Erdogan's mayor purge leaves almost half of Turkey without elected officials Following a series of expulsions and forced resignations by the Turkish government, tens of millions of Turkish citizens have seen their elected mayors removed from power only to be replaced with government-selected "custodians." By Sibel Hurtas
Turkish prime minister’s family caught up in Paradise Papers leak Popular Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim denies any wrongdoing after his close family members appeared in the Paradise Papers that list companies and individuals who shield their wealth in offshore tax havens. By Ayla Jean Yackley
Russia, Oman size each other up as potential Mideast allies Despite a challenging history, Russia finds common ground with Oman, which sometimes seems the "odd man out" in the Gulf. By Kirill Semenov
Gaza traders, consumers welcome end of double taxation Palestinians in the Gaza Strip hope reconciliation will bring economic relief with the end of Hamas-imposed taxes and fees on top of those paid to the Palestinian Authority on imports. By Hana Salah
Syria conflict takes its toll on Golan Druze While the Syrian war has taken quite a toll on Syrian Druze in the occupied Golan Heights, some of the Druze fear Israel could use them as a pretext for expanding cross-border military moves. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
How Israel's ultra-Orthodox Shas Party lost its way The Shas Party that was once a social and political home for Mizrahi voters is now a sad copy of the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox parties. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Jordanians celebrate sweet success with kanafeh Kanafeh, a Middle Eastern sweet that has its roots in Turkey, has found its way via Palestine to Jordan, where despite the influx of Syrian refugees and a struggling economy pastry shops are thriving. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Hamas rejects return to Israeli involvement in border crossings Hamas strongly opposes the Palestinian Authority's insistence on bringing back the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access at the Rafah crossing, seeing it as tantamount to imposing Israeli and European guardianship on their crossings again. By Ahmad Abu Amer
Israel chooses sides in Syria Israel warned that it would not tolerate attacks on the Syrian Druze town of Hader in the Golan Heights. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Digital archive preserves creative side of Syrian revolution A project called "The Creative Memory of the Syrian Revolution" is building an online archive of artistic expression during the Syrian revolution, posting thousands of cartoons, songs, pictures and other mediums in which Syrians express resistance and hope. By AJ Naddaff
EU push to save Iran deal gets frosty reception on Capitol Hill EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini faced a tough audience with Republicans threatening new sanctions on Iran. By Bryant Harris In Washington, reporting on Congress
Controversy in Iran over headline targeting Dubai A headline perceived as belligerent sparks a broad backlash against the hard-line Iranian daily Kayhan. By Al-Monitor Staff
The other Iranians fighting in Iraq While much focus was on Iranian fighters among the Iraqi forces that retook disputed areas in October, other Iranian fighters played a key role in the other side of the fight. By Fazel Hawramy (Iran Pulse)
Upcoming Putin, Trump talks should prove interesting What is the agenda for the upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin? Trump wants to talk North Korea, but Moscow is seeking a broader, more in-depth conversation on the Middle East. By Maxim A. Suchkov
US resumes visas for Turks ahead of prime minister’s visit Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim will meet with US Vice President Mike Pence this week after a series of detentions and differences over Syria have damaged relations between the traditional allies. By Ayla Jean Yackley
Middle East developments rattle sidelined Ankara Some argue that Ankara has to return to its former position of active neutrality if it is to regain lost influence in the region and contribute to stability. By Semih Idiz