Can Congress avoid blowing up the Iran deal? If President Donald Trump doesn’t certify Iranian compliance with the 2015 agreement later this month, the US Senate only needs a bare majority to reinstate deal-breaking sanctions. Congress
Challenges still stalk Syrian peace efforts Despite the apparent progress in peace talks, there's still a lot of maneuvering going on in Syria — on the ground and among the many parties involved. Syria
Turkish bluster hides shaky leverage over KRG Despite Turkish threats to block Iraqi Kurdistan's oil exports, the Kurdistan Region's pipeline and main Habur border crossing are still open. Iraq
Iranian media takes interest in Catalan independence Iranian media has given widely positive coverage of the Catalan independence referendum, contrasting its critical coverage of last week's Iraqi Kurdistan vote. Iran
‘The last Iranian Americans’ The Trump administration’s "Travel Ban 3.0" runs the risk of turning current Iranian Americans into the last of their kind. United States
Turkey’s military options in Iraq and Syria hinge on US and Russia Any Turkish military move into northern Iraq or northern Syria seems highly unlikely without US or Russian consent respectively. Iraq
Child labor soars in Syria's liberated areas The Syrian war has left many children as the sole breadwinners for their families, pushing them to work at difficult and often dangerous jobs with long hours and little pay. Syria
Egypt aims to amend rules for revoking citizenship The government has approved a proposal to amend Egypt's nationality law, but some fear the amendments might be targeting the regime's opponents. Egypt
Popular board game in Palestine gets e-makeover A group of Palestinian programmers transform their childhood game from board to screen to save it from disappearing. Palestine
Is Netanyahu's party ready to divide Jerusalem? Likud Knesset member Anat Berko has developed a plan for the division of Jerusalem to preserve the city’s Jewish majority. Palestine
Will Hamas surrender Qassam Brigades to Abbas? According to a Palestinian security source, there will be no reconciliation with Hamas unless the movement agrees to give up the army it has created in Gaza. Palestine
Gaza's beloved gold market glitters with history Gaza’s historic gold market Suq al-Qaysariyya remains an essential stop for brides-to-be, but fewer Gazans can afford its treasures every day. Palestine
Palestinians show off their grapes The Palestinian agriculture sector aims to improve its grape production and promote it through festivals. Palestine
Putin boxed in by Iran, Turkey on Iraqi Kurdish referendum The Russian president could find himself at odds with Iran if he misplays a weak hand. Iraq
