Turkey’s LGBT fight uphill but not hopeless battle While Turkey’s LGBT community faces significant challenges, events such as this year’s Gay Pride Parade in Istanbul and Turkey’s first transsexual beauty pageant indicate small yet significant steps are being made to secure LGBT rights. Turkey
Turkish Shiites fear growing hate crimes Lacking political influence, Turkey's Shiite community continues to await a government response to recent arson attacks against their mosques. Turkey
Looking to take a break, Gazans find beaches a war zone Israeli naval boats are firing at Gaza’s coastline, turning popular Gaza beaches into a war zone. Palestine
Hamas bites the hand that feeds it Israel is aware of the fact that any regime vacuum in the Gaza Strip will draw in more extreme forces, which is why it battles an impossible fight of trying to stop the rocket fire from Gaza while preserving Hamas rule. Palestine
Israeli strike kills family having coffee Members of the Hamad family were sitting drinking coffee in front of a relative’s home when an Israeli strike claimed their lives. Palestine
Israel targets Hamas-Fatah unity in Gaza Israel's open opposition to the Palestinian reconciliation agreement is the driving force behind its offensive on the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Bomb shelters replace summer camps for Israeli children Children from central and northern Israel are now experiencing what residents of the south have suffered for 13 years: the sounds of the alarms, the running for shelter, the ongoing fear and trauma. Palestine
Aleppo rebels caught between Islamic State, regime Rebels in Aleppo say they will struggle to prevent both the Syrian regime forces and a resurgent Islamic State from sweeping through the city and its countryside. Syria
Global jihad benefits from Gaza crisis As Arab states do little to intervene in Gaza, militant jihadism continues to spread throughout the region. Palestine
Palestinians accuse Israel of war crimes in Gaza Cafes and homes in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed by Israeli bombardment, which local Palestinian activists say constitute war crimes. Palestine
Congress flexes muscles ahead of Iran deal Lawmakers are making their demands clear as the July 20 deadline for a nuclear agreement approaches Iran
Media circus causes panic in Israel News anchors, security experts and Knesset members are all raising the panic level through the media over the rocket fire, enjoying the attention they are receiving during the “disaster marathon.” Palestine
Economic cooperation between Egypt, Ethiopia on the rise In light of the expected visit of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Ethiopia, the Egyptian-Ethiopian committee is working on resuming dialogue on the Renaissance Dam issue. Egypt
US, Iran security cooperation could help save Iraq Tehran and Washington must act together to manage the crisis in Iraq before the volatile divide between Shiites and Sunnis becomes an all-out sectarian war and destabilizes the region. Iraq
Barzani: Iraqi Kurds keeping their options open In an interview with Al-Monitor, President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Massoud Barzani speaks about the current crisis and doesn’t rule out the right to self-determination if unification efforts fail. Iraq
Iran considers move toward parliamentary system An Iranian parliamentarian has said that a plan to turn Iran into a parliamentary system will be introduced this fall, despite real hurdles. Iran
