Turkey doubles down on coal despite European efforts to decarbonize Turkey has been importing around three quarters of its coal from Russia as prices have fallen since the Ukraine war began in Feb. 2022. Turkey
Lebanon on edge: Hezbollah fires 100 rockets as Israel hits Baalbek Israeli airstrikes pounded Lebanon’s northeast city of Baalbek after Hezbollah fired 100 rockets in Israel in the heaviest exchange of fire since October. Lebanon
Analysis As rift grows, can Biden ditch Netanyahu and keep Israel's support? As the rift between US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu deepens, White House advisers are considering a speech by the American leader at the Knesset, addressing Israelis directly. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
US Navy plans for smaller fleet amid spending caps despite Middle East crisis Facing budget caps and new procurement delays, the Navy is poised to reduce the overall size of its fleet even as attacks by Iran and its proxies in Yemen have led to unprecedented disruptions of commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Washington Pulse
Iranian court orders US to pay $2.5 billion over 2008 bombing The Islamic Republic accuses Jamshid Sharmahd, a German citizen and US resident, of involvement in a 2008 bombing in relation to his work with an Iranian monarchist group, but his trial was unfair, according to a rights watchdog. Iran
Iraq’s Sudani faces US pressure to fix problems with Kurds ahead of Washington visit Resolving ongoing disputes between Baghdad and Erbil is a matter of priority for Washington. Iraq
UN's Colonna in Israel on first UNRWA-Hamas probe trip Catherine Colonna, the former French foreign minister leading the United Nations probe into the alleged association between the UNRWA and Hamas, is meeting with Israeli officials, as many countries have suspended funding to the organization. Israel
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt among world's top arms importers: SIPRI Concerns about Iran drove Gulf states’ weapons imports, while imports by Morocco and Algeria fell in the past four years, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Aramco turns to China for future oil demand as profits fall 25% China is the biggest customer for Saudi crude but is also crucial in Aramco’s ambitions to convert 4 million bpd of its oil production into petrochemicals by 2035. Saudi Arabia