Iran talks tough ahead of indirect nuclear negotiations with US Iranian and US officials will not meet directly in Vienna tomorrow amid the first negotiations aimed at a return to the 2015 nuclear deal, officials have said. By Al-Monitor Staff
First witness testifies in Netanyahu trial On a doubly dramatic day in Israel, the first witness testified in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trail and President Reuven Rivlin began consultations on who will be tasked to form the next government. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Rockets land near Iraqi air base ahead of strategic dialogue with US No one was hurt in the latest barrage, an Iraqi military official said By Al-Monitor Staff
Jordan rocked by allegations against former crown prince Hamzah Bin Al Hussein, former Crown Prince and half-brother to King Abdullah, says he is not going to obey restrictions. By Osama Al Sharif
Tribes in east Syria resort to their own judiciary over lack of trust in official courts Tribes in the northeastern Syrian province of Hasakah agreed to set up a tribal judiciary system as an alternative to the official judiciary affiliated with the Kurdish-led authorities running the area. By Khaled al-Khateb
Israel prepares for wave of Muslim tourists With the signing of the Abraham Accords and the opening of Emirati, Bahraini and Moroccan diplomatic missions, Israel is now preparing for an unprecedented wave of Muslim tourists. By Danny Zaken In Ma'ale HaHamisha, reporting on Israel
Cairo building collapse highlights lax government oversight In a continuation of the real estate collapse incidents in Egypt, a 10-story property collapsed March 27 in Cairo, resulting in five deaths and injuring many. By Abdulla Kadry
Arab legislator's speech marks historic moment in Israeli politics In his prime-time speech, Arab Knesset member Mansour Abbas cleverly laid the groundwork for an Arab party to join it. By Afif Abu Much In Baqa al-Gharbiyye, reporting on business and tech
Curse or no curse, Cairo's mummy parade goes smoothly Cairo's procession of royal mummies roused national pride among Egyptians, though observers warned that disturbing the dead may have unleashed the "curse of the pharaohs." By Shahira Amin
Will Iran’s supreme leader allow Rouhani’s last wish to come true? As Washington and Tehran make small progress on resolving their dispute over the 2015 nuclear deal, it remains unclear whether Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will support President Hassan Rouhani's efforts to negotiate. By Ali Hashem In Doha, reporting on Iran, regional politics, conflict
Cairo debuts revamped Tahrir Square Tahrir Square has reopened after major renovations, but not everyone's a fan. By A correspondent in Egypt
What’s Moscow's game plan for Lebanon? With the worsening of the Lebanese crisis, Russia will have to take a closer look at Lebanese affairs to protect its assets in Syria. By Mona Alami
Israel tight-lipped on Palestinian elections Official Israel is mindful not to make public statements on the upcoming Palestinian elections, yet some reports suggest it is working behind the scenes to encourage their postponement or cancellation. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Farming families in West Bank retreat to caves as settlers encircle land In the southern West Bank near the separation wall lies the village of Khirbet al-Radhim, where seven Palestinian families live without roads, electricity or water and report constant harassent by the Israeli authorities and settlers. By Aziza Nofal
Egyptian parliament approves tougher penalties for female genital mutilation Egypt's parliament has given preliminary approval to a bill stipulating tougher penalties for female genital mutilation, which remains widespread despite an official ban on the practice. The move coincided with the death of feminist author Nawal El Saadawi, who fought long and hard for an end to the procedure from which she herself suffered as a child. By Shahira Amin
Why Turkey is wooing Egypt How will improved relations between Cairo and Ankara boost bilateral trade and joint investment? A number of Egyptian businesspeople are keeping fingers crossed that easing tensions between the two Mediterranean countries will open up new opportunities. By Ahmed Elleithy