How this Kurdish agency breaks news, taboos The journalists of Turkey’s only all-female media outlet, the Kurdish agency JINHA, challenge male dominance in both their society and their profession, braving the harsh realities of a war-torn region. Turkey
Political, economic alarm bells ringing in Jordan Former senior government officials in Jordan are concerned about the inability to introduce economic and political reforms and about overreaching by the national intelligence agency. Jordan
How Khomeini lost the battle, but is winning the war Seyyed Hassan Khomeini, who only entered the fray two months ago, appears set to become an influential and effective figure in Iranian politics. Iran
Erdogan intensifies assault on independent media US State Department calls on Turkey to respect "democratic values"; Israel considers Erdogan a "lost cause," sees Putin winning "on all counts." Israel
Why Egypt is placing its pyramids under military protection Officials are taking tourists’ complaints to heart as they prepare to rejuvenate the great pyramids area, employing a company affiliated with the armed services to pick up the project that was abandoned in 2011. Egypt
The IRGC's plan to win hearts and minds Pro-regime culture portrays Qasem Soleimani as a brave, strong and mysterious commander as a key component in the campaign to recuperate trust in the IRGC among Iranians and to portray it as a formidable force in the region. Iraq
Is the West Bank cracking down on free speech? MP Najat Abu Bakr, who ended her two-week sit-in at parliament headquarters in Ramallah, spoke to Al-Monitor about corruption and freedoms in the West Bank. Palestine
Is Turkey's plan to stop flow of refugees legal? Turkey's offer to the European Union to stop the flow of refugees to Greece is compelling — but is it legal? Syria
Is the EU really ready to commit to Turkey? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is feeling his oats as he renegotiates his deal with the European Union. Syria
Is Israel's Zionist Camp collapsing? While the Zionist Camp is preoccupied with internal disputes and losing relevance in the political sphere, Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid is soaring in the polls. Israel
A glimpse into the world of Gaza’s cyber pirates Home to more than 2,000 hackers, the Gaza Strip is no longer the isolated place it used to be, with rising cyberattacks driven by national and personal motives. Palestine
The rise of Islamic State sleeper cells in Baghdad After the recent attacks by the Islamic State around Baghdad, Iraqi security forces are struggling to track down IS cells in the Iraqi capital's outskirts. Iraq
Egyptian government accuses Hamas of killing attorney general The Egyptian interior minister made a shocking announcement by accusing Hamas of assassinating prosecutor Hisham Barakat back in the summer of 2015, further straining already fragile ties with the movement. Palestine
How one sultan's harem is another's school Emine Erdogan's praise of the Ottoman harem as a school has disturbed and baffled Turks. Turkey
After seizing Zaman newspaper, what's next for Turkey? Not just a few newspapers like Zaman, but the entire Turkish media is under threat by the current regime in Turkey. Turkey
How far will the Saudis go against Hezbollah? With Saudi Arabia labeling Hezbollah a terrorist organization, a decision that was endorsed by the GCC, the kingdom hopes to legally pursue the Lebanese movement in international forums. Gulf
