Raisi: Iran 'never has hope' in Vienna talks Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has struck a pessimistic tone commenting on the nuclear talks between Iran and world powers. Iran
Iraq receives 145% more foreign visitors in 2021 Iraq waived the visa requirements for citizens of many economically powerful countries last year in a bid to attract tourists and businesspeople. News Brief
Saudi Arabia building support for Expo 2030 bid The kingdom wants to host the international cultural forum, which is currently being held in Dubai. News Brief
Saudi IT industry to work with German software firm SAP on cloud technology The memorandum of understanding is the latest to come out of the LEAP technology forum in Riyadh, and reflects the kingdom’s diversification efforts. News Brief
Death toll from Algeria's wildfires rises to 65 At least 25 soldiers died trying to extinguish the fires in Algeria’s Kabylia region. Algeria
Turkey arrests dozens in countrywide artifacts smuggling raid Smuggling of historical artifacts is an issue in the Middle East, and European states have returned objects to Egypt and Iraq recently. News Brief
Syria's Assad appoints new government Most important government posts, including prime minister and defense minister, remain unchanged. News Brief
Sweden opens trial of Iranian accused of role in 1988 mass murder Swedish prosecutors accuse Hamid Noury of participating in the extrajudicial executions of political prisoners who were affiliated with an armed Iranian opposition group Iran
Egypt under fire for video of soldier shooting at sleeping target in Sinai International law has rules for how to respond to enemy forces who are not engaged in combat. News Brief
UN names Swedish diplomat Hans Grundberg as Yemen envoy Grundberg will replace Martin Griffiths, a veteran British diplomat who served as the UN's Special Envoy for Yemen since 2018. Yemen
Bennett names Michael Herzog as Israeli ambassador to US Herzog, a retired brigadier general and fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, is the brother of Israeli President Isaac Herzog. Israel
Iranian president expresses 'heartfelt amity' toward UAE Despite past tensions, Iran and the UAE look to better ties to defuse friction in the Persian Gulf. Iran
Hezbollah escalates border conflict with rocket attacks into Israel Some Lebanese politicians lamented that the rockets put Lebanon at risk of war and videos of civilians attempting to stop Hezbollah from firing more went viral. News Brief
Violence down in Syria’s al-Hol camp but conditions remain 'horrifying' The Islamic State has been smuggling boys out of displacement camps to train in the Syrian desert. Iraq
Supporters of progressive Democrat blame pro-Israel group for Ohio primary loss The race between Shontel Brown and Nina Turner was one of several in the past year to pit pro-Israel Democrats against pro-Palestinian ones in congressional races. News Brief
Two rockets fired from Lebanon into Israel Israel shelled areas of southern Lebanon in response, though it was unclear who fired the rockets. News Brief
