How Israeli minister pushed Palestinian prisoners to hunger strike Seniors at the Israel Prison Service warned Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan not to harshen conditions of the Palestinian prisoners or jam phone signals in jail, but he refused to listen. Palestine
Arab Israelis alienated by both top candidates as vote approaches As the two leading candidates for the Israeli premiership reject the idea of a coalition with Arab parties, it’s no wonder that Arab citizens are not planning to vote. Israel
Leader in Istanbul mayor's race worries about vote manipulation in recount A recount in the Istanbul mayor's race has seen opposition candidate Ekrem Imamoglu's lead fall from 23,000 to 21,500 over Binali Yildirim of the ruling Justice and Development Party; Imamoglu and others fear the electoral council might tamper with the results. Turkey
Can this project bring contemporary art to conservative towns in Palestine? Two Palestinian organizations have cooperated to launch a program in the conservative town of al-Dahriya that involved artists interacting with residents to prepare an exhibition. Palestine
Iranian MPs debate parliamentary elections at provincial level Iranian parliamentarians are debating legislation that could see parliamentary elections held at provincial levels, provided that the Guardian Council won’t strike down the idea yet again. Iran
Sisi keeps watchful eye on Al-Azhar's growing role abroad Egypt's president is reportedly concerned that Al-Azhar's increasing international activity is working to insulate itself from the Egyptian government's control. Egypt
Khamenei calls on Iran to learn from devastating floods As Iran continues to grapple with the devastating flooding that has ravaged the country, its supreme leader has urged officials to learn from the calamity. Iran
Local election defeat bodes more foreign woes for Erdogan The irreparable setback Turkey’s president suffered in the March 31 municipal polls, coupled with the country’s economic crisis, leaves him in a weaker position vis-a-vis Washington, Moscow and the European Union. Syria
Iraq meeting between Lebanon’s Berri, Sistani boosts moderate Shiism in region Iraq's top Shiite authority, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, meets with Lebanon's parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, further highlighting Sistani's efforts to support moderate Shiism against Shiite extremism. Originals
What's next for Lebanon's blood shortage? Donner Sang Compter, a Lebanese nongovernmental group, has staged hundreds of blood donation events to take some of the pressure off patients who need blood. Lebanon
Turkey’s state-run news agency under fire for irregular poll coverage Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency is under fire for its bizarre coverage of the Istanbul mayoral race, during which the agency stopped reporting polling results when it became clear the opposition was bound for victory. Turkey
Is Bouteflika’s resignation enough to quell Algerian protests? With further protests planned later this week, it is becoming increasingly clear that Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s resignation is unlikely to mark a neat conclusion to this tumultuous period in Algeria’s history. Algeria
Are incinerators answer to Lebanon's waste crisis? The plan to build incinerators in Lebanon raised the concerns of nongovernmental organizations and activists who put forward suggestions to solve the country's never-ending waste crisis. Lebanon
Can Egypt's floral industry bloom in whole region? Egypt’s spring flower exhibition, the oldest in the region, unites flower producers with the public but the sector is eager to go beyond borders. Egypt