Middle East crises loom in background as NATO leaders gather in Washington While this year's summit is expected to focus largely on the ongoing war in Ukraine, Iran's military support for Russia and Turkey's strategic balancing act with Moscow are expected to weigh on NATO leaders gathered in Washington. Washington Pulse
US, Israel hold second virtual meeting on Rafah Biden administration officials have denied offering to green-light an Israeli invasion of Rafah if Israel holds off on retaliating against Iran. Washington Pulse
One year on Sudan’s war: 14,700 killed, 8.6M displaced, 4.9M face starvation As the war in Sudan enters its second year, the humanitarian situation is worsening by the day with no prospects of an imminent end of the hostilities. North Africa Pulse
State Department staffer resigns over Biden's handling of Gaza Annelle Sheline is the second State Department official to publicly resign since Oct. 7, citing the erosion of US credibility on human rights in the Middle East as a result of the war. Washington Pulse
Tehran says fresh US sanctions block path to diplomacy The US administration's latest sanctions targeting several Iranian officials, including the country's supreme leader, have drawn the ire of the government in Tehran. United States
Moscow seeks Iran-Israel compromise at Jerusalem security chiefs meeting During the trilateral meeting of national security advisers from Russia, Israel and the United States, Moscow stressed Israeli security concerns but also called for acknowledging Iranian interests. Israel
Egyptian, international artists explore complexity of Middle Eastern identity in Cairo The Cairo Biennale has resumed after an eight-year hiatus, bringing together international and Egyptian artists to take on identity in the Middle East. Egypt
Morocco's been busy muzzling anti-regime voices this year Morocco has stepped up its campaign against political and civil activists, raising concerns among local and international rights organizations. Morocco
Algeria's Hirak marches on in the face of official warnings Algeria’s predominantly young protesters have proven resistant to any attempt to hijack their cause and bend it to any end but their own. Tunisia
Nostalgia for 19th-century Pera meets modernity in Istanbul exhibit Cosmopolitan Pera, with luxury hotels and entertainment venues, was the recreational heart of 19th-century Istanbul, which an exhibition at the Istanbul Research Institute revisits along with a cultural addition that could have been. Turkey
Palestine aims to triple number of Russian tourists Palestinians aim to lure more Russian tourists by providing new tourism infrastructure, ecotourism and historic Orthodox churches. Palestine
Cairo to build new site for culture but will artists and fans come? Egypt has announced that it will build a state-of-the-art culture city by mid-2022, but it remains unclear whether it would attract artists and art lovers. Egypt
With 'Chernobyl,' Iranians talk other people's nuclear problems, for a change The miniseries “Chernobyl” is a big hit in Iran and has sparked a debate between conservative and Reformist media about the alleged politics and messaging behind the production. Russia
Fact-checking initiative takes on Egypt's rumor mills and fake news “Da Begad?” and other initiatives have emerged in the Arab world to counter the daily rumors, fake news and manipulated images on social media and elsewhere online. Egypt
Trump pitches Iran strike reversal to GOP ‘hawks’ and ‘doves’ President Donald Trump said on Saturday his decision to wave off a retaliatory strike on Iran for the downing of an American drone was being celebrated both by allies and critics as a wise move to stave off overextending the US military. United States