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Regional

A thaw in Turkey’s relations with Egypt?

Gulf Cooperation Council reconciliation may have set in motion Ankara’s desire for a reset with Cairo.

Biden's deputy secretary of state nominee OK'd by Senate committee

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved moving Wendy Sherman's nomination to the full Senate, with some Democrats and Republicans who had disagreed with her on the Iran deal voting to confirm her anyway.

Biden's CIA nominee stresses China over Iran during Senate hearing

Ambassador William Burns said that China is the biggest challenge for the United States, but that Iran and Russia cannot be overlooked.

Post-COVID Mideast economies look to the Gulf and Egypt

The region took a hard hit from the pandemic, and it’s far from over, but Egypt and Saudi Arabia are managing better than expected.

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Intel: House Democrats call on Biden to reform Middle East war powers

King Abdullah engaged regional leaders in preparation for Biden’s presidency

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What Democrats' Senate majority means for the Mideast

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 04: President-elect Joe Biden (C) rallys with Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate Jon Ossoff (L) and Rev. Raphael Warnock (R) the day before their runoff election in the parking lot of Center Parc Stadium January 04, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia. Biden's trip comes a day after the release of a recording of an hourlong call where President Donald Trump seems to pressure Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the votes he would need to reverse the presidential ele

Biden team picks Dana Stroul to lead Pentagon's Middle East desk

Chinese construction labourers work at the site of the future Iconic Tower skyscraper, at its foundations in the business district, being built by China State Construction Engineering Corp (CSCEC) in the New Administrative Capital (NAC) east of Cairo, Egypt May 2, 2019. Picture taken May 2, 2019. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh - RC1DBF7311C0

Intel: US warns Middle Eastern partners against Chinese investment

The State Department’s top official overseeing US policy in the Middle East warned countries in the region against accepting Chinese investment, contracts and coronavirus aid during a virtual interview with the Middle East Institute today.

Turkey resuming domestic and international flights

Domestic airline flights recommence in Turkey and international flights to 40 countries are expected.

U.S. soldiers are seen at the end of "Eager Lion" military exercises at the Jordan-Saudi Arabia border, 260 km (162 miles) south of Amman, May 24, 2012. The U.S. Army special operations forces are leading 12,000 troops from 18 countries during "Eager Lion" exercises. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed(JORDAN - Tags: MILITARY) - GM1E85P08G601

Pentagon’s new foreign military training proposal greeted with skepticism in Congress

The Pentagon wants Congress to establish a new training program for foreign military officers, but some congressional appropriators say it duplicates a State Department program.

Turkish drilling vessel Yavuz is escorted by Turkish Navy frigate TCG Gemlik (F-492) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea off Cyprus, August 6, 2019. Picture taken August 6, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC110E733AB0

EU criticizes Turkish energy exploration in Mediterranean

Turkey disputes the European Union's position that the waters where Turkey hopes to drill for hydrocarbon belong to Greece and Cyprus.

Former US Vice President and Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden speaks about COVID-19, known as the Coronavirus, during a press event in Wilmington, Delaware on March 12, 2020. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Intel: Progressive coalition pushes Biden on Middle East policy

More than 50 progressive advocacy groups on Monday sent a letter to former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, urging him to make concessions to the left on Middle East policy.

A Qatar Airways aircraft takes off at the aircraft builder's headquarters of Airbus in Colomiers near Toulouse, France, September 27, 2019. REUTERS/Regis Duvignau - RC177F8675F0

Qatar Airways defers some employees' pay to save costs and keep flying

Qatar Airways is still offering many passenger flights, unlike other major Middle Eastern carriers. The drop in international travel due to the coronavirus has resulted in major losses for airlines.

Investors walk under a stock index board at the Dubai Financial Market in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, January 8, 2020. REUTERS/Christopher Pike - RC2NBE9J9TZ4

Mideast economies to see biggest downturn in four decades, IMF projects

Almost every country in the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia is expected to have negative gross domestic product this year, and the overall GDP for the region is expected to contract by an average of 3.1%.

The sun sets behind a crude oil pump jack on a drill pad in the Permian Basin in Loving County, Texas, U.S. November 24, 2019. Picture taken November 24, 2019. REUTERS/Angus Mordant - RC23NF9H59Z2

Amid Saudi-Russia price war, US on track to become net oil importer: Report

The coronavirus and the Saudi-Russia oil price war are contributing to a fall in US oil production and the United States is expected to become a net oil importer again in the fall.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad attend a meeting in Damascus, Syria January 7, 2020. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC29BE9XR6LF

Putin sees opportunity in Syria's COVID-19 crisis

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the dispatch of medical assistance to help Syria combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, but his real objective is far from altruistic.

Pope Francis greets Mohammad bin Abdul Karim Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League, during a meeting at the Vatican, September 20, 2017. Osservatore Romano/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALES. - RC168FEBB020

Saudi leader of Muslim World League: Interfaith partnerships during pandemic ‘religious, moral duty'

Mohammad bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa says, “We try to lead by example, and show that we are all in this together.”

Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrive for the opening of the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and the Government of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, February 9, 2020. REUTERS/Tiksa Negeri - RC21XE9C5IAK

Egypt alarmed over Sudan's siding with Ethiopia in Nile water dispute

Sudan's rejection of an Arab League resolution supporting Cairo in negotiations with Addis Ababa over the filling of Ethiopia's Renaissance Dam has caused alarm in Egypt, already at odds with Ethiopia over construction of the multibillion dollar dam.

UAE shows path for peaceful nuclear development

Fuel assemblies have been loaded into the first of four UAE nuclear power plants following the country's yearslong effort to develop major national and international support for nuclear energy.

United Arab Emirates