Iran denies harboring de facto al-Qaeda leader After years of accusations it offered a safe haven to al-Qaeda members, Iran has dismissed a new UN report on the presence of the extremist group's de facto leader on its soil. Iran
248 hours after earthquake, Turkish teen rescued from rubble Aleyna Olmez, a 17-year-old girl in Kahramanmaras miraculously survived under the rubble of a collapsed building for nearly 11 days. Turkey
Banks burn in Lebanon as exchange rate falls to historic low Lebanese banks were already on strike and the government’s interventions have failed to alleviate the economic crisis. Lebanon
How building code spared one Turkish town from earthquake A mayor in devastated Hatay province says his town escaped the destruction seen elsewhere thanks in part to enforcement of construction codes. Turkey
NATO chief in Turkey, urges swift ratification of Sweden, Finland memberships In Ankara, NATO chief made first visit after the earthquake, and pressed for Finland and Sweden to join the alliance together. Turkey
Europe to sanction Iran drone companies for arming Russia in Ukraine President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen called on member states to adopt a 10th sanctions package against Russia that also includes a ban on Iranian companies. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
The Takeaway: Settlement plans test Biden’s Israel approach Plus, the family of an American held by Syria grows more concerned after the earthquake, and the US expresses alarm over Tunisia's wave of recent arrests. Israel
How Israel’s HevenDrones latest hydrogen-powered drone can help UAE The lightweight aerial vehicle for defense or commercial use is the latest fruit of diplomatic normalization between the two countries, and will be featured at IDEX next week. Gulf
