The Media Line

German nun awarded order of merit after decades of caring for leprosy patients in Pakistan

Sister Annette Dimigen, a member of the Protestant Sisterhood of the Christ Bearers, has played a key role in humanitarian outreach through the Aid to Leprosy Patients Association.

Nuns walk with flowers to attend the funeral of the German-born Sister Dr. Ruth Pfau, outside the St. Patrick's Cathedral in Karachi, Pakistan August 19, 2017.
US President Donald Trump, with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, holds a press conference during the G7 Summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, June 17, 2026.

Iran deal turns into global loyalty test as tension builds between Trump and Israel - analysis

AFGHAN CHILDREN sit on a concrete bench at a hilltop, amid telecom shutdown across the country, in Kabul, Afghanistan, September 30, 2025.

Millions of Afghan children facing severe risks from changing climate, UNICEF says

 The aftermath of Hamas's Nova music festival massacre in Re'im, southern Israel, on October 7, 2023. Picture taken November 2, 2023

Israel after Oct. 7: A strategic assessment nearly three years on - analysis


Tom Barrack leaves Syria envoy role after steering post-Assad outreach

A Lebanese-American real estate billionaire and longtime ally of US President Donald Trump, Barrack chaired Trump’s 2017 inauguration committee before taking on diplomatic responsibilities. 

US SPECIAL ENVOY for Syria Tom Barrack speaks at a news conference in Damascus in September 2025.

Voices from the Arab press: Communication is not a prerogative

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

A TEMPORARY ENCAMPMENT in Beirut, March 30.

New Syrian chemical weapons find could help prosecute perpetrators of war crimes, experts say

Syrian Authorities have detained 18 individuals suspected of involvement in operating and managing the Assad regime’s chemical weapons program.

A drawing exhibition by a group of young men and women depicting various scenes related to the chemical attack, during an event commemorating the 12th anniversary of the attack on August 21, 2025 in Moadamiyat Al-Sham, Syria.

South Africa courts Gulf money while its Iran ties unsettle investors - feature

Pretoria is courting Saudi, Emirati, and Qatari money to revive a stalling economy, even as its alignment with Iran, Russia, and China rattles investors and trade partners it cannot afford to lose.

 South African flag.

Campus Israel launched as alternative for Jewish students facing antisemitism

Fleur Hassan-Nahoum says the new platform connects students abroad with English-language degree programs, application support, internships, and community life in Israel.

Fleur Hassan Nahoum

Does Mojtaba Khamenei’s leadership have a future? - analysis

New information that has been verified after several days, despite the complete internet blackout in Iran, suggests that Khamenei effectively has no role in the leadership structure of the nation.

A WOMAN walks next to a banner with a picture of Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, earlier this month.

‘Rebuilding a country the size of Syria means contracts worth billions of dollars,’ expert says

Renewed attention to reconstruction opportunities is colliding with unresolved sanctions exposure, weak institutions, damaged infrastructure, and uncertainty over Syria’s political future

Syrians gather to mark the anniversary of the 2011 uprising against the ousted President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, Syria March 15, 2026.

Iraqi Prime Minister urges armed factions to disarm and join state institutions

Newly elected Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi urged armed factions in the country to work “under the umbrella of the state and its official institutions.” 

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi delivers a televised address after assuming office, in Baghdad, Iraq May 16, 2026.

FM Sa’ar heads to Fiji as Israel prepares Suva embassy opening

Israel is expected to open a resident embassy in Fiji, deepening diplomatic, strategic, and development ties as Jerusalem expands its Pacific presence.

 Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar meet in Munich, February 14, 2025.

‘Facing the Middle East’ examines Iran’s repression, black-Jewish solidarity, regional war risks

The Media Line began with the Islamic Republic’s efforts to reach Iranians abroad while tightening its grip on dissent at home, then turned to an exclusive report on its sexual abuse and repression.

FELICE FRIEDSON on 'Facing the Middle East' Episode 21