Israeli-Palestinian water pact raises hopes, suspicions Israelis and Palestinians have reached a water supply agreement, though some worry such economic deals might become a poor substitute for a true peace settlement. Palestine
Water pictured around Renaissance Dam alarms Egyptians As negotiations to complete the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam studies remain stalled, satellite images show water pooling around the dam, raising Egyptian suspicions of unauthorized storage. Egypt
PA, Israel security coordination out as Temple Mount crisis continues Tensions over the current Temple Mount crisis have reached unprecedented levels as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas terminated the enduring security coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel. Palestine
Fatwa on the go: Egypt’s Al-Azhar sets up shop in Cairo metro While Egypt’s Al-Azhar says its recently installed kiosk offering fatwas to subway commuters is aimed at countering extremism, some see it as a sign of increasing religiosity in the country. Egypt
Iranian TV series dogged by real-life drama "Shahrzad," one of the most popular and expensive TV series in Iran, has been confronted with a huge campaign to stop it after its producer was mixed up in allegations of corruption. Iran
Trump administration looks to Oman for help navigating Middle East US officials, while wary about Oman's ties with Iran, seek Oman's assistance in resolving Qatar dispute. Gulf
Will Netanyahu enforce Syrian red line against Iran? Israel opposes cease-fire plan, as Russia, Turkey and Syria inch toward possible agreement on Afrin. Syria
With IS on the way out, Iraqi power struggles pose major threat As Iraq struggles to contain pockets of Islamic State resistance following the liberation of Mosul, political differences and a power struggle between domestic groups threaten more conflict. Iraq
Tillerson calls on Saudi bloc to lift blockade on Qatar The US secretary of state, after meeting Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi today in Washington, called for the lifting of the blockade on Qatar as a sign of good faith. Gulf
Lebanese activists fight against child marriage with videos Lebanese nongovernmental organizations and artists use videos to create awareness of the risks of early marriage, which affects 6% of all girls in Lebanon. Lebanon
Human rights groups become new target of Ankara’s crackdown The arrest of six prominent human rights activists in Turkey on terrorism-related charges marks a new phase in the suppression campaign of the Erdogan regime. Turkey
Iran needs new development vision The failures produced over the last three decades by divergent views on the definition of a "development plan" for Iran necessitates a new development paradigm. Iran
Terrorists in Sinai up their game In a striking development, an Islamic State splinter group in Sinai has targeted an elite Egyptian army battalion, which raises concerns that militants might be adopting a new pattern of qualitative operations. Egypt
Libya's Hifter sets his sights on the capital following Benghazi victory The Libyan National Army, operating under the command of Gen. Khalifa Hifter, declared victory in Benghazi after ousting Islamists, further consolidating the role Hifter could play in shaping Libya's future. Libya
Next Israel-Hezbollah confrontation could be in Syria While the cease-fire brokered by the United States, Russia and Jordan seems to be holding for now in southern Syria, it might not last for long given the Israeli-Iranian rivalry in the region. Israel
How Sisi uses art to promote his ideas It appears that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is using art and artists to gain popular support for the government's decisions. Egypt
