Turkey's diplomatic relations with Europe take a nosedive Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is fast ending the European dream following a weekend of serious disputes with the Dutch government over a pro-referendum rally in Rotterdam by Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. Turkey
Yemen war turns two Saudi Arabia and the United States need to put more thought into the endgame for the war in Yemen. Saudi Arabia
Can Cairo stave off discontent over soaring prices? Egypt walks a tightrope between reforming its economy through austerity measures without having protests over food prices and food availability tip everything over. Egypt
Putin gets some payback with 'alternative project' for Libya Why Putin backs Hifter; Barzani’s Sinjar dilemma; Israel’s missing Gaza policy; GCC moves to the margins on Syria. Iraq
Questions surround Turkish businessman at center of Flynn controversy Michael Flynn is facing criticism for lobbying for Ankara prior to President Donald Trump’s inauguration, but the Turkish businessman who hired the disgraced former national security adviser told Al-Monitor he did not use government funds to pay Flynn. Turkey
Polisario seeks to keep Sahara dispute in spotlight By withdrawing from a Western Sahara neutral area, Morocco is courting the new UN secretary-general while getting rid of the attention the tense situation has brought to the Western Sahara plight. Mauritania
Why do Iranian banks remain stuck with toxic assets? Will the continued fragile condition of Iranian banks compel the Central Bank to launch a quantitative easing program? Iran
Israel's Knesset bans mini-skirts in new dress code The Knesset has published a dress code instructing elected officials and staff to avoid casual attire. Israel
Why Qatar and Turkey are becoming an item Turkey and Qatar are working to extend their relations beyond the friendship of the countries' leaders to address their shared uncertainties about the new US administration, security threats and the growing regional influence of Iran and Russia. Qatar
Jordan's mass execution revives debate on death penalty The swift execution of 15 men in one day raised controversy in Jordan, and some analysts view this move as a message that the kingdom is actively fighting terrorists. Jordan
Palestinians ask where their state comptroller report is Palestinians hope to have an active control bureau to investigate the political and even military failures of Palestinian parties and leaders. Palestine
When will Gaza gas field start operating? The Palestinian Authority is working to accelerate efforts to develop the Gaza Marine gas field, whose production capacity could help solve the energy crisis plaguing Palestinians. Palestine
How Turkey-Iran trade deal collapsed in two years Mutual tariff cuts and the lifting of international sanctions on Iran have failed to contain the decline in Turkish-Iranian trade, hit hard by regional rivalry and political tensions between the two neighbors. Turkey
Egyptian initiative encourages young women to travel the world — alone Launched in 2015, the "Travel with Shee" initiative organizes monthly workshops in Cairo and Alexandria to encourage young Egyptian women to ignore social, family and religious constraints and go see the world. Egypt
Egypt-Fatah tensions come to a head at Cairo airport Egypt denied senior Palestinian official Jibril Rajoub entry into the country, raising concerns about Cairo's support of Mohammed Dahlan as successor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestine
Why Israel arrested Hamas-affiliated MPs in West Bank This week Israel arrested Hamas member of parliament Samira Halaika in an attempt to pressure Hamas into a prisoner exchange deal. Palestine
