Iranian Kurds urge Iraqi brethren to stay united ahead of referendum As Iraqi Kurds increasingly quarrel ahead of the Sept. 25 independence referendum, Iranian Kurds are urging their western neighbors to stay united and press ahead with the vote. Iraq
Foreigners take hold of Turkey’s food sector Amid a series of high-profile foreign takeovers in Turkey’s food industry led by Japanese investors, many are worried that the country is losing its self-sufficiency in food. Turkey
Young Iraqis experiment with variety of drugs In addition to traditional turn-ons, drug users in Iraq are expanding their habits to include everything from LSD to seemingly mundane treatments for arthritis. Iraq
Iraq establishes new security force to protect its archaeological wealth Iraq is seeking to preserve what’s left of its antiquities through the establishment of a special security force to protect one of its richest provinces in terms of archaeological sites. Iraq
Palestinians want to be called ‘state under occupation’ Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is preparing a UN resolution proposal that will change the definition of “Palestinian territories under occupation” into “a Palestinian state under occupation.” Palestine
Is Israel’s Arab party about to split? The Joint List of predominantly Arab parties is on the verge of disintegration — not because of the wide ideological rift amid its factions, but over a vacant Knesset seat. Israel
Turkish-backed rebels exchange daily fire with SDF in Aleppo In the northern countryside of Aleppo, the Syrian Democratic Forces, an alliance of Arab and Kurdish fighters, retaliates to the shelling from Turkish-backed Syrian rebels, pushing civilians to leave their homes. Syria
How Egypt is promoting education for Syrian refugees The efforts of the Egyptian government to integrate Syrian students in Egyptian schools aim to make the students feel welcome. Egypt
