Political missteps in Libya cause Turkey's economy to stumble Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKP government's backing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Libya is inflicting billions of dollars of economic losses on Turkey and eroding its political influence in Libya and Saharan Africa. Turkey
Turkey allows building of first new church in a century Syriac Christians, who speak the language of Jesus, will finally have a church in Istanbul, but why now? Turkey
Jordan to arm Sunni tribes in Iraq, Syria Jordan is concerned airstrikes alone will not defeat the Islamic State threat, and is considering arming Sunni tribes in Iraq and Syria to prevent the jihadists from reaching its borders. Iraq
Dubai's disappointing film festival Budget cuts and a lukewarm selection made the latest Dubai International Film Festival the weakest in recent memory, raising questions about the festival’s future and Arab cinema in general. United Arab Emirates
Netanyahu’s threats won’t sway Abbas The Israeli prime minister’s angry response to the Palestinian decision to sign the Rome Statute, including withholding Palestinian tax revenue, is unlikely to deter President Mahmoud Abbas from persisting with his plan for greater recognition of Palestine. Palestine
Rouhani’s referendum proposal causes stir in Iran Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has proposed direct referendums to sidestep the parliament and resolve key issues in the country. Iran
Infighting hurts Israel's center-left bloc Infighting between Yesh Atid Party Chairman Yair Lapid and Labor Party Chairman Isaac Herzog divide the center-left bloc instead of moving it toward new electorates, strengthening Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel
Former Congressman optimistic about nuclear deal after rare trip to Iran Former U.S. Congressman Jim Slattery tells Al-Monitor he is optimistic about a nuclear deal after making a rare visit to Iran. Originals
Is the Saudi succession near? With an ailing king, Saudi Arabia's royal succession comes into focus, as well as the kingdom's forthcoming challenges. Saudi Arabia
Turkish, Greek warplanes tangle in mock dogfights over Aegean The Aegean Sea overheated in 2014 because of frequent mock dogfights between Greek and Turkish warplanes, which require serious diplomacy and confidence-building measures to calm down. Turkey
Iraqi town celebrates victory over Islamic State The Iraqi army, with the help of local tribes and the pro-Iran Badr Brigades, drove out the Islamic State from Dhuluiya, a town north of Baghdad. Iraq
In war against atheism, Egypt targets cafes Egyptian authorities have reportedly shut down a Cairo cafe that was popular among atheists, though some activists say that the officials' display of force is little more than a media show. Egypt
Iraqi Cabinet approves budget reforms After failing to agree on a federal budget for 2014, Iraq’s Cabinet has finally approved and submitted its 2015 budget to parliament with an announcement to enact austerity plans. Iraq
Turkey's new legal definitions lead to increase in arrests A new legal provision to facilitate police action against government opponents in Turkey has victimized scores of people in a short period of time. Turkey
After UN failure, Palestinians reach out to ICC Israel estimates that the failure of the Palestinians to secure a majority at the UN Security Council stems from a series of tactical mistakes, reflecting the enormous internal pressure to which Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is subjected. Palestine
Hamas divided over rapprochement with Dahlan As Hamas studies its limited options to overcome the crisis in Gaza, some senior officials are advocating a detente with Mohammed Dahlan to weaken President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestine
