Gendarmerie operation sparks controversy in Petra, Jordan Petra’s tribal entrepreneurs react to a security operation carried out inside Jordan’s most-visited UNESCO World Heritage Site with criticism and concern for their livelihoods. Jordan
Culture Despite war, thousands of Israeli Hasidim make pilgrimage to Ukraine Much like the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine won’t stop thousands of Hasidim from reaching the city of Uman and the tomb of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov just before the Jewish New Year. Israel
Middle East airlines to suffer losses again in 2022 The International Air Transport Association said that airlines in the region will fare somewhat better financially due to the return of long-haul flights. Legacy: Gulf
Israel expects post-COVID tourism rebound this summer Israeli experts do not expect tourism to reach this summer the record level of 2019, but they certainly notice a trend of increase on both outbound and incoming tourism. Israel
Egypt extends its state of emergency for three more months amid coronavirus In his announcement, Egypt's president cited “dangerous” conditions in the health and security sectors. Egypt
Jordan allows daytime driving as it relaxes coronavirus lockdown Jordan is allowing people to drive their vehicles and many businesses to reopen for the first time in more than a month. Jordan
Palestinian PM's COVID-19 response gets high marks, but will it be enough? Palestinians are generally very happy with the performance of their prime minister in confronting the coronavirus and can easily see him as president; the harder question is whether there will be a Palestine to be president of. Palestine
Egypt tightens sanctions for those who refuse to wear protective masks Egypt’s parliament approved a new bill that punishes citizens with imprisonment or a fine if they refuse to bury coronavirus victims or wear protective masks. Egypt
Coronavirus imposes different reality for Palestinians during Ramadan Authorities in Gaza and the West Bank face big challenges trying to stanch the spread of the novel coronavirus during Ramadan, which usually involves social visits and group prayers. Palestine
Iran pushes back against US plan for snapback sanctions Iran’s foreign minister said United States is dreaming if it thinks it can claim it is still a participant in the nuclear deal in order to trigger snapback sanctions. United States
Turkey to send medical supplies to US amid coronavirus outbreak Turkey is the latest country to send personal protective equipment to the United States. Turkey
Domestic assault, violent crimes rise in Turkey amid coronavirus measures Human rights advocates are calling for improved measures to protect families as urban curfews and a controversial prisoner release have led to increased assaults and domestic violence reports in Turkey. Turkey
Israeli court stops government anti-coronavirus phone spying Israel's domestic security agency cannot continue to access citizens' private phone data to track the coronavirus until laws are passed on the practice, the Supreme Court ruled Sunday. Israel
Lebanese protest dire economic conditions as coronavirus lockdown eases Protests have resumed in Lebanon, with many people lamenting hunger and economic strife as the country's financial crisis continues during the coronavirus lockdown. Lebanon
Palestinian woman leads fight against coronavirus, while others fall victim to domestic violence Women are taking the lead in the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak in the Palestinian territories, while at the same the virus has brought more violence and suffering to some women. Palestine
Israel under coronavirus: Economic straits revive social protests In the spirit of the wave of social justice demonstrations in 2011, Israelis in desperate economic situations due to the coronavirus outbreak are taking to the streets of Tel Aviv. Israel
