How is parliament supporting Sisi candidacy in 2018 elections? Members of Egypt's parliament took part in the "To build it" campaign and worked on postponing the discussion and approval of some draft laws that would negatively affect President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi's popularity, as part of the efforts to endorse his candidacy for a second presidential term. Egypt
How Saudi regional moves impact Israel The Saudi desire to change its role from a behind-the-scenes player to a forefront leader pushes it to engage in the US-led Mideast peace initiative. Saudi Arabia
Fear of extinction pushes Basra’s Christians to isolation In light of the threats of extremists over recent years, Christians in Basra lack confidence in the local authorities for securing their safety. Iraq
Baghdad increases pressure on KRG with budget cut By cutting the Kurdistan region’s share of the national budget for 2018, the Iraqi central government continues to implement punitive measures in response to the Kurdish independence referendum. Iraq
Militias crack down on social, cultural life in Libya A crack down on comic books and video games has pushed militias and civil society farther away from each other, prompting the youth to think about fleeing the country. Libya
Sinai jihadis seek to sabotage Palestinian reconciliation Growing cooperation between Hamas and the Egyptian government is making life more difficult for Islamic State affiliate Wilayat Sinai by draining its sources of support. Palestine
Jordan, PA unite forces with Israel to fight natural disasters Israel, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority and other countries participated in a two-day firefighting exercise to build a regional disaster response system, yet some Palestinians criticized the drills as increasing normalization with Israel. Palestine
Jordan's tale of two cities: The mystery of 'new Amman' Jordanians have been unsure what to make of the planned city of “new Amman,” with a white elephant being a distinct possibility. Jordan
Will this Palestinian organization weather funding storm? The Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Secretariat decided to defund a Palestinian women’s organization on charges of incitement against Israel. Palestine
Are Hamas drones really a threat to Israel? Hamas is highly motivated to develop its drone capabilities, according to an urgent report by Israel's state comptroller. Palestine
Will end of land-for-pay program kill Palestinian reconciliation? The announced suspension of the distribution of government-owned land in lieu of government salaries in Gaza is raising questions about the decision's impact on the reconciliation. Palestine
How Eastern Ghouta residents survive siege The 350,000 residents of Eastern Ghouta continue to live under the siege, where aid is never enough and the semi-autonomous way to survive the blockage was halted due to water shortage and contamination. Syria
How Riyadh orchestrated its own downfall in Lebanon Saudi Arabia's policy shift toward Lebanon in trying to curb Hezbollah's power has failed miserably and made Saad Hariri the most popular Lebanese leader. Saudi Arabia
US support for Saudi war in Yemen soars under Trump The Defense Department more than doubled US refueling support for Saudi Arabia’s campaign against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen over the past year amid rising congressional opposition. Saudi Arabia
Egypt’s Coptic heritage jeopardized due to lack of funds Cairo’s Coptic Museum has 18,000 icons, carved stones, frescoes and manuscripts in its 27 halls — but few know about it. Egypt
Ahmadinejad’s former VP takes refuge in holy shrine Former Iranian Vice President Hamid Baghaei took refuge in a historic shrine to avoid a court case over likely corruption charges. Iran
