In Moscow, Israel’s Lapid warns against Iran nuke, presence in Syria It was evident in the meeting in Moscow between Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov that the two countries do not see eye to eye on the Iranian nuclear agreement and Syria. Israel
Jihadist group in Idlib bans pro-opposition news channel Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has banned the pro-opposition Orient News channel from media coverage in Idlib, raising fears about the state of press freedom in Syria’s Idlib. Syria
Palestinian prison break embarrasses Israeli government The last thing Prime Minister Naftali Bennett needed right now was a spectacular escape of six Palestinian prisoners from a high-security jail. Israel
Iraq focuses on voter security ahead of elections The Iraqi government has already thwarted attempts at fraud and election rigging ahead of Oct. 10. Iraq
Afghan crisis exposes rifts across Iran's political spectrum At the two ends of Iran's political spectrum angry voices are being heard in a fierce battle over the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan, and especially the question of support for resistance forces in Panjshir Valley. Iran
Palestinian media alleges rights abuses during Israeli search for escaped prisoners The Palestinian Authority is demanding the release of more prisoners following an escape at a high-security Israeli prison. Palestine
US citizens on first Qatar Airways flight from Kabul since pullout Qatar’s special envoy to Afghanistan said the Hamid Karzai International Airport is “fully up and running” and that another passenger flight will depart on Friday. Qatar
French court upholds conviction of Assad's uncle in money laundering case A French court last year sentenced Rifaat al-Assad to four years in prison and ordered the forfeiture of his French real estate assets. Syria
Three dead following building collapse near Cairo Egypt has major problems with infrastructure safety and deadly incidents are not uncommon. News Brief
Lebanon won't deport six detained Syrian refugees Five of the six men are from Syria's Daraa province, where government forces and rebels have clashed in recent months. Lebanon
Israel vows to capture escaped Palestinian prisoners After the escape of six Palestinian prisoners and following riots in prisons and in the West Bank, Israel expects more violence. Israel
Why Serbia wants to buy SPIKE missiles from Israel While prospects for actual conflict use are slim, Belgrade hopes that by buying Israeli weapons it can alleviate some of the pressure it may face from Washington over Kosovo and ties with Russia and China. Israel
Is Turkey’s export-driven growth sustainable? Turkey’s industry remains heavily reliant on imported materials, meaning the country’s current account deficit problem persists despite a record increase in exports. Turkey
Jordanian appeals court upholds verdicts in royal sedition trial Former royal court chief Bassem Awadallah, who also is a US citizen, and Sharif Hassan bin Zaid, a minor member of the royal family, were each sentenced to 15 years in prison for allegedly trying to destabilize the kingdom. Jordan
Power struggle over oil threatens Libya's fragile transition process Oil production shutdowns are increasingly likely as several players in the sector push their own agenda. North Africa
German foreign minister reopens embassy in Libya France and Spain already reopened their diplomatic missions in Libya following the end of the civil war last year. News Brief
