CENTCOM commander acknowledges he did not try to stop Taliban from entering Kabul “If someone actually made a decision, that would’ve been me,” Gen. Kenneth 'Frank' McKenzie told House lawmakers during a hearing today. Congress
US coordinates with Qatar on new Hezbollah-related sanctions The sanctioned individuals allegedly sent tens of millions of dollars to Hezbollah via formal and informal means from Gulf states. By Al-Monitor Staff
Coup fears grow as Tunisian president shores up power President Kais Saied is facing a growing wave of opposition from civil society and political actors as he takes new powers and attempts to transform the political system. North Africa
Putin, Erdogan hold closed-door summit in Sochi Few details were released about the substance of the relatively brief meeting, but progress on Syria will be difficult to achieve. Russia
Qatar Airways reports $4 billion in losses Qatar Airways' finances were also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic during the previous fiscal year, though the airline has now largely rebuilt its flight network. News Brief
Tensions rise in West Bank after settler violence Reports say that dozens of masked settlers came to the cave-hamlet Khirbat al-Mufaqara, throwing stones at residents and breaking windows and cars. Israel
Tunisia's Saied appoints female prime minister amid coup claims Two months after sacking his former prime minister, Tunisian President Kais Saied has named Najla Bouden Romdhan as the country's next premier. Tunisia
Bennett’s UN speech stirs controversy in Israel over pandemic efforts In his speech at the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made it clear that he, not the health authorities, have the final say on the national campaign against the coronavirus. Israel
Turkey's political realities clash with Erdogan’s 2023 dreams To win the next election, Erdogan must change the election laws but also find more popular political allies. His AKP party's current coalition with the ultra-nationalists is becoming a liability for his goal of re-election in 2023. Turkey
The Takeaway: What will it take to jumpstart Iran nuclear talks? Jihadi spat in Idlib; Palestinians’ fashion feud; Lapid pivots left; Palestinians reject Armenian land sale in Jerusalem; Turkey’s generals and Syria; Qatari artist bemoans plastic pollution; and more! In less than 1,200 words. Iran
Turkey suspends free medical treatment for Syrians New measures restrict the entry of Syrian patients to Turkey by canceling free treatment in its state hospitals and forcing them to pay the full cost of treatment. Syria
Erdogan-Putin summit highlights Turkey's fragile balancing act Erdogan’s failure to achieve his goals in the high-profile meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin shows that Turkey’s balancing act with Russia and the United States is on the verge of a collapse. Turkey
Syrian jihadist group won't reconcile with al-Qaeda affiliate in Idlib Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which controls Idlib, is refusing to sit down with al-Qaeda-affiliated Hurras al-Din leaders to resolve pending disputes. Syria
Report finds Negev Bedouins remain poorest population in Israel The latest report by State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman highlights the plight of the Bedouin communities living in the Negev region, with little progress seen despite their new representation in the governing coalition. Israel
Republican Congressman, pro-Israel group spar over Iron Dome funding Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a critic of foreign aid, was the only Republican to vote against funding for Israel's Iron Dome last week. United States
Iran, UAE rehash tensions over contested islands The UAE deputy foreign minister’s address to the United Nations stirred up the territorial dispute, which has long been at the very core of tensions between the Arab state and the Islamic Republic. Iran
