Palestinians opt for Islamic banking Islamic banks operating in Palestine have experienced remarkable growth in the past decade compared to conventional banks. Palestine
Hamas executes convicted Israeli spies after breakneck trial Despite the legal issues that emerged in the prosecution of three men convicted of killing a Hamas military commander, Hamas carried out their execution in a matter of days of the trial's conclusion. Palestine
Saudi bloc splinters over hard line on Iran Riyadh summit may have fueled sectarian animosities; Hamas resets its ties with Iran and Russia. Saudi Arabia
Turks don't click and tell on e-matchmaking Turkey’s largest online dating site has 18 million registered profiles and 1 million people who have logged in over the last 12 months, but few will tell about their experiences. Turkey
Egypt, Russia cover lots of common ground in recent meeting Many countries were paying attention when Russia sent two top ministers to Cairo last week. Egypt
Ankara looks beyond Raqqa offensive for fate of northern Syria The Turkish government is worried about how the Democratic Union Party will transform northern Syria once the Islamic State is defeated in Raqqa. Iraq
Kurdish cantons in northern Syria already linked One of the most heated issues of the Syrian war has been the possibility of Kurdish cantons connecting, overcoming Turkey’s threatening objections. And now, with the Aleppo road open, Kurdish cantons are connected for the first time in four years. Iraq
Despite deadly border clash, Iran-PKK war unlikely Though attributed to the PJAK, the recent deadly border clash along Iran’s border with Turkey involved the PKK and is unlikely to escalate. Turkey
Ultra-Orthodox party risks shakeup as Israel's interior minister investigated The criminal investigation into Interior Minister Aryeh Deri's finances could send the Shas Party he heads into another battle over its leadership. Israel
Syrians in Egypt demand clearer work regulations Syrians who fled their country and settled in Egypt have so far contributed to the Egyptian economy with more than $800 million, but they have yet to get their papers in order. Egypt
In eye of regional storm, Hamas pushed closer to Tehran Iran has recently welcomed the election of Hamas’ new leadership, which raises questions about Hamas’ next step in forming and mending its regional relations. Palestine
Palestinians call Israeli economic offer too little, too late While Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon made a dramatic visit to Ramallah to announce a package of economic concessions, the Palestinians were less than impressed. Palestine
Iraqi Kurdistan faces many obstacles to independence referendum Amid a strong regional disagreement, Iraqi Kurdistan is insisting on holding a referendum on independence in the fall. Iraq
Egyptian film about revolutions soon in cinemas Egyptians disagree over whether or not there is sufficient documentation available to produce a film depicting the political conflicts that led to the January 25 Revolution and the ousting of President Mohammed Morsi following the June 30, 2013, protests. Egypt
Syrian NGO begins rebuilding war-torn Idlib The relative calm prevailing in northern Syria’s opposition-controlled areas, specifically in Idlib province, is inspiring relief organizations to launch reconstruction projects aimed at infusing life back into the devastated areas. Syria
Egypt launches initiative to keep farmers from bailing on their land Many of Egypt's farmers are abandoning agriculture and moving to the cities to find employment, but an initiative by the Union of Producers and Exporters of Horticultural Crops is trying to encourage farmers to stay put. Egypt
