Syria’s Kurds embrace resilience, beauty in wake of Turkish attack

Turkey's invasion of northeastern Syria has changed the lives of Kurdish residents in myriad ways, from a bump in confidence-boosting cosmetic surgery to pervasive anxiety over whether Turkey will strike again.

Syria

Now Israel's defense minister, Bennett tones down Gaza rhetoric

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has made many belligerent statements over the years about stronger military action in Gaza, but as defense minister he seems to have adopted a policy of restraint.

Palestine

What's in store for Palestinian-Jordanian ties as US rolls out peace plan?

While Jordan and Palestine are supporting each other in their rejection of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, it remains to be seen what the future holds if Washington ups the pressure on Amman.

Palestine

Is the time ripe for US-Egyptian free trade agreement?

Egypt will start its negotiations with the United States next year for signing a bilateral free trade agreement as several international financial institutions praised its economic reform.

Egypt

Intel: Why Russia went on counteroffensive against US criticism over Idlib

The Russian Foreign Ministry announced the killing of “several Russian and Turkish military specialists” in the Idlid de-escalation zone.

Syria

Key nuclear watchdog reassures Washington it can still monitor Iran as deal unravels

The International Atomic Energy Agency chief is making the rounds in Washington this week to stress that his agency can still monitor Iran’s nuclear program as the nuclear deal unravels.

Congress

Europe worries as Trump seems to lose interest in new Iran deal

Europeans with embassies on the ground disagree with the belief by Donald Trump administration officials that the Iranian regime is on the brink of collapse, and that the administration can wait for Iran to surrender to a long US wish list.

United States

Intel: Space Force tracked Iranian missile strikes

Members of the Space Force helped track and detect the Iranian ballistic missiles that struck an Iraqi air base last month.

Iraq

Iranian Kurdish rebels hire law firm to lobby Trump administration

The Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan now has lobbyists covering both the executive and legislative branches.

United States

Intel: Trump touts eliminating Soleimani, Baghdadi at State of the Union

President Donald Trump focused on his removal of Iran’s Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani and Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi from the Iraqi and Syrian battlefields during his State of the Union address on Tuesday.

United States

Intel: Pentagon pauses program that helps Turkey target PKK

The United States has suspended providing real-time intelligence to Ankara that helped it target militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party.

Turkey

PMU factions reluctant to target US interests in Iraq directly

Following the assassinations of Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Shiite armed factions are reluctant to engage in direct war with the United States due to the lack of military balance between them and their fear of US reactions.

Iraq