As ringmaster, Russia runs Israel-Iran balancing act in Syria A deal brokered by Russia has something for everyone involved — Syria, Israel, Iran and, of course, Russia itself — and has defused at least temporarily what could have become a deadly showdown between Israel and Iran. Israel
Egypt's Salafists start offering marriage counseling A Salafi association holding premarital courses strictly for girls is raising controversy in Egypt’s religious and legal circles. Egypt
Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal has wide-ranging implications By holding indirect talks with Hamas about a long-term cease-fire, Israel is indicating that it views and accepts the Islamist movement as the political sovereign of Gaza, a shift that could have significant repercussions. Palestine
Is Palestine prepared for a major earthquake? A string of minor earthquakes has drawn attention to the fact that in the event of a strong seismic activity in the West Bank, Palestinian lives are at risk and the infrastructure could be severely damaged. Palestine
Putin man in the middle between Assad, Erdogan over Idlib A Syrian government attack on Idlib could upend the Astana accord. Syria
China set to fill vacuum left by French carmakers exiting Iran The exit of French automakers from Iran is leaving a vacuum that appears set to be filled by Chinese auto manufacturers. Iran
Following deals with Russia, Turkey now expands military cooperation with China Both China and Turkey are determined to develop their cooperation in the defense and security sectors. Turkey
Can songs help to halt female genital mutilation, early marriage in Egypt? In a new project, the UNFPA in Egypt is using popular singers and youth bands to create awareness of gender inequality and family planning. Egypt
How Trump's strong support for Israel harms pro-settler party The settler-friendly US administration is stealing away the agenda of the Israeli national-religious party and depriving it of an important enemy. Palestine
Iraq's Basra plans dam on vital river After angry demonstrations against the government in Basra about the lack of potable water, the southern Iraqi province is preparing to tackle the problem by building a dam on the Shatt al-Arab River. Iraq
Egyptian forum dreams up ways to attract expat money A recent forum for Egyptian expatriates produced various ideas on how to get emigrants to invest in their home country. Egypt
Demands rise for Arab Knesset members to resign in wake of Nationality Law The Israeli Knesset may be witnessing the highest number of resignations since its creation in light of laws discriminating against Israel’s Arab population, the latest being the Jewish nation-state law. Israel
Will canceled camps mean a deadly summer for Gaza's children? As the Great Return March enters its 18th week, the killing of Majdi al-Satari, 12, by an Israeli sniper at the Gaza-Israel border highlights the lack of summer camps this year to keep children busy elsewhere. Palestine
Palestinian girls nurture 'Flower' magazine behind bars Two years ago, a small group of teenage Palestinian girls created a secret magazine inside their Israeli prison. Now, they hope to revive it. Palestine
Gaza cannot wait for a miracle The crisis in Gaza leaves no time to dream of grandiose solutions, such as an artificial island or desalination plants, and only immediately allowing thousands of Gazans to work in Israel can alleviate the pressure. Palestine
US reimposes sanctions as Iran deal crumbles With the Donald Trump administration set to reimpose Iran sanctions after exiting the nuclear deal, it’s looking less and less likely the rest of the world can salvage the accord. U.S.