction in the West Bank settlements. Palestine
Iraq's new president taps Adel Abdul Mahdi to form government After May elections, the Iraqi parliament finally elected a new president, Barham Salih, who chose the independent Adel Abdul Mahdi to try to form the next government. Iraq
Kurdish rebels join anti-Iran lobbying fray An Iranian Kurdish opposition group has registered to lobby Congress and the Donald Trump administration. Congress
Brunson affair becomes litmus test for Turkish-US ties Uncertainty remains over whether the American pastor will be released from detention next week by a Turkish court. Turkey
EU votes to withhold funding as Turkish democracy limps The European Union will withhold 70 million euros over Turkey's failure to stop its democratic decline in a blow sure to hurt Ankara where it counts. Turkey
US keeps aid flowing for Palestinian security forces, for now Despite its deep cuts in aid to Palestinians, the US has continued to offer financial support to the Palestinian security services. Palestine