Iran, Iraq seek to send a message with joint naval exercises In a clear message to the Gulf countries of the Iranian influence, Iraqi forces with Iranian support are conducting military maneuvers in the Persian Gulf and the Iraqi land border with the Saudi. By Sara al-Qaher
Sports champion provides artificial limbs near Aleppo In the thick of the Syrian war, an athlete channels his skills to help amputees receive prosthetics. By Orwoa Kanawati
Is Iran following Russia’s lead in Syria? Russian diplomatic blitz on Syria includes building bridges between Iran and Turkey. By Week in Review
Can public outcry in southern Iraq end Maliki’s political ambitions? Nouri al-Maliki, the former prime minister who now is one of Iraq’s vice presidents, was faced with demonstrations staged by angry residents of the three southern provinces he was visiting as part of an early effort to increase his chances of returning to power in local and parliamentary elections slated for 2018. By Omar al-Jaffal
Does New Year's nightclub attack signal tough year ahead for Turkey? As transnational networks of the Islamic State come under increasing pressure in Iraq and Syria, they are likely to shift to Turkey, while Ankara still gives priority to the Kurdistan Workers Party. By Metin Gurcan
Deciphering Iran’s sudden currency fluctuations Although Iran's business community has been unsettled by the recent fluctuations in the value of the national currency, the rial rates appear to be on a trajectory to finally become unified. By Bijan Khajehpour In Vienna, reporting on Iranian politics
Three reasons the Islamic State is focused on Turkey While the Islamic State intensifies its activity throughout Turkey, questions are raised as to whether Middle Eastern wars are now engulfing Turkey. By Ali Bayramoglu
Nightclub attack brings Turkey's IS battle to domestic soil The Istanbul nightclub attack on New Year’s Eve has made Turkey's security deficiencies painfully clear. By Pinar Tremblay
EU wants P4+1 model on Israeli settlements The European Union is considering establishing a P4+1 group, without the United States, dealing separately with the Israeli-Palestinian issue and the Iran file. By Uri Savir
Iraqi Kurdistan oil a slippery issue Ownership of Iraqi Kurdistan oil is a major source of friction between Baghdad and Erbil, while Turkey and Iran compete for lucrative oil transport contracts. By Ali Mamouri
How did Gaza’s economic elite become day laborers in Israel? Once-prosperous Gaza merchants, having depleted their savings and barely surviving, are using their entry permits into Israel to search for odd jobs. By Shlomi Eldar
First ride-hailing app for Cairo's traditional taxis launched To compete with Uber, Egyptian-owned company Taxi Plus launched a ride-sharing app for local taxi drivers. By Salwa Samir In Giza, reporting on politics
Why Israel, Russia remain chums Russia and Israel will continue to enjoy strong relations despite Russia’s UN Security Council vote for Resolution 2334 condemning the Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory. By دميتري مري
Why did Oman join Saudi Arabia’s anti-terrorism alliance? Oman joins the 40-member Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism, yet still strikes a balance while refusing to distance itself from Iran in order to please Saudi Arabia. By Giorgio Cafiero
Iran hard-liners ask judiciary to detain president’s brother Iranian hard-liners are once again accusing President Hassan Rouhani’s brother of economic corruption and asking the judiciary to detain him. By Rohollah Faghihi
What has King Salman achieved in his two-year reign? Saudi Arabia's plan to transform the kingdom by the year 2030 will not be realized until the war on Yemen stops. By Bruce Riedel