International prize nomination shines spotlight on West Bank theater Palestine's Al-Harah Theater is one of the 11 finalists for the Ellen Stewart International Award, a prestigious prize for theater companies that promote social change. Palestine
Palestinian Museum's digital archive project to preserve heritage A three-year project by the Palestinian Museum will enable Palestinians to find and archive key historical documents. Palestine
Experts speculate on causes of rising birth defects in Gaza Birth defects have increased in the Gaza Strip, which raises questions about what the reasons might be. Palestine
Thousands forced from Libyan town stopped just short of home Despite an agreement for the return of some 600 families to their hometown of Tawergha after seven years of displacement, delays have left them in yet another makeshift camp just miles from home. Libya
Jordanian dry yogurt gets sweet deal Omar Sartawi, a Jordanian chef with unorthodox practices, took Bedouin dried yogurt and made it into white chocolate truffles — but the jury is still out on its taste. Jordan
Turkish women take to the streets to demand equality Activists say 15 years of rule by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has eroded women’s rights, even as he has vowed to end domestic violence and strengthen the role of women in Turkish society. Turkey
Russia considering course change after new challenges in Syria As Russia's presidential election approaches, Moscow finds itself recently pressured by several negative developments in Syria that are causing it to re-evaluate its strategy there. Syria
Rabbis seek to break monopoly on Israeli kosher certification Tzohar rabbis offer an alternative to restaurants and hotels that want a kosher certification but are fed up with the Chief Rabbinate. Israel
Iran dismisses Saudi talk of 'triangle of evil' as 'childish' Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Saudi Arabia of making accusations against Iran to hide its own failures in Yemen. Saudi Arabia
Iran's poorest citizens still waiting for some semblance of parity after 39 years Iranian authorities need to muster the courage and will to tackle fundamental tax and subsidy reforms to remedy the gaping wealth inequality in the country. Iran
The dealmaker: Mueller witness helped broker $4.2 billion Iraq-Russia arms deal Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s latest interest, Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, has a long history of mysterious dealings in the Middle East despite a low profile in Washington. United Arab Emirates
Turkish women's organization looks back on two decades of progress For more than two decades, an organization in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast called KAMER has led the uphill struggle to empower women and challenge often deadly social norms in these patriarchal and war-torn communities. Turkey
New tax plan set to increase Palestinians' burdens In an attempt to compensate for threats of US aid cuts, the Palestinian Authority is revamping its tax system to expand the tax liability of citizens, which could have a catastrophic impact on Palestinians. Palestine
Was Egypt's bond sale a sign of hope or desperation? Egypt raised $4 billion in a debt sale to help finance its budget deficit, but some economists emphasize that the government must ultimately find ways to generate income if it is to successfully deal with its economic problems and settle its debt. Egypt
US still pouring weapons into Yemen war The United States sold Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates more than $650 million in weapons last year for their war against the Houthis, according to a new report. Saudi Arabia
Slew of anti-Palestinian bills points to impending Israeli elections The numerous anti-Palestinian bills pushed forward by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition are signs that the right is preparing for early elections. Palestine
