Production stalls on Egypt's 'The King' over Pharaonic accuracy While some Egyptians see the suspension of work on the series "El-Malek" as controlling creative expression, others feel that the move is necessary to protect Egypt's identity from historical inaccuracies. By A correspondent in Egypt
Kataib Hezbollah controls access points to key Iraqi border city Iran-linked armed groups have over the past year tightened and consolidated their grip on a key border area between Iraq and Syria, preventing journalists from entering and local residents from farming their land. By Shelly Kittleson
Israel stands alone on Iran It is now clear that Israel has been left on its own as the Americans strive for a diplomatic resolution of the conflict with Iran. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Congresswoman introduces bill to condition US aid to Israel The legislation from a progressive representative reflects a trend in the Democratic party toward pro-Palestinian positions and criticism of Israel. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Virus surge threatens northeast Syria camps, Save the Children warns Authorities this month have confirmed 46 coronavirus cases across three camps hosting displaced people in northeast Syria. By Al-Monitor Staff
Egypt joins Gulf region’s Combined Maritime Forces led by US Egypt's participation in the task force comes as Russia seeks closer defense ties with Cairo and Sudan. By Al-Monitor Staff
House panel considers US policy options in Syria Members of the subcommittee also pressed witnesses on whether regime change in Syria is an option. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Russia describes latest Iran nuclear talks as 'positive' The talks in Vienna come less than a week after a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian nuclear facility. By Al-Monitor Staff
Iran says it's capable of enriching uranium with 90% purity The Iranian president said his country possesses the know-how to enrich uranium at the weapons-grade 90% level, but he declared that Tehran is not in pursuit of nuclear bombs. By Al-Monitor Staff
Turkey's efforts to woo rivals yield mixed results Diplomatically isolated and economically weak, Turkey is seeking to repair relations with its regional foes. But it's no easy task. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
US ready to facilitate Lebanon-Israel maritime border talks Undersecretary for Political Affairs David Hale said the United States is willing to mediate resumed talks between the hostile neighbors. By Al-Monitor Staff
Car bomb kills four in Baghdad No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which police say also destroyed five cars and wounded 17 people. By Al-Monitor Staff
Ankara in risky geopolitical gamble in Black Sea Fiddling with the delicate balance of power in the Black Sea might leave Turkey in a worse squeeze between Russia and the United States. By Metin Gurcan
Central Bank warns Egyptians away from Bitcoin as value skyrockets The Central Bank of Egypt has warned against dealing with cryptocurrencies, particularly bitcoins, arguing that investing Egyptian capital in such a volatile pursuit could negatively impact the nation's economy. By A correspondent in Egypt
Gazans with COVID-19 symptoms refuse testing Some people in the Gaza Strip are hiding their COVID-19 symptoms and avoiding testing in order to keep their jobs. By Hana Salah