‘Rapping’ Iranian Men

Not allowed to sing in Iran about the harsh treatment of women in society, the Iranian rap group Tapesh 2012 (Pulse 2012) is doing just that — from its base in Germany. The group’s latest song, “Ma Mard Nistim” (”We Are Not Men”), focuses on the Iranian feminist movement and its struggle to overcome violence against women. Read more

Fighting Erupts in Northern Lebanon While Beirut Remains Calm

Lebanese security officials say heavy clashes erupted overnight in northern Lebanon between pro-government and anti-government forces, while the capital, Beirut, remained calm. Read more

US Forces Kill Woman, Child And 2 Gunmen Mosul

U.S. forces have killed four people, including two civilians, near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The U.S. military said in a statement Sunday that its forces fired on a vehicle, killing two armed men, a woman and a child. The military says three warning shots were fired and the driver refused to stop. Read more

The Golan, Via Ankara

Turkey has openly acknowledged that it has been mediating between Syria and Israel for close to a year, in a strong sign that contacts between the two enemy states have reached a new level of development. However, significant obstacles remain to the resumption of full negotiations with few hopes held for high-level talks in coming months. Read more

Lebanon: Increasing Violence Raising U.S. Concerns Over Iran

Several times this year, the United States has sought to rally its allies in the Arab world against what it calls Iran’s continued meddling in the region. Read more

Hezbollah Fighters Take Over West Beirut, 13 Dead

Hezbollah gunmen seized control of west Beirut Friday, amid sectarian fighting in the Lebanese capital that recalled the turmoil of the country’s civil war two decades ago. Three days of clashes between Shi’ite Muslim Hezbollah fighters and militias loyal to Lebanon’s U.S.-backed government have killed at least 13 people, and wounded more than 20 others. Read more

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