Washington

Voices from the Arab press: China’s role, medicine’s lessons, and the future of Iran talks

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, May 20.
FILE PHOTO: A worker walks in front of the recently renamed Donald J. Trump and John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, in Washington, D.C., U.S., December 29, 2025.

Kennedy Center orders staff to remove Trump's name from building following federal decision

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III takes part in Holy Thursday ceremonies at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City, on April 9, 2026.

Patriarch Theophilos III, Trump to discuss protection of Christians, freedom of worship

IRGC Quds Force chief Esmail Qaani pictured in Tehran, Iran, February 17, 2026; illustrative.

Iran’s Quds Force chief Qaani demands Israel withdraw from Lebanon amid US-brokered deal


The great disconnect: Why Israel is losing America while winning in Iran - opinion

Israel enjoys strong backing in US policy circles, but public and generational support is steadily eroding.

To bridge this dangerous growing divide - Israel must first strive to understand America - beyond the current White House and then to be understood by America, of today and tomorrow.

Security footage shows suspect Cole Allen shooting Secret Service officer before White House dinner

US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro shared a video of Cole Allen shooting a Secret Service officer and preparing for an apparent attack on the president.

White House Correspondents' Association Dinner shooting suspect Cole Tomas Allen sprints past security personnel in a screengrab form security camera video, at Washington Hilton Hotel, April 25, 2026.

Trump administration officials are quoting the Bible, is it good for the Jews? - opinion

“President Trump has a complicated relationship with the Bible,” The New York Times said of Trump's likely participation in a marathon reading of scripture to take place in Washington, D.C.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, Feb. 5, 2026, at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

Strait of Hormuz should not reopen on Tehran’s terms - opinion

Washington should define success not as traffic resumed, but as Tehran stripped of the practical ability to use the strait as a recurring instrument of leverage.

US President Donald Trump seen in the Oval Office in the White House in Washington, DC, US, January 14, 2026

Israeli embassy worker in Washington describes 'shouting, panic' at White House dinner shooting

Spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy in Washington, Tal Naim, said she was sitting about 200 meters from the stage and heard “shouting and a great deal of panic.”

White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and his wife Katie Miller (C) are taken out of the ballroom by security agents during a shooting incident at the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Israel, world leaders voice support for Trump after White House dinner shooting

Condemnations poured in from Israel and several other countries following the attack at a Washington DC hotel, as well as expressions of relief that no US officials were harmed.

First Lady Melania Trump and US President Donald Trump attend of the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner April 25, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Nationwide Bible reading event marks 250 years of scripture in America

The Museum of the Bible hosts "America Reads the Bible," a weeklong event with 500 participants reading Scripture, featuring contributions from figures in politics, media, and entertainment.

Patricia Heaton onstage during the America Reads The Bible Event At The Museum Of The Bible on April 19, 2026, in Washington.

Trump announces he will have updates on Iran ‘by the end of today'

Trump said on Friday that he may end the ceasefire with Iran unless a long-term deal to end the war is agreed upon by Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press aboard Air Force One on April 17, 2026 just prior to landing at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

The stakes of Iran diplomacy: enrichment, ballistic missiles, and Hormuz - opinion

Talks over Iran mask a deeper reality: enrichment, missiles, and Hormuz strategy persist regardless of diplomacy.

An Iranian missile system is displayed next to a banner with a picture of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during Iranian Defence Week, in a street in Tehran, Iran, September 25, 2025.

Vance says next step in negotiations up to Iran, US has all the cards with blockade in effect

Vance explained that the US discovered that the team would need to return to Tehran “and actually get approval to the terms we had set…either from the supreme leader or somebody else.”

U.S. Vice President JD Vance walks as Jared Kushner looks on, after arriving for talks with Iranian officials in Islamabad, Pakistan, Saturday, April 11, 2026.