News Highlights

* Turkey - Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan holds talks in Ukraine.

* International - Developments in the ongoing military escalation between the United States and Iran, with Washington officially announcing the reactivation of the naval blockade against Iran, while Tehran continues its response by launching attacks on countries in the region. - Arab and international reactions following the conclusion of the sixth round of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, which began Tuesday in the Italian capital Rome under U.S. sponsorship, after five previous rounds held in Washington.

* Algeria - Developments in an official visit by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to Germany for two days, which began Wednesday evening. The visit is scheduled to include meetings with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as well as a meeting with the Algerian community.

* Iraq - The fourth day of an official visit of undisclosed duration by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to Washington.

* Israel - Developments in the Knesset's deliberations as part of preparations for its official dissolution on July 17. - Continued controversy over a law passed by the Knesset banning the arrest of Haredim evading compulsory military service, especially after the Israeli Supreme Court suspended enforcement of the law on Wednesday.

* Palestine - Monitoring Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, in effect since October 10, 2025, and documenting attacks by the army and settlers on Palestinians in several areas of the West Bank.

* Lebanon - Continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire, which as of Saturday evening raised the casualty toll to 4,322 dead and 12,210 wounded since March 2, 2026, according to the Health Ministry.

* Morocco - The second and final day of the Moroccan-French Joint High Commission for Cooperation in the capital Rabat, chaired by Moroccan Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu.

* Tunisia - Opening of the 60th edition of the Carthage International Festival, amid exceptional celebrations of its 60th anniversary, with a show titled "Under the Jasmine," and the festival runs until August 17, 2026.

* Sudan - Field developments following the announcement by the joint force of armed movements allied with the Sudanese army that it recaptured the "Awrshi Reservoir" area in North Darfur state, after battles with the Rapid Support Forces.

* Yemen - Following up on developments in the escalation between the Yemeni government and the Houthis, after the army announced it thwarted an attack by the group on military positions in Al-Jawf province in the north of the country, with no immediate comment from the group.

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** Special Reports

* Turkey 1- Turkey: Computer technician turns waste into artistic sculptures decorating his home surroundings (Report) The report covers the experience of Zakaria Alagoz, a retired computer technician in Zonguldak province in northwestern Turkey, who turned waste and scrap into about 70 sculptures and artistic decorations to beautify the surroundings of the building where he lives. Alagoz tells Anadolu how he developed his old hobby of recycling during the coronavirus pandemic, stressing that his goal is to serve the environment and invest his time in useful work, while continuing to deliver leftover materials to scrap dealers for recycling. (Turkish Bulletin/Zonguldak/Gokhan Yilmaz/Photos and Video/650 words).

* Middle East and North Africa 2- How did Gulf economies show resilience despite the Iran war? (Report) The report reviews the resilience shown by the economies of Gulf countries during the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, despite attacks on several energy facilities in these countries. Through expert opinions, the report touches on economic indicators that enabled these countries to overcome the repercussions of the war, maintain their credit ratings, and adopt alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz for energy transport via overland pipelines. It also examines the future growth levels in these countries. (Arabic Bulletin/Rabat/Khalid Majdoub/700 words).

* Middle East and North Africa 3- Rome negotiation round between Lebanon and Israel: Content and implications (Report) The report covers details of the sixth round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, held in the Italian capital Rome under U.S. sponsorship. It reviews official positions from both sides and statements by diplomats and analysts on the key files addressed in the talks, foremost of which is the consolidation of a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from two pilot areas in southern Lebanon, while providing a chronological background on the course of previous rounds and the main achievements and sticking points. (Arabic Bulletin/Beirut/Wassim Seifeddine/800 words).