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The Obama administration continued cyber warfare initiatives against Iran, originally developed by the Bush administration. The cyber-weapon, dubbed Stuxnet, was co-developed by America and Israel in efforts to thwart Iranian nuclear plans. Although initially effective in its goal to confuse Iran, the cyber weapon has only created a cyber warfare in which Iran learned from the attack and has launched its own cyber weapon.

Egypt has a marriage law that requires foreign men to pay a set amount to the woman's family in order to marry her. This is now being seen as a legalized form of prostitution where the women gets nothing but a divorce.

This article describes a more recent incident with banning social media that happened in Saudi Arabia. It talks about how the government did this in order to "curb the spread of violence" but there are still violent actions being taken because of the ban.

Highlights the strategy of the brotherhood to infiltrate from the inside out in order to gain the most power. Also focuses on the journey of one specific leader in the brotherhood to give the most accurate analysis.

Iran's reformist have come together to ensure that hardliners, such as Ahmadinejad, do not regain control in parliament. The are willing to live with other factions in order to prevent this from taking place.

opinion piece on why the Iran Nuclear Deal is positive. Intervention is necessary in order to ensure that Iran does not become an enemy with weapons to threaten the U.S. and surrounding countries.

Family members will also be evacuated from facilities in Izmir and Mugla, according to a Pentagon statement. "The decision to move our families and civilians was made in consultation with the Government of Turkey, our State Department, and our Secretary of Defense," This is in wake of another attack in Brussels that ISIS carried out. The U.S. has decided it is too dangerous to continue to have citizens in the country.

"The chief of Libya's new UN-backed government has reached Tripoli, defying threats from city militias, to proclaim a new order for the conflict-ravaged country in a move that could eventually pave the way for international forces to provide troops and air support."

Obama administration warns presidential candidates of negative effects that could occur if they were to pull out of nuclear deal. Claims that it would destroy the relationship they have built and Iran would go back to program. Candidates threaten to pull out of deal despite warnings in order to maintain alliances with other countries.

Libya's neighbors along with members of the newly established unity government met in Tunis to discuss how Libya's neighbors can help Libya finally achieve piece and stability. It is apparent that in order for Libya to succeed in not only achieving stability and kicking out ISIS, they must rely on the help of regional partners.

The article discusses the removal of Said Youssef a judge who held a postion on the Minya Criminal Court of Egypt. The court was regarded as the court dealt with cases surrounding terrorism. Youssef was responsible for deciding the fate of many Muslim Brotherhood supports/members. Youssef's removal is said to be a "signal of change in the policy of Egyptian judiciary...for the lack of judicial due process and sentencing of civilians based on their political affiliation. 

This article is from the point of view of an anthropologist who was brought in as a cultural consultant to mediate an issue of "watsa" for a corporation in the Middle East. The company prides itself on its lack of internal corruption, and in turn hired a man named Girgis who grew up in the Middle East but lived and received an education in the US. In Girgis's first year he hired one of his cousins, which the supervisors saw as corrupt hiring practice. The author, and hired consultant, explained to the company supervisors that watsa was an "investment and return" framework in Arab culture, and that there are economic parallels between Arab families and businesses, families existing as economic units. Girgis conveyed that anywhere else in the world he would run the office by the book, but in the Arab world he must also adhere to social norms. The result of watsa through Arab eyes leads to greater loyalty, and less likelihood for deception and theft. The article basically introduces the idea that while in the Western world this may be seen as corruption, it is an embedded part of culture in the Middle East. 

This was an article (originally published by the Independent, however, I found it on their website via my first article from the BBC) by the International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence of London. The article suggests, allowing fighters to return home safely and enroll in a De-radicalization program would be more beneficial than current policies of severe punishment (prison, stripping of citizenship, etc.). The authors contend current repercussions for fighters returning to their home countries leave them trapped and isolated and prison sentences often lead to further radicalization. Overall this article really captured my attention in its non-conventional proposal for governments to handle these situations.

Syria is determined to keep Russia in the loop when it comes to its presence in the Middle East. As the United States increases its presence so to those Russia and Syria claims that they encourage Russian presence solely to "keep the balance" in the Middle East. 

A woman who was in labor was denied by the hospital. The hospital denies this and says they are trying to make the hospital look bad. 

Efua Dorkenoo recently passed away. She was a women who fought for women's rights and the ban of FGM. She was an inspiration to feminists to take action. 

This article basically condemns the intentions of US intervention in Libya. Larison conveys that the assumption that US intervention was crucial in Libya to oust Gaddafi was based on attributing "values" that Americans wanted to believe that they had, putting far more significance on the conflict than it truly possessed. US intervention was unpopular in the region because of distrust in the US and resentment to interference regardless of the side Washington chooses to take. The author says this tells us that the US is far too quick to take sides in foreign conflict, and far too eager to throw their weight behind their side to make sure it wins. The US ought to serve as a neutral mediator resolving conflict rather than initiating further bloodshed through their impulse to "do something" immediately.