US troops on Yemen border ruffle congressional feathers Recent revelations that US ground troops are helping Saudi-led coalition forces target Houthi missile stockpiles in Yemen have renewed calls on Capitol Hill for more congressional oversight in the war. Saudi Arabia
Congress withholds Egypt aid over injured American Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has asked the Donald Trump administration to hold $300 million in military aid unless Cairo pays reparations for a 2015 attack on tourists and meets a series of human rights conditions. Egypt
Prospects dim for Iran entering missile talks The expected collapse of the nuclear deal and the escalated confrontation between Iran and Israel in Syria is minimizing space for negotiations over Iran's missile program. Iran
Turkey’s lira tumbles as inflation nears record high Investors are dumping the Turkish currency amid worries that a pre-election spending spree and pressure on the Central Bank to keep interest rates low could see the lira continue to spiral. Turkey
Iran's FM takes to YouTube to reject renegotiating nuclear deal Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has posted an English-language video to YouTube laying out Iranian positions on the nuclear deal, including why Tehran will not be revisiting the agreement despite threats by US President Donald Trump to exit it if it is not reopened and other issues addressed. United States
Turkey's ruling party offers big payouts ahead of critical vote Despite its deepening financial woes, Turkey’s government has rolled out an unprecedented $6 billion package to court favor with voters ahead of the June 24 polls. Turkey
Detained Egyptian journalist receives UNESCO award UNESCO's decision to grant the Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize to detained photojournalist Mahmoud Abu Zeid, known as Shawkan, has sparked anger among Egyptian authorities. Qatar
Israel deports Palestinians from Jerusalem for not showing 'loyalty' A recent amendment to the Israeli "border and entry law," which permits the deportation of anyone not showing "loyalty" to the State of Israel, has allowed for the permanent deportation of four public figures from Jerusalem. Palestine
Netanyahu champion of 'don’t worry' approach Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adopted the careless approach of some of his predecessors, reassuring Israelis that "everything is gonna be alright." Palestine
Jordanian civil initiatives craft wigs for cancer patients A small boy who hid his head under a hat inspired a hairdresser to create natural-looking wigs for children with cancer. Jordan
Pentagon blows deadline to pry Iraq off US military aid The Donald Trump administration will continue to foot the bill for rebuilding Iraq’s defense institutions amid rising Iranian influence. Iraq
Abbas speech draws fire amid accusations of anti-Semitism As this week's speech by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas drew condemnation from Israel, associates say the remarks reflect his own distress over the diplomatic deadlock he is facing. Palestine
Iran, Turkey and Russia hope they’re all on same page The three guarantors of the Astana peace talks seek to affirm the stability of the talks as well as the trio itself. Syria
Turkish opposition joins forces for parliament vote Four of Turkey's opposition parties, including the largest, are forming an alliance to challenge the ruling party for parliamentary seats. Turkey
Iranians hesitant to leave Telegram for domestic apps The Iranian authorities’ move to ban the popular smartphone messaging app Telegram has been accompanied by a campaign to get people to use domestically developed alternatives. Iran
Iran’s FM says Qatar 'brought Saudi Arabia to its knees' Iran’s foreign minister slams the Saudi crown prince over his approach to foreign policy in a speech at a top Tehran university. Saudi Arabia
