How Egypt is trying to stop looting at ancient mosques Islamic archaeological monuments are constantly subjected to looting, and the Ministry of State for Antiquities has responded by ordering the contents of an ancient mosque be transferred to the ministry’s warehouses. Egypt
Did Hamas hack the IDF? Israeli army officials claim that some of its soldiers were duped by fake Facebook accounts set up by Hamas, which then hacked soldiers' phones and obtained sensitive intelligence information. Palestine
Confusion over US presence at Astana Syria talks A Russian invitation to the Trump transition team to send a representative to Syria peace talks in the Kazakh capital Astana Jan. 23 has caused confusion and revealed limited interactions between the incoming and outgoing US administrations. Syria
Egypt’s graffiti artists struggle to bring women to street walls The Women on Walls project is supporting female graffiti artists, who are still facing many challenges, including sexual harassment, when creating art on the streets in Egypt. Egypt
At Arab Spring commission, Tunisians speak of incomplete revolution At Tunisia's third Truth and Dignity Commission, many young speakers testified about human rights abuses that occurred during the 2011 revolution and continue to this day. Tunisia
Trump's UN nominee reassures advocates of Iran deal, two-state solution South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley offered a measured counterpoint to Donald Trump's inflamed rhetoric during her confirmation hearing Jan. 18. Palestine
Turkic speakers join forces in Iran's parliament The unprecedented formation of a cross-factional parliamentary group of Turkic speakers stirs controversy in Iran. Iran
US backs Turkish offensive with airstrikes around al-Bab After repeated appeals from Turkey for the United States to help Turkish troops and their rebel proxies to capture al-Bab, US airstrikes are resuming in a move that could help diffuse growing tensions between the NATO allies. Syria
Why hasn’t Iran’s president announced bid for re-election? The Iranian president’s press conference on the first anniversary of the implementation of the nuclear deal is met with positive reactions among Reformists and harsh criticism by hard-liners. Iran
Why Ankara’s honeymoon with Trump may be short-lived By blasting the Obama administration over Gulen and the Syrian Kurds, the Turkish government is signaling to the incoming Trump administration its demands for improved ties. Syria
Court sinks Egyptian-Saudi island deal A court ruling supposedly has ended Egypt’s attempt to hand over two strategic Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, but the government hasn’t necessarily given up. Saudi Arabia
What game is Russia playing in Libya? Russia appears headed toward greater involvement in Libya, a development that could have catastrophic consequences for Libya and the region. Libya
How women pried open the doors to Turkish military schools again Turkish women successfully pressured the Turkish government to reverse its apparently arbitrary decision to exclude women from naval and air force academies. Turkey
Turkey’s cinema sector reels over probes The Turkish authorities have launched a judicial probe into more than 400 people involved in the country’s cinema industry, fueling concern that the arts and culture realm is next in line for purges. Turkey
Is more women entering Yemen's labor market really progress? Yemen's vicious civil war has altered many aspects of society so that women are forced into the family's breadwinning positions, which may not necessarily reflect a milestone in gender equality. Yemen
Palestinian local elections on front burner The postponed local Palestinian elections might be scheduled in 2017 amid talks about possibly holding them in phases starting next May. Palestine
