UN accuses Sudan’s RSF of rape, ethnic killings as Hemedti courts region A new UN report has documented the shocking brutality of the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo in Sudan’s Darfur region. Sudan
Saudi PIF-owned company, tourism fund partner on new downtown for Riyadh Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is working with the kingdom’s Tourism Development Fund to create "the world’s largest downtown" in the capital. Saudi Arabia
Iran sentences 'Baraye' singer Shervin Hajipour to three years in jail The singer’s hit "Baraye" became an anthem for the 2022 anti-government protests in Iran and his sentencing is the latest example of the Islamic Republic’s repression of those who took part in them. Iran
Lebanon: Suspected Hezbollah-UNIFIL clashes amid Israel border escalation The incident, which is not uncommon, comes at a time of heightened Israeli-Hezbollah tensions and growing fears of an all-out war. Lebanon
Analysis Biden administration backs ‘resilient’ Iraqi Kurdistan Region Visit of Iraqi Kurdistan PM Barzani to Washington a message to Baghdad and Iran. By Week in Review , Andrew Parasiliti
How Red Sea attacks could rewire Middle East trade and economic cooperation Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis As Gaza boils, West Bank implosion tops Israel's, US fears on eve of Ramadan US and Israeli officials fear potential unrest over access to Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan and its spread to Israeli Arab communities and the rest of the region. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Can't count him out: Netanyahu, allies score big in Israel's municipal elections Despite the Likud's plunge in the polls, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party preserved most of its power in this week's municipal elections. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics