Egyptian table tennis legend beats all the odds Ibrahim Hamadtou was told he could never play table tennis, but this year he represented Egypt in the sport at the Paralympic Games. Egypt
How much leverage do Salafists have in Egypt's parliament? Rumors emerge about the Nour Party’s intentions now that it is being criticized for failing to represent its Salafi constituency. Egypt
Why Turkey is boosting its budget for dubious 'village guards' The paramilitary force that Turkey formed to fight the Kurdistan Workers Party has been controversial since the 1980s, so why is the government expanding it now? Turkey
Controlling Libya’s wealth: Hifter’s long game As Libya's oil exports, and funding for oil operations, look set to rise, the struggle for political control is shifting to Libya’s financial institutions. Libya
Why is Turkey reviving an Ottoman sultan? A great Ottoman sultan-caliph is being re-popularized in today’s Turkey with a clear political intention: legitimizing authoritarian rule. Turkey
Iran reacts to death of Israel’s founding father As news of the death of Israeli founding father and prominent politician Shimon Peres broke, Iranian media outlets wasted no time in commenting on his legacy, and their various obituaries tell the story of a long and complex relationship between the two countries. Israel
FIFA under pressure to sanction Israel for settlement games A powerful report by Human Rights Watch on the eve of a FIFA meeting forces the global soccer association to act against Israeli settlement teams. Palestine
Is Netanyahu ready to join forces with opposition leader? According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after a year and a half of negotiating with Zionist Camp leader Isaac Herzog the possibility of a unity government, the time might have come for this to happen. Israel
Iraqi ministers fall like dominoes as Maliki's bloc targets Abadi A parliamentary bloc led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is behind the recent dismissal of several ministers as part of a plan to bring down the government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and pave the way for Nouri al-Maliki's nomination in the coming election. Iraq
How Khamenei played his ace to sideline Ahmadinejad Mahmoud Ahmadinejad appeared to be on the verge of disobeying Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei until the ayatollah went public with his disapproval. Iran
US threatens to halt talks with Russia on Syria Washington has threatened to suspend US-Russian engagement on Syria if Moscow does not take immediate steps to halt a Russian-backed Syrian regime assault on rebel-held eastern Aleppo. Syria
Congress sends Riyadh 'signal' with vote to allow terror lawsuits Congress defeated President Barack Obama's effort to shield the US ally from terrorism-related lawsuits. Saudi Arabia
After Obama, what comes next for US-Tunisia ties? While the United States has a strategic interest in keeping Tunisia stable, its interest recently has been mostly lip service, and some argue things are unlikely to change after the November elections. Tunisia
Barely illegal: The changing face of Turkey's pleasure industry Prostitution and escort services — often one and the same — are flourishing through aggressive promotions using hookup apps, social media and online marketplaces right under the nose of Islamists. Turkey
AKP’s war economy widens income gap A recent survey by Turkey’s official statistics agency reveals growing income disparities as the country’s economic downturn continues amid unrest both at home and in the region. Turkey
Fulfilling vision of Peres requires dismantling settlements Former Israeli President Shimon Peres' Middle East peace legacy can only be realized if the settlements he himself approved many years ago are dismantled. Palestine
