Turkey: Flash floods kill 3, paralyze Istanbul after record downpour Heavy rains stranded hundreds, blocking major roads and disrupting air and public transportation, flooding buildings and forcing school closures across Istanbul province. Turkey
Rubio signals US push to ease Greece-Turkey cable tensions The top US diplomat said Washington was “very committed” to the subsea cable project as Ankara and Athens remain at odds over survey work in contested waters. Turkey
UAE-Syria move ahead on $20 billion real estate mega-developments Major housing and tourism projects in Damascus and Latakia are set to advance following a new agreement with UAE real estate tycoon Mohamed Alabbar. Syria
Lebanon seeks Turkey’s help to join Syria-Saudi rail link: What to know Beirut is seeking Ankara’s support to link its ports to a railway project aiming to link Turkey to the Gulf, through Syria and Jordan. Turkey
Airport rehabilitation project raising eyebrows in Egypt Egypt has already opened two new airports this year, which has people wondering if spending $62.4 million to renovate one in a remote desert area is necessary. Egypt
Ramon Airport: Israel’s white elephant in the desert It’s been seven months since the festive inauguration of the Ramon Airport, which despite its hefty price tag, has failed to meet anyone's expectations. Israel
Where should Israeli Arabs spend the summer? So long as the Israeli government does not solve the severe housing shortage of its Arab citizens, it is logical that Arab families will try to upgrade their lives by moving to Jewish localities. Israel
Can Iran turn its faltering housing sector around? There are several state initiatives at work aimed at improving housing affordability, but saving Iran’s ailing housing sector will require time and private sector participation. Iran
Baghdad cabbies struggle with change as Green Zone opens up Baghdad's taxi drivers face new challenges with the reopening of the Green Zone having to compete with ride share apps and helicopter and river transport services. Iraq
Egypt keen on joining reconstruction of Libya, Iraq The Builders of Egypt Forum presented opportunities for construction companies to take part in the reconstruction processes in Libya and Iraq to compensate for the lack of projects at home. Egypt
Basra protests build in Iraq as substandard services persist As summer arrives in Iraq, a new wave of demonstrations is beginning in the south, possibly jeopardizing Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi's government. Iraq
War over vacating most expensive land in Israel Sde Dov airport in the north of Tel Aviv, which serves hundreds of thousands of travelers in domestic flights every year, will soon close to benefit real estate ventures that will change the face of the city. Israel
PA wants to break free from reliance on Israeli electricity Jordan and the Palestinian Authority are about to sign an agreement under which the kingdom would supply electricity to the West Bank. Palestine
Sisi sees great promise in China-Egypt partnerships President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attended China's second forum on its Belt and Road Initiative with the aim of boosting trade and promoting investments. Egypt
New villages are mushrooming in Syria’s opposition-held areas Syria's displaced are creating small towns after having been forced out of their hometowns. Syria
Deadly Cairo train crash brings to surface anger, discontent in Egypt Egyptians are fed up with the government’s negligence of the railway sector after a fatal train crash killed more than 22 people in Cairo. Egypt
