In a surprising move that sparked widespread debate in Morocco, Aziz Akhannouch, head of the RNI and prime minister, announced he would step down from leading the party ahead of the 2026 elections.

The Algerian presidency has launched a scathing verbal attack on the country’s leading Islamist party, sparking questions about the motives behind the criticism and its ties to the municipal and parliamentary elections set for mid-2026.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry issued an unprecedented official warning to the UAE, calling for the immediate withdrawal of its troops and a halt to any military or financial support for armed actors inside Yemen.

Iraq’s Shiite political forces have signed an agreement to form the largest parliamentary bloc after the Reconstruction and Development Coalition led by Mohammed Shia’ al Sudani joined the Coordination Framework.

On its anniversary, the General People’s Congress (GPC) in Sana’a faces an unprecedented Houthi militia crackdown, with funds seized, meetings forcibly broken up, and a death sentence looming over its vice president, Ahmed Ali Saleh.