#ICYMI Chipotle has opened its first restaurant in the Middle East. Details here ⬇️

al-monitor.com/originals/2024… via Al-Monitor

#NEW Azerbaijani authorities said they busted an Iranian boat in the Caspian for alleged drug smuggling. Here's a short article for Al-Monitor on that and the state of relations between the two states:

al-monitor.com/originals/2024…

#ICYMI Some new figures on Middle East military spending:

•regional spending up 9%, per SIPRI
•energy effects of Ukraine war boosting Saudi, Algeria
•Iran spending more on IRGC, Israel more on Gaza

al-monitor.com/originals/2024… via Al-Monitor

TODAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

•Iran president in Pakistan, Qatar emir in Bangladesh
•Erdogan in Iraq (al-monitor.com/originals/2024…)
•Aramco in talks to buy stake in China's Hengli
•Kataib Hezbollah denies resuming attacks on US (al-monitor.com/originals/2024…)
•Chipotle opens in Kuwait

#DEVELOPING Sabereen News (affiliated with pro-Iran militias in Iraq) reporting an airstrike by the “aggression” against a Popular Mobilization Forces base in Babil province, Iraq.

I sometimes make music when I’m not writing about the Middle East. Here’s a synthesizer riff I composed recently (please note I’m a guitarist who occasionally plays piano, not a pianist).

Hope you have a peaceful weekend wherever you are. ✌️ 🎶

#NEW What does Binance's new virtual assets license in Dubai mean for the UAE's cryptocurrency sector? Here's a short I did for Al-Monitor on the topic:

al-monitor.com/originals/2024…

#ICYMI Here's what we know about the reported strikes in Iran Friday morning:

•explosions reported near Isfahan
•Iranian officials downplay
•Israel no comment
•US officials confirmed Israeli strikes to media
•regional states urge de-escalation

al-monitor.com/originals/2024…

#BREAKING Explosions in Isfahan amid fears of Israeli retaliation to Iran.

We will update as we learn more.

al-monitor.com/originals/2024… via Al-Monitor

#DEVELOPING Reports of explosions in Iran and Iraq. More to come...

#ICYMI Two important Gaza war-related stories from the US today.

•Google fires employees over sit-in against Israel Google Cloud deal (al-monitor.com/originals/2024… by Jack Dutton)
•Congresswoman Omar’s daughter suspended from Columbia re: Gaza encampment (al-monitor.com/originals/2024…)

BREAKING: US vetoes Security Council resolution on Palestine's UN membership bid.

12 votes in favor, 1 vote against, 2 abstained.

A busy day in Middle East news:

•US/Israel hold Rafah meeting (al-monitor.com/originals/2024…)
•IRGC says Israeli nuclear sites “identified” (al-monitor.com/originals/2024…)
•cholera in Yemen (al-monitor.com/originals/2024… by Beatrice Farhat)

Follow Al-Monitor for more.

#NEW Another example of the Gaza war’s effects on American fast food chains ⬇️

Did Gaza protests force Algeria's first KFC restaurant to close? al-monitor.com/originals/2024… via Al-Monitor

BREAKING🚨Qatar 'reevaluating' Hamas-Israel mediation role amid mounting criticism al-monitor.com/originals/2024…

TODAY IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

•Iraqi PM in DC
•Saudi Prince Faisal in Pakistan after GCC-Central Asia summit
•Israel war cabinet postpones Iran meeting
•floods in Gulf
•easyJet suspends Israel flights
•Starbucks donates $3M for Gaza food aid ➡️ al-monitor.com/originals/2024…

#ICYMI an important story from the Assyrian diaspora community in Australia ⬇️

al-monitor.com/originals/2024… via Al-Monitor

#ICYMI Check out Kristen Talman’s interview of Jared Szuba and myself on the aftermath of Iran’s attack on Israel:

al-monitor.com/podcasts/how-i… via Al-Monitor

#NEWS here’s the latest on the Israel-Iran conflict:

•army chief Halevi says Israel to respond
•Kan reports Israel to inform US ahead of any attack
•flight cancellations
•Kirby says US “not involved” in deliberations

al-monitor.com/originals/2024…

#NEW Here’s how the region responded to Iran’s attack on Israel:

•Saudi, Qatar, UAE call for de-escalation
•Egypt warns of Gaza war expansion
•Iran state media mocks Jordan for defending against drones

al-monitor.com/originals/2024… via Al-Monitor