Return of once forbidden Ashoura chants signals Shiite revival After Saddam Hussein's fall in 2003, once forbidden Shiite hymns have become highly popular as part of a general religious revival in the Shiite community. Iraq
Egypt pushes to keep politics out of soccer, sports The penalties given to Egyptian soccer star Ahmed Abd el-Zaher for making a political gesture during a match has sparked a debate about the role of politics in Egyptian sports. Egypt
Muslim Brotherhood's new TV channel unlikely to influence viewers Unless the broadcasters behind Rabaa TV can offer more than sarcasm and spin, viewers in Egypt are likely to lose interest. Egypt
Syrian Kurds jockey for seat at Geneva talks As long as the Assad regime and the opposition fail to come to an agreement, Syria’s Kurds will continue to consolidate their gains. Iraq
No Israeli-Palestinian peace without Gaza US officials are engaged in wishful thinking if they believe that Israel only needs to reach a peace agreement with Abu Mazen. Palestine
Winter storm causes humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza A winter storm has exacerbated the crises facing the Gaza Strip, which was already suffering from sewage problems and electricity cuts. Palestine
Sidon attacks linked to terror cells The Lebanese army is responding to attacks along the crowded highway. Israel
Netanyahu faces next decision of his life Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be Israel’s weakest politician but its strongest leader. Palestine
Israel’s Ministry of Home Front Defense flop during storm Israel's Ministry of Home Front Defense was established out of political considerations and proved its inefficiency during the latest big storm, freezing instead of responding to the citizens’ needs. Israel
The AKP’s accountability crisis The AKP’s inability to provide accounts of its spending from the previous year generates uproar in Turkey’s parliament, raising questions on the legitimacy of the 2014 budget. Turkey
Hanan Ashrawi crusades against Jerusalem's Jewish history The militant vocabulary of Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi does not serve the Palestinian cause, damaging efforts to build trust and placing obstacles in the way of the negotiating teams. Palestine
Fate of Maaloula nuns hangs over gathering of region's Christians A conference in Harissa, north of Beirut, will discuss the dangers faced by the region’s Christians, especially as a result of the Syrian war. Qatar
Iraqi Turkmen town seeks to join Kurdistan Region Following years of perceived neglect by Baghdad, some in the Iraqi town of Tuz Khormato have called for joining the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Iraq
Syrian Kurds welcome agreement on Geneva II An agreement between the Kurdistan Workers Party and Iraqi Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani is an attempt to form a unified front heading into Geneva II. Syria
Israel-Jordan water agreement not worth the hype An agreement to pump water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea fails to address Israel's unilateral appropriation of Jordan River waters. Palestine
Will Turks, Armenians ever reconcile? The visit of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to Yerevan could be a positive first step in Turkish-Armenian reconciliation. Turkey
