Analysis How Turkey's PKK amnesty law entwines Kurds' hopes with Erdogan's ambitions The first legislation to emerge from direct negotiations with Abdullah Ocalan offers a path to ending Turkey's war with the PKK while potentially giving President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the votes he needs to remain in power for a third term. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Lebanon’s Riad Salameh hospitalized as arrest roils Beirut: What to know Lebanon's former Central Bank governor, Riad Salameh, was taken from prison to a hospital over his deteriorating health. Lebanon
Iran hangs 2 over alleged Mossad ties as executions mount: What to know Rights groups have warned that Iran may step up executions with the resumption of the war in the region. Iran
Analysis What challenges await Erdogan’s new rival and Turkey’s new opposition party? Ousted main opposition leader Ozgur Ozel's bid to challenge Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan depends on surviving a widening legal crackdown and reconciling deep ideological, nationalist and Kurdish divisions within his own coalition. By Halil Karaveli
Analysis Why Mamdani concluded he can’t arrest Israel’s PM Netanyahu By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Congress puts heat on Saudis for helping fugitives flee country Congress is cracking down on Saudi Arabia for allegedly helping its citizens escape the US criminal justice system. Saudi Arabia
Critics say Turkish government’s judicial reform package falls short Members of Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party introduced the first package of its Judicial Reform Strategy, but critics say the provisions fall short of the government's stated aims. Turkey
Is Sisi overstepping the judiciary? President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has appointed a new public prosecutor, without referring to the Supreme Judicial Council, as per constitutional amendments recently approved, which raised the anger of the country's judiciary. Egypt
Brotherhood detainees feel their leaders abandoned them A group of Muslim Brotherhood detainees have signed a letter from inside prison, asking the authorities to pardon them as they are ready to quit political work after feeling abandoned by the group’s leadership. Egypt
Will Jordanian prisoners in Israel complete sentences at home? Questions arise as to whether Israel will send Jordanian prisoners to complete their prison sentences in their country, in an attempt to avoid releasing them in a possible prisoner exchange. Palestine
Israeli society, ultra-Orthodox torn over gender separation The issue of gender separation is not only an area of disagreement between the ultra-Orthodox and secular society in Israel, it is also a raging debate within ultra-Orthodox society itself. Israel
Can Egypt's new marriage e-registry curb child marriage? Women's rights activists, marriage registrars and information technology experts have mixed reactions about a new electronic marriage registry service in Egypt. Egypt
Al-Azhar works to end blood feuds in Egypt Egypt's top religious institution Al-Azhar is stepping up efforts to stop traditionally long-lasting feuds via local councils and reaching out to the new generation to end the practice. Egypt
Lawyer couple use own wedding to advocate for civil marriage in Lebanon A high-profile civil marriage between two lawyers is pushing Lebanon's new interior minister to make a choice on civil unions in the country. Lebanon
Israeli court rules Abbas responsible for terror attacks An Israeli court ruled that the Palestinian Authority is to be held responsible for terror attacks not carried out by its own people, prompting questions of how the ruling will affect PA security cooperation with Israel. Palestine
Brotherhood seeks international pressure to prosecute army leaders The Muslim Brotherhood is redoubling its effort for the prosecution of high-ranking military officers involved in the 2013 deaths of protesters and to abolish a law granting immunity to military leaders. Egypt
Iran chief justice dismisses 60 judges to uproot internal corruption An iron-fisted policy against corruption promoted by Iran's new chief justice, Ebrahim Raisi, has seen 60 judges dismissed within a few weeks. Iran
