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
Protests erupt after Tunisia police beat, strip, drag young boy during arrest Angry protesters took to the streets in Tunisia after security forces brutally attacked a boy and dragged him after he was stripped naked, renewing controversy over civil liberty violations and mistreatment of prisoners in the country. Tunisia
Photo appears to show UAE Princess Latifa in Madrid amid house arrest claims Princess Latifa has alleged in secret video recordings that her family is holding her captive and she fears for her safety. United Arab Emirates
Hamas leader says Marwan Barghouti a priority for next prisoner swap with Israel Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh promises the wife of prominent Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti that her husband will be a priority for the next swap deal with Israel. Palestine
Egyptian police search citizens in Cairo ahead of June 30 anniversary The Egyptian security forces are deployed in Cairo’s streets and main squares, amid calls for protests by Egyptian whistleblower and former army contractor Mohamed Ali. Egypt
Palestinians trapped in Gaza as Israel suspends postal services Passport paperwork is piling up in post offices, as Israel has prevented mail from entering or leaving the Gaza Strip since May 11, thus preventing many students, patients and those with foreign residencies from traveling. Palestine
Rise in Iraqi cancer cases may be linked to wars, environment The causes of the spike may be linked to Iraq's wars or environmental pollution, but the evidence is sketchy. Iraq
Migrants found dead off Yemen's Red Sea coast after boat capsizes The bodies were found near Ras Al-Ara, a coastal village in the southern Yemeni province that's known as a smuggling hub. Yemen
Egypt's top court upholds death sentences of 12 Brotherhood figures The defendants were part of a mass trial of supporters of former President Mohammed Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt
Residents of Alexandria district face eviction by Egyptian state Egyptian security forces are trying to expel residents of a vital area in Alexandria, claiming that their homes were randomly and illegally built. Egypt
UN expert calls on UAE to release prominent human rights defenders The five activists are accused of trying to overthrow the Emirati government, but the United Nations says they should have never been detained in the first place. United Arab Emirates
Russia facilitates return of displaced Syrian families Under the auspices of the Russian forces and their affiliated militias, hundreds of displaced people are returning to their villages in the Lajat region located in the countryside of Daraa governorate to find extensively destroyed houses lacking basic power and water services. Syria
Biden condemns anti-Semitic attacks against American Jews The United States is facing an uptick on attacks on Jewish people in the wake of the Israel-Gaza conflict. News Brief
