In a first, ICC convicts Sudanese militia leader of Darfur war crimes Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman was found guilty of 27 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur between 2003 and 2004. Sudan
Supreme Court clears path for Turkey’s Halkbank trial over Iran sanctions The Turkish president personally raised the Halkbank case with US President Donald Trump at the White House, as Ankara pushes for a settlement to avoid a drawn-out legal battle. Turkey
Lebanon seizes $1.5M in cocaine at Beirut airport: What to know The country has recently stepped up its fight against drug trafficking, seizing large amounts of cocaine at ports and airports and targeting Captagon production. Lebanon
Analysis How far will China, Russia go in shielding Iran from UN sanctions? Iran is lobbying states to resist enforcement of UN sanctions — looking particularly to China and Russia to blunt the impact, even as questions remain about the limits of their willingness to act. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Turkish police storm CHP's Istanbul office as clashes erupt with lawmakers Scuffles have erupted inside and outside the CHP’s Istanbul headquarters following last week’s dismissal of the party’s provincial head and 10 people have been detained. Turkey
World's largest illegal sports streaming site shut down after Egypt arrests Streameast, believed to be the world’s largest illegal sports streaming network, was taken down in August during a sting operation conducted by Egyptian authorities in collaboration with a US anti-piracy group. Egypt
Turkey: CHP Istanbul head ousted as court escalates pressure on Ozel The court’s ruling has raised further challenges to the leadership of CHP chairman Ozgur Ozel, who led the party to victory in last year’s local elections. Turkey
Turkey detains top execs of defense firm Assan in military espionage probe The company’s 10 subsidiaries have been placed under the control of Turkey's state-run Savings Deposit Insurance Fund. Turkey
Australia expels Iran envoy, accuses Tehran of directing antisemitic attacks: What to know Iran was responsible for the arson attack against a kosher cafe in Sydney as well as the firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, according to Australian intelligence services. Iran
Turkey’s parliamentary body on solving Kurdish issue bars Kurdish language speech Two Kurdish women invited to address the parliamentary committee were told they could not speak Kurdish during the session. Turkey
US sanctions 4 ICC officials over Israel case The sanctions against four of the court's officials come as Israel prepares for a military offensive in Gaza City. Israel
Turkey blocks Instagram account of leading LGBTQ+ group Kaos GL The ban targeting the group, a leading LGBTQ+ organization, follows earlier bans affecting its website and X account. Turkey
Jordan to resume conscription in 2026, call up 6,000 men: What to know In 2026, 6,000 men born in 2007 will be drafted for a three-month training program. Jordan
UAE police arrest three suspects in attempted $25M diamond heist Three men were arrested after attempting to smuggle a 21.25-carat pink diamond from Dubai, now a major global diamond hub. United Arab Emirates
UN: Syria's March violence saw ‘likely’ war crimes by Damascus, Assad remnants The United Nations noted deliberate targeting of Alawite civilians in its report on the killings along the Syrian coast and called on the government to expand its efforts in taking steps toward accountability. Syria
Turkey detains 30 as government crackdown on opposition deepens: What to know Detainees include officials from Istanbul and Antalya municipalities and their family members as part of an ongoing corruption investigation into the Republican People’s Party (CHP) that critics say is politically motivated. Turkey
