Jordan revisits relationship with Muslim Brotherhood Despite the good relations the Muslim Brotherhood enjoyed when it first emerged in Jordan, the group has lost sway in the kingdom as authorities escalate their crackdown. Jordan
Syria's journalists live in constant fear of arrest, assassination Syria remains one of the world's most dangerous places for journalists, who face repression and violence from the Syrian regime as well as opposition forces. Syria
Iran’s capital suffocating amid blame game over pollution For nearly a month, residents of the Iranian capital have been exposed to record-high air pollution amid the government’s confusing explanations and failure to work out a solution. Iran
Can World Cup soccer help heal Gulf wounds? Communities torn apart by a yearslong rift between Gulf rulers may need time to heal the wounds of a crisis that damaged social ties that have historically transcended borders. Saudi Arabia
Israel advances plans for 800 new settlement homes in West Bank The news comes ahead of Israel's March 23 election as well as the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 20. Israel
Lebanon declares 24-hour curfew, state of emergency The round-the-clock curfew will take effect at 5 am on Thursday and last until Jan. 25. Lebanon
First doses of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to hit Iraq by February Iraq has pushed hard to be among the world’s first countries to receive and distribute the vaccine after committing $170 million to COVAX, a global body to promote the vaccine. Iraq
Cairo talks on Mideast peace show key players preparing for post-Trump era The latest meeting appears to be a signal to the new US administration that the Middle East Quartet and the Palestinians are serious about talks based on a multilateral approach. Palestine
Bahrain opens airspace with Qatar Bahrain's decision followed Saudi Arabia and Qatar opening their borders with Qatar, indicating improving relations in the Gulf. Originals
New WhatsApp terms spark antitrust investigation, exodus from app in Turkey Turkey launched an antitrust investigation into Facebook and its popular messaging service WhatsApp Monday after the application’s new privacy terms raised concerns, prompting some users to seek alternatives. Turkey
Biden taps veteran diplomat William Burns for CIA director Burns, a former ambassador to Jordan and Russia, would bring with him decades of experience in the foreign service. U.S.
Ankara gives police access to military, intelligence assets to crush protests A presidential decree has paved the way for Turkish police to use military and intelligence resources to crack down on public protests. Turkey
Iran officials defend ban on US, UK COVID vaccines Iranian officials have said they will begin vaccinating their population in the spring and do not have confidence in Western vaccines. Iran
The battle against the bottles: Israel extends law on plastic containers The Knesset Economics Committee has now approved extending the Bottle Deposit Law, so it will also include family-size plastic bottles. Israel
Pompeo to label Yemen's Houthis a foreign terror group Relief organizations in Yemen warn the designation will hamstring their life-saving work in a country already considered to have the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Yemen
Nile dam talks hit yet another snarl The latest round of talks between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the controversial Nile River dam again collapsed amid Sudanese objections and calls for African Union experts to take on a greater role in resolving the dispute. Egypt