Syria opens trial of Wassim al-Assad, cousin of ousted president: What we know The trial follows another session in the case against Atef Najib, also a cousin of former President Bashar al-Assad, as Syrian authorities continue prosecuting figures linked to the former regime and its remnants. Syria
Turkey detains 233 ahead of NATO summit, including LGBTQ+ activist Yildiz Tar The operation included alleged militant suspects as well as LGBTQ+ and leftist activists, raising concerns over the scope of the crackdown. Turkey
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 Janti Soeripto President and CEO of Save the Children US
State Department concerned by reports Egypt is harassing American activist’s family After spending nearly two years in a Cairo prison, Mohamed Soltan filed a lawsuit in a US court against Egypt's former prime minister. Egypt
Suspected Israeli airstrikes hit various locations in Syria Syria said it downed several missiles it says came from Israel, but there are also reports of casualties. Syria
Egyptian activist Sanaa Seif ‘abducted’ in Cairo, family says Sanaa Seif was filing a complaint at the public prosecutor's office when her family says she was forced into a minivan. Egypt
Morocco targeted journalist with Israeli spyware, says Amnesty International The London-based rights group Amnesty International says Omar Radi’s phone was subjected to a series of attacks. Morocco
Parliament alone cannot stop honor killings in Iran While legislation aimed at combatting honor killings in Iran is certainly needed, the country must also address broader issues involving policy failings and social norms. Iran
US protests inspire activists across Middle East In Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Tunisia protesters take up calls for reform in solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Palestine
Turkish NBA player's father acquitted of terrorism charges in Turkey Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter is an outspoken critic of the Turkish government, which has led to trouble for his family back home. Turkey
Egyptian LGBTQ activist dead in suspected suicide Sarah Hegazi was arrested in 2017 after raising the rainbow gay pride flag at a concert in Cairo. Egypt
Palestinian activists press solidarity between Palestinians, Black Lives Matter Palestinians raised photos of Iyad al-Hallaq, an autistic Palestinian shot by Israeli police, and George Floyd to make a comparison between racism against black people and Palestinians. Palestine
Black Lives Matter protests in US spark mixed reactions in Egypt Protests in the United States have drawn mixed reactions in Egypt, with government supporters and the media portraying them as anarchy and pro-democracy activists eyeing them with nostalgia and a sense of deja vu. Egypt
European court rules against French conviction of BDS activists The European Court of Human Rights ruled that boycotts are protected forms of protest, saying France erred in convicting activists of incitement to discrimination for asking people stop buying Israeli products. Palestine
Qatar’s World Cup organizers accused of not paying migrant workers Human rights organization Amnesty International said roughly 100 employees of a Qatari subcontractor went up to seven months without receiving salaries. Originals
