Culture Who is Fatima El Mansouri, Morocco’s first woman prime minister? Her appointment marks the first time a woman has served as Morocco’s head of government and the second time a woman has held the position in the Arab world. Morocco
Israel, Morocco agree to exchange ambassadors, open embassies The move will mark the first time Morocco and Israel have exchanged ambassadors. Morocco
Explainer Fueled by regional rivalries, Algeria severs diplomatic ties with UAE Algiers accused Abu Dhabi of increasingly “provocative and hostile actions” after years of friction over Morocco, Western Sahara and competing regional interests. Algeria
Analysis FIFA in turmoil: Middle East takes center stage as Infantino fights to stay in power Amid the backlash to FIFA President Gianni Infantino's controversial investment plan, upcoming World Cup hosts Morocco and Saudi Arabia have starring roles in the drama. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Hamas says Israel must withdraw first after Trump announces Gaza deal By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing US extends Iran strikes to bridges, airport By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Morocco finally gets new government, but at what cost? The announcement of a new Cabinet in Morocco after months of difficulty revealed that the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) may have had to pay a heavy price for compromise. Morocco
How Polisario Front hopes to partner with Russia in Western Sahara Polisario Front officials in Western Sahara are working to enlist Russia as an ally at the United Nations Security Council in their fight for independence, as they believe both sides have many shared interests. Algeria
Could foreign partners help revive ailing Arab film industry? The Sharm el-Sheikh Arab and European Film Festival started a debate through a seminar on joint film projects between the Arab world and Europe, over the feasibility of international co-productions. Egypt
Why Egypt is moving forward on free trade Experts consider Egypt's recent actions supporting the Agadir Agreement significant, as Egypt has the largest market among the free-trade agreement's member countries, which will enjoy greater trade and investment opportunities with the help of Egyptian labor and investment opportunities. Saudi Arabia
EU deeply divided over Western Sahara policy A European Court of Justice decision excluding Western Saharan exports from receiving preferential tariffs granted to Morocco has highlighted the need for the European Union to address the issue of who represents the people of Western Sahara. Morocco
Runners in grueling marathon persevere, as do Sahrawis Each year, runners brave the harsh conditions of the Sahara Marathon to benefit and show solidarity with the Sahrawi people. Algeria
Polisario seeks to keep Sahara dispute in spotlight By withdrawing from a Western Sahara neutral area, Morocco is courting the new UN secretary-general while getting rid of the attention the tense situation has brought to the Western Sahara plight. Mauritania
What's on Morocco's agenda as it rejoins African Union? Morocco wants to take advantage of its strong economic presence to gain political support in the Western Sahara dispute while becoming a hub for Western investments in the African continent. Morocco
What the US stands to lose by alienating Morocco After Donald Trump's election, abrupt and extreme changes in US policy threaten its relationship with longtime ally Morocco. Morocco
How these artists are working to fight extremism in the Mideast A group of artists came together at the International Artists Gathering in Fez, Morocco, to generate strategies for a counterattack that points creativity to a social purpose and fights fire with artistic expression. Morocco
Goldfinch trainers seek to spread wings beyond Gaza Palestinian trainers of singing goldfinches hope to one day take part in international competitions, but have been limited so far because of closed borders. Palestine
Why Saudi Arabia and Egypt are competing for influence in Africa Some observers fear Saudi and Egyptian differences could spread Middle Eastern conflicts to Africa. Saudi Arabia