Palestinian budget burdened by hefty pensions for ministers The latest unity government is the 17th Palestinian government in two decades, and an enormous number of former ministers are enjoying excessive benefits the government cannot afford. Palestine
Iran Parliament says leggings are not pants With photos of women in leggings as evidence, the Iranian Parliament has taken Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli to task for failing to enforce Islamic dress codes. Iran
Can Ihsanoglu challenge AKP? The presidential candidacy of Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu took the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) by surprise and represents an opportunity to change the tone of Turkish politics. Turkey
Gaza's unemployed graduates: between Google and falafel With the unemployment rate steadily on the rise in the Gaza Strip, many college graduates are taking and creating jobs outside their specialty. Palestine
Congress sets up fight over aid to Egypt House and Senate appropriators are sharply at odds over human rights restrictions. Egypt
Syrian Kurdish leader: Turkey turns blind eye to ISIS Salih Muslim, the leader of the Syrian Kurdish movement PYD, gives an exclusive interview to Al-Monitor on post-Mosul developments and Turkey's alleged support for ISIS. Iraq
Iraq's 'Sunni' rebellion shows splits between ISIS, others After mostly ejecting government forces from Sunni areas, the differences over the next stage between ISIS and other Sunni factions will soon emerge. Iraq
Revolutionary Guard calls Iran 'island of stability' The head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps has said that the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s was instrumental in bolstering Iran's security. Iraq
Despite reconciliation deal, Hamas controls Gaza Although Hamas has officially handed the reins over to a new consensus government, it maintains power on the security level. Palestine
AKP pushes its own brand of Turkish neonationalism Turkish neonationalism, traditionally a product of authoritarian state power, is being pushed by proponents of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and nurtured by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
Real estate sales boom as Turkey opens to foreign buyers Following measures making it easier for foreigners to acquire property in Turkey, sales have skyrocketed. Foreigners’ locations of choice include Istanbul as well as the Turkish coast, especially Antalya. Turkey
Will ISIS find fertile ground in Egypt's Sinai? Tribal elders in the Sinai Peninsula say links are growing between local jihadists from Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS). Egypt
Tensions rise between Yemen's Saleh and Hadi Former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is using the poor performance of current President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi’s government to remain politically relevant. Yemen
Israeli raids in West Bank fanning flames of hate Israel's attempt to re-establish a deterrence in the West Bank through the use of force will backfire. Palestine
Kidnapping highlights Israelis' surrender to settlers It is natural that the kidnapping of three Israeli youths would generate solidarity among the public, but it also raises the question of why peace-loving secular Israelis have let themselves be dragged along for years, from clash to clash, by a nationalistic messianic minority. Palestine
Obama administration holds up environmental grants to Iran Despite its support for efforts to confront climate change, the United States is blocking key multinational environmental projects for Iran that would have global benefits. Iran
![- PHOTO TAKEN 12MAY1999 - Former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein (R) is decorated with a medal presented to him by his deputy Izzat Ibrahim in Baghdad in this May 12, 1999 file photo. Ibrahim, the most senior member of the former regime, has died, [Al Arabiya satellite television quoted a Baath party statement as saying on Friday.] He is number six on the U.S. military's list of the 55 most-wanted Iraqis, with a $10 million reward offered for his capture. - RTXNYC5](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/2014/06/RTXNYC5.jpg/RTXNYC5.jpg?h=c2c5b897&itok=vM6t5_5T)
