Trial of Turkey’s opposition leader starts without him in court A court ruled that Selahattin Demirtas, the leader of Turkey’s second-biggest opposition party, could not attend his first hearing in person, increasing concerns his trial may not be fair. By Ayla Jean Yackley
Trump's Jerusalem move may prove blessing for Erdogan While Trump’s Jerusalem statement provided Erdogan an opportunity to present himself as the leader and spokesman of the Muslim world, the move could further polarize the region and destabilize Turkey. By Cengiz Candar
How Mideast turmoil boosts Turkey’s housing market Turkey enjoys a significant increase in real estate purchases by foreigners, but other foreign direct investments are on the decline. By Mehmet Cetingulec
Feijoa fruit makes its debut in Gaza A determined farmer who worked for nearly a decade to grow a fruit new to the Gaza Strip has succeeded. By Rasha Abou Jalal In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Can Israel contain violence after Trump's proclamation? After President Donald Trump's announcement that he recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had no choice but to ensure that Fatah's reconciliation with Hamas succeeds. By Shlomi Eldar
Finance minister takes hit as Israelis protest effort to shield Netanyahu Kulanu head and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon is paying a price at the polls for the recommendations law, though the bill was advanced by the Likud to benefit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
After decades of suppression, Baha'is celebrate publicly in Baghdad Baha'is are celebrating a religious event publicly in Baghdad for the first time in their history in Iraq, as they gathered to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of Baha’i faith founder Baha'u'llah. By Saad Salloum
Mystery surrounds former Egyptian premier's return to Cairo Former Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq returned to Cairo from the UAE after announcing his intention to run in the upcoming presidential elections, yet questions remain surrounding his return. By Khalid Hassan
Will Palestinian Authority revamp PLO? For Palestinian reconciliation to succeed, the PLO may have to make substantial changes to draw in Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. By Ismail Abdel Hadi
The next battle in Syria With the war on the Islamic State winding down, other tensions in Syria are dialing up as Israel and Turkey worry over forces amassing on their borders. By Mona Alami
Palestinians ponder who may run for president next year Although the reconciliation process is moving slowly, a busy electoral season awaits the Palestinian territories, during which each of many parties might field their own candidate or end up forming electoral alliances. By Adnan Abu Amer
Islamic Jihad comes under fire for allegedly undermining reconciliation While Fatah's Central Committee member Azzam al-Ahmad lashed out at the Islamic Jihad and Iran, the movement denied the accusation of hindering the reconciliation. By Ahmad Abu Amer
The UAE's 'alternative GCC' With no solution to the Qatar-GCC crisis in sight, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have formed their own alliance to support their regional foreign policy. By Giorgio Cafiero
Kurds claim Turkish airstrike targeted refugee camp in Iraq Fingers are pointed at Turkey as the dust clears from an explosion that killed five people in an Iraq refugee camp for displaced Kurds. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Jerusalem recognition serves mainly Trump, Netanyahu The Trump administration claims that recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital is just the beginning of a larger strategy for peace, but the US president's complex diplomatic plan may be more of a mirage. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Why is Iranian rial suddenly weakening? Inflation and other factors have caused the Iranian rial to weaken to the point where it now takes more than 40,000 rials to buy a dollar on the free market in Iran. By Bijan Khajehpour In Vienna, reporting on Iranian politics