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
Tunisia's Ennahda party faces more assassination allegations Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi is threatening to sue the Ennahda political party, which was recently accused of planning in 2013 to assassinate him and the French president. Tunisia
Turkish, Israeli chefs bring Ottoman-inspired cuisine to downtown Haifa Dozens of Arab and Jewish chefs took part in A-Sham Arab Food Festival in Haifa this year, to prepare Turkish and Ottoman-inspired dishes at tens of restaurants in the city. Israel
Roman-era mosaics home at last in Turkey's Zeugma Turkey has welcomed back 12 fragments of mosaics illegally excavated and exported decades ago to the United States and they are now on exhibit at the Zeugma Mosaic Museum in Gaziantep. Turkey
US erects observation posts to avert war between Turks, Syrian Kurds The move highlights the complexity Washington faces in its efforts to maintain a military presence in Syria while appeasing fellow NATO ally Turkey. Syria
US sees renewed leverage over Assad in Syria The Donald Trump administration is confident that its pressure is eroding the Syrian regime and its allies. Syria
Mosul's new literary cafe brings together readers, budding writers With its walls lined with books in Arabic, English, French, Spanish and Russian, Book Forum cafe provides a place for Mosul's youth to read, debate and smoke the hookah. Iraq
Why Gaza's flowers are no longer in bloom Gaza's flower exports had continued to grow since the 1990s, until it ran into the winter of the Israeli siege. Palestine
Thai court extends detention of Bahraini soccer player Dissident Bahraini soccer player Hakeem al-Araibi says he would face torture if extradited to Bahrain. Saudi Arabia
Is the GCC dead? Although Saudi Arabia has invited Qatar to attend the Gulf Cooperation Council summit Dec. 9, a resolution to the dispute between Doha and its Gulf neighbors seems far off, threatening the entire council with irrelevancy. Saudi Arabia
UNESCO registers Aragoz as Egypt's intangible cultural heritage Called Aragoz, Karagoz or Karagiozis, the puppet with the red cap and acid tongue has satirized politics and social life for centuries. UNESCO has registered the puppet play as Egypt’s historical heritage. Egypt
Senate puzzles out how to punish Saudi Arabia ahead of unprecedented vote An overwhelming majority of senators want to punish Riyadh for murdering Jamal Khashoggi and because of the Yemen war. The question is how. Saudi Arabia
US ices Iran out of Yemen talks Iranian efforts to send a high-level official to Sweden talks with the Houthis have been rebuffed. Saudi Arabia