How one Palestinian couple hopes to bring back mosaic art Journalist Said al-Ghazali from Jerusalem turned his house into a museum to revive the art of mosaic that disappeared in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
West Bank walking trail highlights Palestinian heritage, culture A walking trail across several villages in the West Bank aims to boost local and foreign tourism, in a bid to show the world that Palestinians have a rich cultural and archaeological heritage. Palestine
Iraq's firebrand Shiite cleric presents his political successor Muqtada al-Sadr has appointed his nephew to oversee all the political activities of the Sadrist movement, while he turns his attention entirely to its religious aspects. Iraq
Is Sisi undermining independence of Egypt's judiciary? Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi approved legal amendments that allow him to appoint the heads of the judicial bodies in the country, which forecasts a never-ending clash between the state and judges. Egypt
Hamas defies charter, recognizes 1967 borders Hamas' recognition of the Israeli borders established in 1967 is part of outgoing political chief Khaled Meshaal's legacy of pragmatism, but Israel won't be easily soothed. Palestine
Netanyahu’s old friend becomes Trump’s new ally Much to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chagrin, Jewish billionaire Ronald Lauder is encouraging US President Donald Trump to advance the two-state solution. Palestine
US to send senior envoy to Syria talks after Trump-Putin call Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Stuart Jones is set to attend Syria cease-fire talks in Astana on May 3-4 after Trump-Putin confer on Syria. Syria
Gulf carriers delight as Congress rakes US airlines over the coals Lawmakers fault lack of competition for plummeting US customer service; could this affect US airlines' campaign for fairer competition with Gulf carriers? United Arab Emirates
Cotton revival could keep Egypt’s economy spinning The production and export of Egypt’s most famous crop is seeing a revival after quality assurance measures are enacted. Egypt
Turkey continues its foreign policy blunders Turkey finds itself ever more isolated after making "frenemies" on all fronts. Syria
Post-referendum, what’s next for Turkey’s EU bid? EU foreign ministers disappoint Turkey’s democratic opposition by declaring “respect” for referendum results that further empower President Erdogan. Turkey
Which candidate does Iran’s influential speaker favor? In Iran, moderate conservatives have officially thrown their weight behind incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, who is seeking a second term in the May 19 presidential elections. Iran
Why Rouhani will likely win second term While incumbent Hassan Rouhani is likely to face a tighter race than anticipated, he will likely be re-elected on May 19 — just as the Iranian political establishment prefers. Iran
US, Turkish nerves fray as Erdogan visit nears The Turkish foreign minister shared a heated conversation with his American counterpart in the wake of the Turkish airstrikes in Syria, and despite US fury, Ankara's increasingly roguish behavior will likely remain unchanged. Syria
Jordan and Egypt key to Abbas' Washington visit With the support of Egypt and Jordan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is hoping that he can slightly change the balance of forces in favor of a fair process in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict ahead of his visit to the United States. Palestine
How can Iraq address child abuse, torture? While the phenomenon of child abuse has recently come under the spotlight in Iraq, the government is not taking action to stop this violence against children. Iraq