Istanbul exhibit casts light on Ottoman photography An Istanbul exhibit looks at the photographic albums that Ottoman Sultan Abdulhamid sent to German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck in an effort to entice Germany to invest in Anatolian railways. Turkey
Will Iran's economy collapse? The best remedy for Iran to solve its economic crisis is greater transparency and a focus on technocratic remedies. Iran
Congress seeks uptick in North Africa operations The House Homeland Security panel chief wants to boost funding for counterterrorism in the Sahara region. North Africa
What’s next for Turkey following Erdogan’s election win? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has officially won re-election, though his ruling party missed a parliamentary majority by a hair. Turkey
Rouhani under fire amid second day of protests in Iran Protests against rising prices and a decline in the value of currency have erupted in Iran for a second day in a row, closing the Tehran bazaar. Iran
Long road to justice for Yazidis who escaped IS Yazidi women who were once held captive by the Islamic State still struggle to have their voices heard in Iraqi courtrooms, where their captors are being tried. Iraq
Egyptian artist portrays soccer stars as saints Proud Egyptians have been putting the faces of their soccer team on everything from T-shirts to Ramadan lanterns, but when an artist decided to paint them as saints, all hell broke loose. Egypt
Erdogan still faces uphill battle despite electoral victory Turkey’s turn toward a blend of political Islam and ultra-nationalism is unlikely to help improve ties with the West. Turkey
Transparency-hungry Turkey eyes blockchain The Turkish Informatics Foundation has launched a platform to promote and support the development of blockchain technologies for use in everything from banking and law to public opinion polls and elections. Turkey
Palestinians cheer US exit from UN Human Rights Council The US withdrawal from the UN's Human Rights Council has given some Palestinians hope for a stronger pro-Palestinian European role without the United States to hold it back. Palestine
Netanyahu seemingly unfazed by wife's fraud indictment For the time being, the indictment of Sara Netanyahu for fraud and breach of trust has not damaged the popularity of her husband, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, among Israelis. Israel
Syrian opposition has high hopes for US-Turkish road map for Manbij The US-Turkish road map for Manbij has entered the second of three phases, leading some to believe it might spare the area further bloodshed. Syria
Erdogan declares victory in historic Turkish vote President Recep Tayyip Erdogan won a strong mandate with more than 53% of the vote in an election that cements his legacy as Turkey’s most powerful leader in decades. But his main rival has refused to concede, saying it was too early to say Erdogan had won outright. Turkey
Egyptian women look to boost presence in police force Although women have made increasing progress in entering Egypt’s police force, they still face many obstacles. Egypt
Turkey’s Kurdish policies provoke backlash everywhere The US-Turkish deal on Manbij sparks a Damascus opening to Syrian Kurds; Iran scolds Turkey on PKK operations in Syria; the HDP faces violence and an “uneven” playing field in elections; Iran is caught in the middle between Russia and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Congress presses Egypt on injured US citizen Congress wants Cairo to compensate an American citizen who was grievously injured when Egyptian security forces attacked a tourist group with US-made weapons. Egypt
