Operation seduction: Lapid captures Israel’s mainstream support Contrary to opposition leader Isaac Herzog, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid has chosen to stay stately and not to attack Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Female plumbers in Jordan clear path for women in labor market Women in Jordan are trying to break the social barrier between women and the professions that men have monopolized with the first all-women Jordanian plumbing company leading the way. By Mohammad Ersan
How Israel's culture minister threatens national film industry, democracy Culture Minister Miri Regev is examining state funding of Israeli films with the intention of withholding support to productions she considers anti-Israeli. By Akiva Eldar
How Polisario Front hopes to partner with Russia in Western Sahara Polisario Front officials in Western Sahara are working to enlist Russia as an ally at the United Nations Security Council in their fight for independence, as they believe both sides have many shared interests. By Habibulah Mohamed Lamin
Congress raises specter of rupture with Turkey if referendum passes A House panel slammed Ankara's authoritarian drift ahead of the April 16 vote. By Julian Pecquet
Can new mosque boost tourism in Egypt resort town? As Egypt officially inaugurates an imposing mosque in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh in the southern Sinai, officials are hoping it can lure tourists back to the region. By Salwa Samir In Giza, reporting on politics
Will Turkey allow 18-year-old members of parliament? One of the proposed amendments to Turkey’s constitution is the lowering of the age of candidacy for parliament to 18. What does that mean for Turkey's youth? By Riada Ašimović Akyol
Why Turkey’s growth data has economists scratching their heads Turkey’s latest growth data, which suggests the economy rebounded strongly in the fourth quarter of 2016, appears out of sync with other key indicators, fueling doubts over Ankara’s new calculation method. By Mustafa Sonmez In Istanbul, reporting on economics
Tehran mayor steps aside as conservatives rally forces ahead of presidential vote Tehran’s mayor, a two-time presidential candidate, has announced that he will not run in the May 19 vote. Meanwhile, former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad holds his first press conference in almost four years. By Rohollah Faghihi
Turkish outrage mounts as doctors point to neurotoxin in Idlib attack In Turkish hospitals, medical staff including a team from Doctors Without Borders report mounting evidence that victims of yesterday's attack may have been exposed to sarin or a similar toxin. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
How some Israelis plan to cash in with cannabis As the Knesset considers a bill to legalize exporting medical cannabis, dozens of Israeli kibbutzim are getting in on the lucrative industry. By Orr Hirschague
Fatah’s Barghouti pushes hunger strike for 3,500 prisoners Imprisoned Fatah senior leader Marwan Barghouti calls for the group’s prisoners in Israel to start a hunger strike over imprisonment conditions. By Shlomi Eldar
Structural issues cloud Khamenei's economic vision for Iran To realize Iran's economic potential, the supreme leader and the government need to take steps to allow genuine private sector expansion. By Bijan Khajehpour In Vienna, reporting on Iranian politics
Following gas attack, Israel reassesses Syrian threat Israeli intelligence branches are reassessing the Syrian threat of weapons of mass destruction following the gas attack in Idlib on April 4. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Corruption, deceit plague private education in Iraq As Iraq's education system continues to decline, the government is working to stop private universities from operating without accreditation. By Salam Zidane
Congress demands Trump action on Syria after Idlib gas attack The president is under fire for backing off Obama's regime change policy. By Julian Pecquet