MUST-READS

• Yemen
  Yemen president dismisses government to end stand-off

  Yemen's president has dismissed his government and promised to review fuel subsidy cuts in a bid to end a stand-off with Zaidi Shia rebels. Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi would name a new prime minister to form a national unity administration, state media reported. However, the initiative was rejected by the rebels, who are known as Houthis.

• Pakistan
  Pakistan parliament convenes amid crisis

  A joint session of parliament is under way in Pakistan as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif tries to rally support against the protesters calling for his resignation. The session, which is expected to continue for a week, comes a day after supporters of opposition leaders, politician Imran Khan and religious leader Tahir-ul-Qadri, briefly occupied state TV building in the capital, Islamabad. Broadcast was resumed after paramilitary soldiers cleared the building.

• Israeli Politics
  Israelis Frustrated With Outcome of Gaza Conflict

  Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces frustration over how the conflict with Hamas is winding down, both from the Israeli public and from parties that wanted harsher action against Gaza's Islamist rulers.

• Foreign Jihadis
  Syria’s foreign jihadis: Where do they come from?

  More than 11,000 people have traveled from abroad to fight in Syria, officials suggest, although some have gone back home again. They ally themselves with different factions, and sometimes change loyalties as groups merge, disband or change allegiances. Naturally, countries with bigger Muslim populations tend to send the largest number of fighters.

• Ma'aden
  Saudi Ma’aden, Alcoa start commercial ops at huge aluminium plant

  Saudi Arabian Mining Co (Ma'aden) said on Monday its joint aluminium smelter with U.S.-based Alcoa has started commercial operations. The $10.8 billion aluminium plant at Ras al-Khair, on the Gulf coast of the kingdom, had experienced issues during the initial start-up phase last year when it had to shut one of its two smelting lines in October due to problems encountered during ramp-up.

• Solar Power
  Solar Power Investors Start to See Some Light and Heat

  Prices have stabilized as growth in demand for panels is finally outpacing capacity expansion. This benefits manufacturers. Most top-tier suppliers of solar modules reported profit margins that topped 15% in the first quarter, up from 10% toward the end of 2013, according to Matthew Feinstein of Lux Research.

• Islamic State
  As battle lines shift in Iraq, Sunnis who welcomed the Islamic State fear retribution

  A day after breaking through a siege by Islamic State militants on the Shiite town of Amerli, Iraqi forces and pro-government militias on Monday pushed their way into nearby villages they accuse of helping to enforce the months-long blockade.

  • Channel News Asia - US launches air strikes on IS rebels near dam, Amerli: Pentagon
  • CNN - Graphical Breakdown of Where Syria's Jihadists Come From
  • New York Times - Kurdish Pesh Merga: Tarnishing a Reputation as Storied Warriors
  • Politico - DOD: Iraq Effort Cost More Than $560 Million
  • Voice of America - Saudi-Iran Meeting Could Boost Fight Against Islamic State
  • New York Times - To Beat ISIS, Focus on Syria
• Islam
  Proposal to move Mohamed’s tomb in Saudi Arabia sparks debate

  The controversial proposals are part of a consultation document by a leading Saudi academic which has been circulated among the supervisors of al-Masjid al-Nabawi mosque in Medina, where the remains of the Prophet are housed under the Green Dome, visited by millions of pilgrims and venerated as Islam’s second-holiest site.

• Israel
  After Gaza cease-fire, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in tough spot at home

  In Gaza, as Hamas leaders stood in a rubble-filled central square to declare an unequivocal victory, thousands of flag-waving supporters cheered. In Israel, after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a televised news conference alongside his defense minister and army chief to claim a win, he was slammed by the media, the public, the opposition and even members of his own party and coalition.

• Libya
  Libya’s interim government resigns under pressure – Your Middle East

  Libya's toothless interim government, led by prime minister Abdullah al-Thani, announced late Thursday it had tendered its resignation to the elected parliament, days after a rival Islamist administration was created.

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