Ethnic/Religious Minorities

US President Donald Trump (L) welcomes Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, on Aug. 8, 2025.

Feature

Backed by Trump and Turkey, Armenia's Pashinyan eyes third term in pivotal poll

As Russia and the West vie for influence, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan appears on track to secure a new mandate for his peace agenda with Azerbaijan and rapprochement with Turkey.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Arab-Israeli Knesset member Ahmed Tibi takes part in a demonstration against rising crime rates against Arab-Israelis in Tel Aviv, Israel, Jan. 31, 2026.

Interview

Ahmad Tibi says Arab parties in Israel can block Netanyahu without joining next government

Ahmad Tibi, head of the Arab Israeli Ta’al party, accused US President Trump of enabling Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to continue the war in Gaza and escalate settler violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.

Ahmad Tibi

Ahmad Tibi

Israeli Arab lawmaker

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl speaks at a press conference following a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Southern California, on May 18, 2026.

Three victims identified in San Diego mosque attack: What to know

One of the victims, Amin Abdullah, was a security guard at the center who "played a pivotal role in preventing this from being much worse," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said.

Ali al-Zaidi

Iraq's Shiite alliance nominates Ali al-Zaidi as PM candidate: What to know

Ali al-Zaidi, who leads a bank accused of money laundering, received support from previous nominee Nouri al-Maliki and incumbent Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, though it remains unclear whether the Trump administration will approve of him.

Latest News

Iran arrests Ahwazi separatist leader amid war crackdown: What to know

Iranians carry the coffin of one of the people killed in a shooting attack, during their funeral in the city of Izeh in Iran's Khuzestan province, on November 18, 2022. In some of the worst violence since the protests erupted, assailants on motorbikes shot dead seven people, including a woman and two children aged nine and 13, at a central market of Izeh on the evening of November 16, 2022, state media said. (Photo by ALIREZA MOHAMMADI / isna / AFP) (Photo by ALIREZA MOHAMMADI/isna/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Hostage to Hormuz, can Gulf rewire future energy flows to bypass Iran’s chokepoint?

A police speed boat patrols the port as oil tankers and high speed crafts sit anchored at Muscat Anchorage near the Strait of Hormuz on March 30, 2026 in Muscat, Oman.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

Displacement and dissent: Hezbollah’s war with Israel splits Lebanon’s Shiites

A Hezbollah flag is seen in a destroyed car after an Israeli airstrike in Nabi Chit (Al-Nabi Shayth), Lebanon, on March 26, 2026. In the first week of March, the Israeli army carried out an unsuccessful nighttime commando operation there to recover the remains of Ron Arad, a pilot missing since 1986, triggering airstrikes and destruction in the area that forced residents to flee their homes. (Photo by Fabio Bucciarelli / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

Karim Safieddine

By Karim Safieddine

In Beirut, reporting on politics

Lebanon scrambles to contain tensions over displacement as Israel ups threats

Displaced families set up tents along Beirut's waterfront in Beirut, Lebanon, on March 10, 2026, after fleeing recent Israel-Hezbollah hostilities.

Coptic Easter Mass

Christians upset as Egyptian government ignores Easter

Egyptian Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouly did not declare Easter an official holiday, upsetting many Egyptian Christians and human rights organizations.

Funeral for stampede victim

Ultra-Orthodox blame own leadership for failing to prevent Meron stampede

More and more decision-shapers within the ultra-Orthodox community are coming out against their own leadership, calling on authorities to thoroughly investigate the Mount Meron stampede.

A projection of an Israeli flag flying before lit candles is displayed on the Old City walls of Jerusalem, as Israel declares a national day of mourning for victims of a stampede during the Lag Ba'Omer holiday at Mount Meron, May 2, 2021,

Israel marks national day of mourning after Mount Meron tragedy

Flags were lowered to half-staff in Israel on May 2, as the country honored the 45 people who perished in the Mount Meron stampede on April 30.

Despite years of warnings that the site was unsafe for such large events, thousands of worshipers gathered at Mount Meron for a celebration that turned into a nightmare.

Warnings foreshadowed deadly stampede in Israel

Despite years of warnings that the site was unsafe for such large events, thousands of worshipers gathered at Mount Meron for a celebration that turned into a nightmare.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews gather at the grave site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai at Mount Meron as they celebrate the Jewish holiday of Lag Ba'Omer, marking the anniversary of the death of the Talmudic sage, approximately 1,900 years ago, Israel, April 29, 2021.

Dozens killed at stampede in Israel during religious celebration

At least 45 people were crushed to death during the Lag Ba’Omer celebrations at the Mount Meron site.

Mor Gabriel Monastery

Court case against priest evokes bitter memories for Turkey’s Assyrians

Turkey’s tiny Assyrian community views a jail term handed to an Assyrian priest on “terrorism charges” as an official strong-arming tactic, while Assyrians around the world call for dismissal of the case.

April 23, 2021 torchlight procession in Yerevan

Biden calls Erdogan ahead of expected Armenian genocide labeling

The White House readout of the call between the two leaders did not mention the Armenian genocide.

Catholicos Garegin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, attends a ceremony commemorating the 105th anniversary of the massacre of 1.5 million of Armenians by Ottoman forces in 1915, at the Tsitsernakaberd memorial in Yerevan on April 24, 2020.

Turkish talk of reconciliation angers Armenians on 106th anniversary of genocide

Turkey has warned the United States that President Joe Biden's expected characterization of the mass killings of the Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as a genocide will derail Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and further damage US-Turkish ties. Armenians say there is no reconciliation process to speak of.

Pope Francis speaks about the situation in Lebanon as a Lebanese priest (R) holds Lebanon's flag and Monsignor Leonardo Sapienza (L) looks on during the pope's limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican on Sept. 2, 2020.

Pope may visit Lebanon once new government is formed

Pope Francis met Lebanese Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri in Vatican City today.

2018 Coptic Christian funeral

Egypt's Christians fearful after IS killing in Sinai

The latest killing of a Christian man in Sinai by the Islamic State has brought back to Egypt's Christians memories of past attacks on churches by the terrorist group, even as the Coptic Orthodox Church appeared defiant.

EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images

Jerusalem seethes with clashes between Jews, Arabs

The week has been violent in Jerusalem with both Israeli Jews and Arabs reportedly attacking each other in well documented incidents.

Women of the Wall

New Israeli legislator smuggles Torah scroll for Women of the Wall

One of the first actions of new Labor Knesset member Rabbi Gilad Kari was sneaking a Torah scroll into the Western Wall plaza for women activists to pray from.