Gaza rolls out the red carpet for film festival The second edition of the Red Carpet Film Festival in the Gaza Strip did not receive as much attention as last year, as security members insisted on keeping the lights on during the film screenings. Palestine
Magnetic card system restricts Palestinian visits to Jerusalem Israel is issuing magnetic travel permits to Palestinians that only permit a certain number of visits to Jerusalem and Israel each year. Palestine
How Supreme Court decision to freeze Iran assets undermines US foreign policy The US Supreme Court’s decision to seize Iranian assets to compensate terror victims is creating a backlash that undermines US business interests and could sabotage US foreign policy. Iran
Can Lebanon make progress on oil, gas exploration efforts? A litany of more pressing crises has led to a delay in efforts to advance work on Lebanon's nascent oil and gas sector. Egypt
Can agriculture save Tunisia's economy amid tourism crisis? While terrorist attacks in Tunisia have led to a massive decline in tourism, some believe that agriculture can save the tiny North African country. Libya
Iran parliament seeks damages for US support of Saddam Iranian parliament passes bill to seek American assets for US actions taken against Iran in the past 63 years. Iran
Egypt's next national security threat: All the single ladies? Egypt's parliamentary National Security Council has identified unmarried women as the country's next big threat. Egypt
Bibi's feud with defense minister reaches new heights Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, who openly opposes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies, is now encouraging senior IDF officers to express opinions that conflict with those of the Israeli political leadership. Israel
Have Turkey-PKK clashes crossed fatal threshold? The PKK’s alleged shooting down of a Turkish assault helicopter marks a major development in the ongoing fighting between the two sides. Iraq
Has Europe had enough of Erdogan? A crisis in relations with Germany could have significant strategic and geopolitical implications for Turkey and its future. Turkey
Are Iraq's politicians to blame for Baghdad terror attacks? The Islamic State attacks in three different parts of Baghdad on May 11 are an indication that the political crisis has affected security. Iraq
The real 'back pain' behind head of Iranian broadcaster's resignation There appear to have been bigger issues at play than "back pain" in the abrupt resignation of the head of the Iranian state broadcaster only 18 months on the job. Iran
Why opposition leader is pushing coalition negotiations with Netanyahu Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hasn’t yet made a concrete proposal for Labor to join his coalition, but controversy over the possibility is already shaking up the party. Israel
How Turkey’s recent political shakeup will have wide-ranging impact The resignation of Turkish Prime Minister Ahmed Davutoglu could affect both the country’s economy and anti-IS efforts; new report scrutinizes US military aid to Egypt as human rights abuses persist; Al-Monitor’s reporter in the news. Egypt
What's next for Egypt's journalists? In an interview with Al-Monitor, Khaled El-Balshy, the head of the Freedom Committee of the Journalists' Syndicate, says that he believes the Egyptian security forces are facilitating the insults and abuses journalists have been subjected to. Egypt
US elections 2016: Everything you need to know this week Here’s what happened on the campaign during the week of May 9. Congress
