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
Dutch far-right politician under investigation for calling Turkish president a terrorist The controversial Geert Wilders has had spats with the Turkish government before amid wider crises between Turkey and the Netherlands. Turkey
Turkey rejects US call to free jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala Turkey on Thursday rejected a call by the United States to release jailed civil society leader and human rights activist Osman Kavala. Turkey
57 nations hit for failure to repatriate women, children from Syrian camps UN human rights experts are pressing Great Britain, France, Iran, Russia, Turkey, the United States and 51 other countries to repatriate nearly 10,000 of their citizens associated with the Islamic State. Syria
Fifty-four Senators sign letter criticizing Turkey's human rights record The group led by Sens. Wyden and Rubio want the Biden administration to press Turkey on its domestic policies and actions in Syria. It follows months of criticism of Turkey from both parties in Congress. Originals
Intel: US unsatisfied with Turkey's response to Syria rights abuses The US government continues to raise reports of human rights abuses in Syria with Turkey, according to a new watchdog report. Originals
Hundreds left homeless as Egyptian authorities demolish random constructions As the Egyptian authorities embark on removing dozens of residential buildings in the historic Sayeda Aisha area as part of a development plan, lawyers are working to provide legal support to residents and owners of the removed properties. Egypt
Saudi Arabia commutes death sentences of young Shiites The sentences of Ali al-Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher and Dawood al-Marhoon, who were arrested as teenagers in 2012, were reduced to 10 years in prison. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia temporarily releases two US-Saudi political prisoners Dual citizens Salah al-Haidar and Bader al-Ibrahim still face trial on terror-related charges. Saudi Arabia
US citizen’s torture suit to test Egypt relations under Biden The Joe Biden administration may take a position on the immunity of Egypt’s former prime minister in a lawsuit brought by an American human rights activist. Egypt
State Department condemns Turkey's anti-LGBT rhetoric against protesters Turkey's president and other officials have used inflammatory anti-gay rhetoric to describe the student-led protests in Istanbul. Turkey
Twitter adds warning label to Turkish minister's anti-LGBT tweet Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu's tweet accused "LGBT perverts" protesting in Istanbul of disrespecting Islam. Turkey
Canada votes to offer citizenship to jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi, whose wife and children live in Canada, is serving a 10-year jail sentence in Saudi Arabia for "insulting Islam." Saudi Arabia
