Turkey: Flash floods kill 3, paralyze Istanbul after record downpour Heavy rains stranded hundreds, blocking major roads and disrupting air and public transportation, flooding buildings and forcing school closures across Istanbul province. Turkey
Rubio signals US push to ease Greece-Turkey cable tensions The top US diplomat said Washington was “very committed” to the subsea cable project as Ankara and Athens remain at odds over survey work in contested waters. Turkey
UAE-Syria move ahead on $20 billion real estate mega-developments Major housing and tourism projects in Damascus and Latakia are set to advance following a new agreement with UAE real estate tycoon Mohamed Alabbar. Syria
Lebanon seeks Turkey’s help to join Syria-Saudi rail link: What to know Beirut is seeking Ankara’s support to link its ports to a railway project aiming to link Turkey to the Gulf, through Syria and Jordan. Turkey
12 international, local firms bid to operate Iraq's Mosul airport destroyed by ISIS Iraq seeks to develop its air sector now that security conditions have improved in the country, hoping to play a bigger role in regional transit corridors. Iraq
UAE breaks ground on 50 MW solar plant in CAR, expanding Africa footprint Abu Dhabi’s financial footprint has expanded across Africa, making the UAE the continent’s fourth-largest source of foreign capital. United Arab Emirates
Analysis US-brokered Armenia-Azerbaijan deal hands Turkey South Caucasus opening The agreement could pave the way for normalizing Turkey-Armenia relations and establishing a long-sought transport link unsettling to Iran. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Russia, Iran in talks on construction of small nuclear plants: What to know The comments by the head of Rosatom follow increasing cooperation between Iran and Russia on gas. Iran
Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid airport sets record with 3.9M passengers in July Air travel is a part of the Vision 2030 plan to diversify the economy, though challenges remain in attracting tourists and catching up to other Gulf airports. Saudi Arabia
Analysis Broken dams, broken trust: How Iran’s water crisis and heatwave have sparked emergency Water and electricity shortages are reaching crisis levels across Iran, triggering widespread public service disruptions and forcing industrial closures. As reservoirs rapidly deplete and rolling blackouts increase, mismanagement and delayed reforms are being laid bare. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Citing security threats, Sudan blocks WhatsApp calls: What to know The restriction comes as Sudan's civil war continues to devastate telecommunications infrastructure. Sudan
Over 10 years after ISIS takeover, Iraq's Mosul Airport reopens: What to know The airport has been out of operation since the fall of the northern Iraqi city to the Islamic State in 2014. Iraq
Saudi Arabia's Diriyah awards Chinese firm $1.53B contract: What to know Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Company has awarded a major contract to China Harbour Engineering Company for the development of a Vision 2030 project. China
Drone strike halts operations at Iraqi Kurdistan oil field: What to know A second drone attack in as many days has suspended operations at an oil facility in Iraqi Kurdistan, with initial investigations pointing to Iran-aligned armed groups. Iraq
China’s premier makes first visit to Egypt as ties grow: What we know Egypt and China have significantly deepened their ties in recent years across various sectors such as trade, defense, technology and the economy. Egypt
French company revives Syria agreement to rebuild bridges: What we know The agreement covers 37 bridges in Syria, where infrastructure was severely damaged during the civil war, but may now be rebuilt following the lifting of Western sanctions. Syria
