Liberal US Jews recruit Democrats from all sides in anti-Trump fight Seeking to capitalize on growing partisan backlash to President Donald Trump’s Middle East policies, the liberal Jewish lobbying group J Street has formed a surprising alliance with one of the Senate’s fiercest pro-Israel advocates. By Bryant Harris In Washington, reporting on Congress
Joint Syria strikes build US-EU trust ahead of critical Iran deadline With the UK and France joining the United States in strikes over Syria’s chemical weapons use, trust is growing between the Trump and European national security teams ahead of a key May deadline on the Iran nuclear deal. By Laura Rozen
Soccer mirrors politics in polarized Turkey Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's promotion of a soccer team that subscribes to conservative Islamic values has more so polarized fans than won them over. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Egyptian women replace smoking with qatrouna In Upper Egypt, while men come together for shisha, women relax by chewing a mix of tobacco and tar — yet health professionals warn of the many dangers. By Hossam Rabie
Rural areas southwest of Kirkuk grapple with fears of IS sleeper cells The Fatha road snakes behind the heavily damaged Beiji oil refinery, crossing between the low-altitude Hamreen and Makhoul mountain ranges into an area of okra fields and mullahs who fear Islamic State (IS) sleeper cells. By Shelly Kittleson
Russia takes low-key approach to West's strike on Syria The United States and Russia appear to have coordinated with each other on how to minimize repercussions from the Syrian strike. By Maxim A. Suchkov
Why so many Turks are losing faith in Islam Turkish politicians and media outlets have been discussing why so many young people are opting for “deism” at a time when Islam seems more ascendant than ever. By Mustafa Akyol
Saudi king uses Arab Summit to adjust Riyadh's stance toward Trump In response to a growing rift between Riyadh's regional policies and some actions by President Donald Trump, King Salman has reaffirmed long-held alliances while distancing the kingdom from Washington. By Bruce Riedel
Gaza restaurant offers food to poor families Gazan restaurant owner Abdallah Lafi went to school hungry many times, and now he has launched a campaign to help other children and families get a meal. By Huda Baroud
Israeli-Arab party split over US strike on Syria The Hadash faction within the Israeli-Arab Joint List demonstrated against the American attack on Syrian chemical depots. By Shlomi Eldar
Iran keeps close eye on upcoming US-North Korea talks While Iran has refrained from commenting on the upcoming talks between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un, it is keeping a close eye on the prospect of a nuclear deal between the United States and North Korea. By Saeid Jafari
Following Syria strikes, Rouhani calls for closer Iran-Russia ties Iranian officials say that the strikes on Syria demonstrate that armed groups are close to defeat. By Al-Monitor Staff
Egypt’s science-minded women show off their skills A competition organized by the British Council shows that young Egyptian women neither shy away from science nor think it is a man’s domain. By Menna A. Farouk
Tunisian president denies plan to dismiss PM A spokeswoman for Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi has dismissed claims that the head of state intends to fire the prime minister as politically baseless. By Mohamed Ali Ltifi
Netanyahu compares himself to Israel’s founding father The text written this week by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comparing himself to Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, has no credibility whatsoever. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Egypt debates how to block dangerous viral games Following claims that the suicide of an Egyptian politician’s son was due to the "Blue Whale Challenge," Egyptians are seeking tighter restrictions on these types of online games. By David Awad