Analysis What challenges await Erdogan’s new rival and Turkey’s new opposition party? Ousted main opposition leader Ozgur Ozel's bid to challenge Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan depends on surviving a widening legal crackdown and reconciling deep ideological, nationalist and Kurdish divisions within his own coalition. By Halil Karaveli
Top ally of Turkey’s Erdogan backs state funding for Ozel’s breakaway party Devlet Bahceli’s suggestion exposes a more nuanced position within the country’s governing alliance over the ongoing legal crackdown against Turkey’s main opposition. Turkey
Analysis Why Mamdani concluded he can’t arrest Israel’s PM Netanyahu The New York City mayor said he lacks the "legal authority" to arrest the Israeli premier based on the ICC warrant, likely due to laws pertaining to the United Nations and the court, but the ordeal could increase pressure on Israel over the case. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Turkish opposition leader Ozgur Ozel could launch new party by August Ozgur Ozel’s remarks on a potential new party came as the legal crackdown on the main opposition widened further this week with the arrest and suspension of the mayor of Cankaya, one of the party’s most secure and symbolically important strongholds in the heart of Ankara. Turkey
'Obliterated entire families': Amnesty calls for investigating Israeli strikes in Lebanon as war crimes Lebanon
Explainer Does provision 13 of Lebanon-Israel deal bar Beirut from pursuing war crimes claims? Lebanon
Two men arrested in US for allegedly helping Carlos Ghosn flee Japan The former Nissan executive fled Japan for his native Lebanon while on bail following being charged with financial crimes. Lebanon
Saudi courts ordered to stop flogging for ‘tazir’ crimes Judges in the kingdom can no longer prescribe flogging as a punishment for lesser crimes. Originals
Netanyahu asks to be excused from showing up at corruption trial Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose new government was sworn in Sunday, is trying to avoid having to appear before the court at the start of his corruption trial Sunday. Israel
Israeli man found guilty of murder in 2015 arson attack on Palestinian family Amiram Ben-Uliel's actions sparked outrage among both Palestinians and Israelis, but his lawyers questioned the conditions under which he confessed to the crime. Palestine
Syrians held in Turkish prison 'in breach of international law,' advocates say Scores of Syrians detained after Turkey's Operation Peace Spring began in October have been accused of links to the Kurdistan Workers Party and moved to a prison in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Syria
Sisi grants army more powers under state of emergency Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved new amendments to the emergency law, granting the army the right to arrest and prosecute civilians in clear violation of the constitution and the law, according to human rights activists. Egypt
Intel: 331 lawmakers take International Criminal Court to task over Israel investigation Hundreds of US lawmakers have signed onto two letters to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him to continue his “vigorous support of Israel as it faces the growing possibility of investigations and prosecutions by the International Criminal Court” over potential war crimes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestine
Israel’s top court cancels bonus plan for artists performing in settlements The High Court rules in favor of a petition that sought to end a policy of giving government bonuses to artists who performed in West bank settlements. Palestine
Detainee’s death raises concerns on conditions of prisoners in Egypt Egyptian artist Shady Habash died under strange circumstances in a prison cell where he had been in pretrial detention since 2018, raising criticism from local and international rights organizations. Egypt
Egyptian rights activists sound alarm over pretrial detention of political detainees A court decision to extend the pretrial detention of hundreds of political prisoners without their presence raised the ire of rights organizations calling for the detainees’ immediate release. Egypt
Turkey charges 7 over ex-Nissan boss’s escape to Lebanon Former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has been living in Lebanon since escaping house arrest in Japan in late December. Lebanon
Sudan outlaws female genital mutilation Sudan's criminalization of the practice done to a majority of young girls won praise and may reflect some change in attitudes. North Africa
