Under Erdogan's pressure, Ankara mayor resigns after 23 years Melih Gokcek is stepping down from his position as Ankara's mayor after 23 years, following a weekslong standoff with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Turkey
How new joint US-GCC sanctions will impact Qatar crisis After Qatar joined Saudi Arabia and the United States in imposing new sanctions on individuals suspected of financing terror groups in Yemen, it will be harder for the GCC states involved in the blockade of Qatar to make their case to Washington. Saudi Arabia
Netanyahu designing new Jerusalem borders The Greater Jerusalem bill and the Jerusalem proposal by Minister Zeev Elkin risk angering the Trump administration while laboring on its peace initiative. Palestine
Egyptian feminist band gives voice to country's women All-female band Bnt Al Masarwa is turning the oppression of Egyptian women into songs to raise awareness of their discrimination. Egypt
US pressure kills 'Greater Jerusalem bill' Pressure by the Trump administration caused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to suspend his Greater Jerusalem bill. Palestine
BDS guidelines ensnare award-winning Palestinian actor A screening of the film “The Insult,” for which a Palestinian won a coveted acting award, was canceled in Ramallah because the film's director had worked in Israel on his previous movie. Palestine
Will Gaza, West Bank merge security forces? Fatah and Hamas are seeking to overcome the obstacles to reconciliation, namely the problems related to security services and Hamas-appointed employees. Palestine
Delegation inspects Renaissance Dam in first Egyptian visit Representatives of the Egyptian Ministry of Water and Irrigation visited Ethiopia's in-progress Renaissance Dam to verify no water is being stored there yet, but anxiety continues over an overdue technical report on the project's impacts. Egypt
How Netanyahu's plan to lower electoral threshold could backfire Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is promoting lowering the Knesset electoral threshold to prevent wasted votes on the Israeli right, but not everybody on the right is on board with the plan. Israel
Turkey tightens siege on Afrin Turkey is closing in on the Kurdish stronghold of Afrin in northern Syria. Syria
Putin resets Iraqi energy landscape as Barzani steps aside Russian moves maximize leverage as US stumbles on Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units; Massoud Barzani resigns as Kurdistan Region president; Syria and Russia take initiative with regard to local governance in Syria. Iraq
Why did Erdogan sacrifice Kurdish vote? Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, having lost his last Kurdish "brother" Massoud Barzani, explores other ways to compensate for the Kurdish vote. Turkey
Turkey pays informants to target most wanted terrorists Al-Monitor looks into the success of Turkey's 2-year-old program that pays informants for tips that help eliminate illegal organizations operating in the country. Turkey
Istanbul’s housing sector in turmoil The increase in housing prices in Istanbul has fallen below both the inflation rate and the increase in construction costs, signaling serous trouble for a sector that has long been a driving force of the Turkish economy. Turkey
Mounting calls to form 'national salvation government' in Iraqi Kurdistan Amid the rejection of the two main parties, opposition parties in the Kurdistan Region are calling for a so-called government of national salvation. Iraq
Historic Boeing-IranAir deal at risk amid claims of IRGC use Charges that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps may use Boeing jets in its operations put the US aircraft maker’s landmark deal with IranAir at risk. United States
