How much freedom do Egypt's female preachers really have? The Egyptian Ministry of Religious Endowments recently decided to permit female preachers to give lessons and meet with women across the country as part of its reforms to renew religious discourse. Egypt
Palestinian teen to serve full sentence for slap Elor Azaria, the IDF soldier who shot a disarmed Palestinian assailant in Hebron, was granted early release while Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi, whose crime was slapping a soldier, was refused. Palestine
Israel's battle of the ex-generals Israeli opposition parties need former prominent security officials who could offer the public an image of expertise in security matters. Israel
West Bank city becomes shopper's paradise for Palestinians living in Israel Impressive numbers of Palestinians in Israel are crossing the Green Line destined for shopping and eating in the West Bank city of Jenin. Palestine
Iraq's favorite lake dries up in sign of worse to come Iraq's once-impressive Lake Milh used to be a major touristic site near Karbala, but now its vanishing water is part of a growing regional crisis. Iraq
Israel squeezes Abu Mazen as West Bank simmers in solidarity with Gaza, Jordan protests Hamas seeks to seize opening to expand protests to the West Bank; Crest Media announces partnership with North Base Media to manage Al-Monitor. Palestine
Egypt’s female Ramadan drummer breaks taboos In one of Cairo's neighborhoods, a female Ramadan drummer has taken on one of the oldest Ramadan traditions by waking up those who fast before dawn, breaking social and religious taboos. Egypt
Congress rebukes Trump over lack of Syria policy Congress called out the Donald Trump administration for failing to provide lawmakers with a US strategy for the conflict in Syria. Syria
Iraq faces uncertainty as parliament orders manual election recount As the Iraqi parliament orders a manual recount of ballots, the Kurdish opposition that lost in the election May 12 pushes for a cancellation of the result, while the PUK is adamant that the outcome should stand. Iraq
Despite campaign stumbles, Erdogan still ahead of pack For the first time ever, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his party seem lost on the campaign trail, but unpopularity doesn't necessarily spell failure in Turkey's elections. Turkey
Fate of Syrian refugees hot election topic in Turkey As electioneering heats up ahead of Turkey’s June 24 polls, opposition leaders lash out at government moves to naturalize Syrian refugees, arguing that the refugees should go when quiet returns to Syria. Turkey
Vying for minds in East Jerusalem schools In a bid to revamp the educational sector in East Jerusalem and ease Israel's grip on the schools there, the Palestinian Authority has announced a national education plan of $30 million. Palestine
Can Egypt's education reforms overhaul broken system? Analysts believe the problem of public education can’t be solved through monetary means alone, but rather with reforms to the entire educational system. Egypt
Iran faces new threat as Kurdish jihadis join IS in Afghanistan The rise of the Islamic State's branch in Afghanistan poses a new challenge for the Islamic Republic, as it is becoming a magnet for Iranian Kurdish recruits. Iraqi-Kurdistan
Palestinians consider multistep plan toward two-state solution A proposal being discussed involves establishing Palestinian rule in Gaza and Jericho first, while negotiating the final parameters for a full Palestinian state. Palestine
Will Libya’s newly signed border security agreement change anything? Libya, Sudan, Chad and Niger signed a security protocol to fight cross-border criminal activities in the Sahel region. Libya
