UN: Sudanese children 'skin and bones' as 250,000 in El Fasher face starvation The warnings come as reports claim that Colombian mercenaries have taken control over the nearby Zamzam refugee camp. Sudan
As Trump warms to Syria, US pushes UN to lift Sharaa sanctions The move comes as Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa prepares to attend the UN General Assembly in New York next month. Syria
Analysis As US envoys head to Gaza, details scant on Trump's 'food centers' Despite criticism, the Trump administration is sticking with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as its answer to the growing humanitarian catastrophe. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Cholera, hunger plague Sudan’s Darfur region amid RSF siege: What to know As hunger and health crises worsen in Darfur, Sudan’s political divide is also deepening, with the Rapid Support Forces pushing a parallel government while over 300,000 civilians remain under siege in El Fasher. Sudan
Analysis Iran maneuvers to avert E3's snapback sanctions as deadline looms By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Congress threatens to cut UN funding for voting against Israel President Donald Trump and Congress are on the same page with a new law that would cut US funding for UN agencies deemed insufficiently supportive of Israel. Palestine
International pressure on Israeli settlements renews push for US anti-boycott laws Pro-Israel advocates trying to fight boycotts of Israel's settlements face a new urgency as the UN turns its spotlight on the West Bank, but legal challenges to federal and state laws are creating significant hurdles. Palestine
Trump seeks to slash funding for UN missions in Mideast The State Department budget is seeking across-the-board cuts to international peacekeeping missions worldwide. Lebanon
Can Palestinians bear halt of US aid? As the United States withholds more than half of its financial contribution to UNRWA, fears arise about the repercussions the decision will have on the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian economy. Palestine
Moscow mulls scenarios as Mideast mediator The United States recently riled up the Middle East with its pronouncement on Jerusalem, giving Russia an opportunity to quietly step up its work in the background on Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Palestine
US, Israel isolated as UN votes in defiance of Trump on Jerusalem The overwhelming vote at the UN General Assembly meeting against the US move on Jerusalem will not bring peace any closer, but it does restore a sense of integrity to the world body. Palestine
Congress calls Trump’s bluff on threat to cut aid over UN vote Democratic lawmakers made clear they will oppose any move to slash assistance to countries that vote at the United Nations to criticize the president's position on Jerusalem. Palestine
US envoy to the UN points finger at Iran in Yemen war Ambassador Nikki Haley vowed a tough US response after displaying what she called “concrete evidence” that Iran provided missiles that Houthi rebels used to target Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Has US given up on Middle East diplomacy? US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson calls on Saudis to "consider consequences" of actions; Is Lebanese President Michel Aoun making the right call on Hariri? Saudi Arabia
Israel may regret hasty UNESCO exit Israel reacted quickly to the US announcement that it was pulling out of UNESCO with one of its own, potentially forfeiting an opportunity to shore up its international presence. Qatar
Qatari crisis seeps into UNESCO elections The Qatari crisis has cast a shadow across the election of UNESCO's next director-general with competing candidates from Egypt and Qatar. Saudi Arabia
Arab states coordinate efforts to block Israel's UN Security Council bid Arab League member states have formed a committee aimed at preventing Israel from obtaining a seat on the UN Security Council in next year's elections, yet some argue the move comes too late in light of Israel's extensive outreach to gain support. Near East
