Israel-Iran conflict enters tense waiting period until US election in November Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is praying for US President Donald Trump to win reelection, but security experts worry that he might lose interest in the Iran conflict. Israel
Biologists dive for secrets of coral reef that survives hot Gulf waters Coral reefs are sensitive ecosystems that rarely survive sea temperatures above 32 degrees Celsius, yet coral reef fauna thrives in the Persian Gulf, where scientists hope to find clues about climate change survival. United Arab Emirates
Tunisian rapper busted for marijuana revives debate on legalization The arrest and pre-trial detention of a famous rapper in Tunisia for cannabis possession revived the debate over the legalization of cannabis use and calls to abolish one of the harshest laws penalizing users. Tunisia
Intel: Biden adviser downplays role of upcoming Iran elections in fate of nuclear deal A foreign policy adviser to former Vice President and current presidential candidate Joe Biden downplayed the role that Iran’s presidential elections next year will have on Tehran’s potential willingness to revive the flailing nuclear deal. Originals
Tunisia unemployment protests escalate with activist’s arrest Authorities rounded up 10 protesters accused of attacking police stations with Molotov cocktails. Originals
Iranian food ship docks in Venezuela It is the latest example of cooperation between the two countries in the face of US opposition. Iran
Intel: Vulnerable Senate Republicans targeted for supporting Trump on Iran Two vulnerable Senate Republican incumbents up for re-election in November found themselves under attack over their support for President Donald Trump’s Iran policies in new social media ads that began airing in their states today. Originals
Intel: AFRICOM commander visits Libya’s UN-backed prime minister in Tripoli The head of US Africa Command (AFRICOM) and Washington’s ambassador to Libya urged western Libya’s Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj to return to the United Nations-backed cease-fire process during a meeting west of Tripoli on Monday, the State Department said. Originals
GCC faces possible setback with exodus of skilled professionals The coronavirus pandemic coupled with the oil crisis is pushing foreign workers to exit the Gulf states, perhaps shaping future labor policies. Saudi Arabia
France repatriates children from Islamic State camp in northeast Syria Ten children are being repatriated to France from the notorious al-Hol camp, according to a northeast Syrian official. Thousands of foreign and local children remain there. Syria
Morocco targeted journalist with Israeli spyware, says Amnesty International The London-based rights group Amnesty International says Omar Radi’s phone was subjected to a series of attacks. Morocco
Intel: Trump’s Syria envoy promises 'significant' Syria aid amid new US sanctions The United States will provide a “significant amount” of new humanitarian aid for Syria even as stringent new sanctions take effect, President Donald Trump’s special envoy for the war-torn country announced today. Originals
Saudi Arabia lifts coronavirus curfew, reinstates hajj Residents of Saudi Arabia can now move around at all times, but other restrictions remain in place as coronavirus cases continue to rise by the thousands. Originals
Syrian doctor accused of prison torture arrested in Germany The suspect faces charges of crimes against humanity and grievous bodily harm. Syria
Iran seeks answers in death of fugitive judge The Iranian judiciary seeks answers after a fugitive judge fell from a hotel window in Bucharest. Iran
Syrian Kurds say Turkish charity dwarfed by stolen produce As Turkey touts its humanitarian aid deliveries to Syria's Idlib, critics weigh the six truckloads of supplies against its thousands of tons of allegedly looted Syrian grain. Syria
