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June 17, 2026

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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun speaks during a government meeting at the Presidential Palace in Beirut, Lebanon, on September 5, 2025.

Lebanon President Joseph Aoun to visit White House this month, Trump says

The visit would be the first by a Lebanese president to the White House in over a decade.

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa is welcomed by Cyprus' President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia on April 24, 2026, on the sidelines of a European summit.

Analysis

Why Trump’s push for Syria to confront Hezbollah is an unlikely bid

Trump’s proposal faces resistance from Damascus, skepticism from experts and opposition across Lebanon’s political spectrum.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan meets with Orthodox Patriarch of Bartholomew at the presidential complex, Ankara, Turkey, June 16, 2026.

Culture

Turkey’s Erdogan meets Orthodox patriarch amid push for reopening Halki Seminary

The meeting comes ahead of US President Trump’s expected attendance at next month's NATO leaders’ summit in Turkey, after Trump personally urged his Turkish counterpart to reopen the Halki Seminary.

Latest News

'Let Syria take care of Hezbollah': Trump criticizes Israel, leans on Sharaa to help in Lebanon

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, FRANCE - JUNE 16: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a bilateral meeting with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the G7 summit, on June 16, 2026 in Evian-les-Bains, France. Leaders from the Group of 7 (G7) countries convened in Evian, France, near the Swiss border, for their annual summit to discuss challenges to peace and security for Ukraine and Europe, the situation in the Middle East, and other geopolitical issues. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Get

Analysis

'He knew it was over': Inside Netanyahu’s response to Trump’s Iran deal as Israel recalibrates

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Elizabeth Hagedorn

Diplomatic Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Joyce Karam

Editor-in-Chief

Rosaleen Carroll

News Reporter and Supporting Editor

In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East

Paul J. Saunders

In Washington, DC, reporting on Russia in the Middle East

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo holds a news conference at the Alliance headquarters in Brussels, Belgium November 20, 2019. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir - RC26FD9J436K

Pompeo urges Iranians to expose regime abuses

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Iranians to continue sending messages exposing the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on recent widespread protests.

Jordanian F-16 fighter jets escorting the plane carrying Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (not pictured) are seen at Amman airport February 9, 2015. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed (JORDAN - Tags: POLITICS ROYALS MILITARY) - GM1EB2A01ND01

Jordan plans to grab excess American weapons

Jordan is planning to obtain excess US fighter jets and large transport planes, part of an ongoing counterterror effort in the Arab kingdom.

A view shows a new S-400 "Triumph" surface-to-air missile system after its deployment at a military base outside the town of Gvardeysk near Kaliningrad, Russia March 11, 2019. Picture taken March 11, 2019. REUTERS/Vitaly Nevar - RC11938EDE40

Pompeo wavers on sanctions red line after Turkey tests Russian missile system

Turkey started testing the S-400 missile system this week, but the Donald Trump administration is still hesitant to implement legally mandated sanctions on Ankara.

US sanctions on Turkey 'inevitable' after apparent S-400 radar test

US officials are expected to impose sanctions on Turkey following reports that Turkey is testing its Russian S-400 radars in Ankara.

Iranian workers stand in front of the Bushehr nuclear power plant, about 1,200 km (746 miles) south of Tehran October 26, 2010. Iran has begun loading fuel into the core of its first nuclear power plant on Tuesday, one of the last steps to realising its stated goal of becoming a peaceful nuclear power, state-run Press TV reported on Tuesday. REUTERS/Mehr News Agency/Majid Asgaripour (IRAN - Tags: POLITICS ENERGY IMAGES OF THE DAY) - GM1E6AQ1G1401

Iran continues dismantling JCPOA nuclear restrictions

Tehran is launching construction work on the first of two new nuclear units in a $10 billion expansion of its power plant and has begun enriching uranium at a site formerly limited to research.

Israeli forces prepare to demolish Palestinian homes in the village of Sur Baher which sits on either side of the Israeli barrier in East Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank July 22, 2019. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma - RC19C0C21370

Demolition of Palestinians' Jerusalem homes surges

Israeli authorities have picked up the pace of destroying Palestinian homes in Jerusalem, which Palestinians blame in part on US officials' statements.

Iraqi demonstrators are seen near Iraqi security forces during ongoing anti-government protests, in Baghdad, Iraq November 25, 2019. REUTERS/Khalid al-Mousily - RC2GID9PZRKP

Iraqi government responds to protests by digging in

After nearly two months of protests in Iraq, the government is using excessive force on demonstrators and not giving in to their demands.

People walk near a burnt bank, after protests against increased fuel prices, in Tehran, Iran November 20, 2019. Picture taken November 20, 2019. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY - RC2GGD9E7BEK

How Iran's protests could impact foreign policy

Critical comments from France and Germany about the Iranian protests could further accelerate the dismantling of the Iran nuclear deal.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo shake hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during their visit at Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem March 21, 2019. REUTERS/Jim Young/Pool - RC1CDE43DCA0

Pompeo’s gift to Netanyahu might bring about new Israeli annexation

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s legitimization of Israeli settlements is seen as giving a green light to Israel’s prime minister to annex the Jordan Valley if a government is formed.

Pompeo reinforces Netanyahu’s occupation policies

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's recent statement on the West Bank settlements reinforces the occupation policy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and distances any chance for peace.

Russian and Syrian national flags are pictured near the northern Syrian village of Zor Magar, as seen from the Turkish border town of Karkamis in Gaziantep province, Turkey, October 23, 2019. REUTERS/Huseyin Aldemir - RC15D8F01E00

Russia faces dilemmas in northeastern Syria

While it has added some fortifications, Moscow is challenged with new political and military uncertainty over Syria's northeast.

Saudi and Israeli tourism campaigns offer stark contrast in transparency

Public relations firms working to promote travel to foreign countries are all over the map when it comes to lobbying and PR disclosures.