Iran admits incident at nuclear site caused ‘slow down’ Iranian officials have confirmed that an incident at the Natanz nuclear facility was intentional. Iran
US air defenses intercept rocket fired toward Baghdad’s Green Zone US air defense systems stopped a rocket attack before it could enter Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, which houses the US and other embassies. Iraq
Qatar coronavirus cases top 100,000 as restrictions ease The Gulf state announced 546 new cases and five more deaths from the virus on Monday. Qatar
No more Big Fat Wedding: Turks struggle to be wed in times of the coronavirus From bejeweled masks to dummy brides, Turks struggle to combine tradition with new social distancing rules. Turkey
Israel approves exploration, bidding on disputed offshore field Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz announced June 23 the opening of bidding for drilling in Block 72, off Israel’s northern shores, which Lebanon says is adjacent to its own fields. Israel
Church in Jerusalem scrambles to regain trust of community after deal with settler group The Orthodox Patriarchate was dealt a new blow as the Israeli Central Court rejected its appeal against the deal known as Bab Al-Khalil. Palestine
Has Israel lost control over coronavirus pandemic? Faced with a continued spike in coronavirus cases, Israel’s government is set to reimpose crowding restrictions. Israel
Despite promises, displaced Iraqis linger in limbo Iraq's prime minister has prioritized helping the displaced, but efforts to restore them to their homes are still hindered by political disagreements, a lack of funds and the absence of infrastructure and services. Iraq
Hamas’ test rockets coincide with Israeli annexation plan Hamas’ military wing fired dozens of rockets and mortars toward the Gaza Strip sea, which some believe to be a message to Israel regarding its annexation plans. Palestine
Did Egypt move too fast to receive tourists in light of COVID-19? Egypt received tourists from Ukraine as the country resumed tourism and airports opened up amid strict precautionary and preventive measures. Egypt
Egyptian loans raise fears of impact on economy The Egyptian government expands borrowing from the IMF and selling international bonds, amid warnings of the danger of trying to solve the economic crises by borrowing from abroad, and demands to search for alternatives as Egyptian foreign debt reaches record numbers. Egypt
China’s 'Belt and Road' push brings risks, rewards to Mideast China's digital and satellite advances offer new regional opportunities and challenges for the United States in countering Beijing's economic influence in the region. Saudi Arabia
Israel, Egypt energy ties so far unaffected by coronavirus crisis, annexation plan Despite the coronavirus crisis and the annexation plan, agreements to export Israeli natural gas to Egypt remain intact. Israel
Can Sudan change course of Nile dam talks? After the tripartite negotiations between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan reached a dead end, Egypt and Sudan turned to the UN Security Council to resolve the crisis. Egypt
Intel: US pushes Hifter’s Libyan militias to disband US officials pushed strongman Khalifa Hifter’s Libyan National Army (LNA) to demobilize in a virtual meeting on Wednesday. Libya
Amazigh languish in underserved pockets of southeast Tunisia Post-revolutionary Tunisia has been friendlier to its indigenous Amazigh, but the concentration of wealth and power in the north continues to marginalize the remote communities. Tunisia