Culture In Syria, detention of Hassan Akkad raises alarm about free expression under Sharaa Akkad, a British-Syrian filmmaker, was detained Wednesday night after his campaign questioning the whereabouts of funds allegedly pledged for relief, reconstruction and community initiatives across Syria. Syria
Amnesty International accuses Israel of state-led ethnic cleansing in West Bank In a new report, Amnesty International said that the escalating forced displacement and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank is part of a state-led campaign to control the Palestinian territory. Palestine
Interview As Sudan war drags on, US-Iran conflict compounds humanitarian crisis in Darfur Save the Children US President and CEO Janti Soeripto said delivering aid in Sudan remains extremely difficult, with supply trucks often delayed for weeks or months even after entering the country. Janti Soeripto President and CEO of Save the Children US
Israel's Netanyahu suing New York Times over column on Palestinian rape Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's accusations of systematic sexual abuse and rape of Palestinian prisoners, calling the claims a "blood libel." United States
Interview Olmert: Only Israel-Lebanon deal can curb Hezbollah, occupation 'unviable' Ehud Olmert Former Israeli prime minister
Senators call for release of 'unjustly imprisoned' women in Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia Democratic lawmakers condemn four Middle Eastern states for the politically motivated imprisonment of a number of women and call for the prisoners' release. Washington Pulse
Sweden opens trial of Iranian accused of role in 1988 mass murder Swedish prosecutors accuse Hamid Noury of participating in the extrajudicial executions of political prisoners who were affiliated with an armed Iranian opposition group Iran
Egypt under fire for video of soldier shooting at sleeping target in Sinai International law has rules for how to respond to enemy forces who are not engaged in combat. News Brief
Tunisia places senior Ennahda figure under house arrest Anouar Maarouf, the former communications and technology minister, was reportedly informed by Tunisian authorities that he has been placed under house arrest. Tunisia
Intel: US family seeks Biden's help freeing detained Saudi aid worker The United States said it’s urging Saudi Arabia to resolve the case of Abdulrahman al-Sadhan, an aid worker sentenced to prison for allegedly running a Twitter account critical of the kingdom’s rulers. Saudi Arabia
Israeli court gives protected status to Sheikh Jarrah residents facing eviction The Supreme Court adjourned without ruling on the planned eviction of four Palestinian families who reside in the East Jerusalem neighborhood. Israel
Senator urges aid freeze to Egypt amid human rights abuses Sen. Chris Murphy urged the Biden administration not to bypass US law with this year's military aid package to Cairo. Washington Pulse
US condemns violence against protesters in Iran The US condemnation comes as rights groups accuse Iranian authorities of a violent crackdown on protests that erupted earlier this month over severe water shortages in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. Iran
Watchdog: Internet disrupted in Iran amid water protests The internet is heavily restricted in Iran, and the government initiated an internet blackout in 2019 during widespread protests in the country. Iran
Turkey plans further clampdown on independent media Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP says it won't allow "fifth column" activity from independent media organizations. Turkey
Turkish-backed rebels leave trail of abuse, criminality in Syria’s Afrin The serene topography of the Syrian enclave of Afrin belies the power vacuum and violence now afflicting many of the territories under the control of Turkish-backed forces in the war-torn country’s northeast. Syria
Dubai princess' number on Pegasus spyware list The phone numbers for Princess Latifa and some of her friends appeared on a leaked database of surveillance targets reportedly selected by customers of the Israel-based NSO Group. News Brief
