New Egyptian health care initiative: Help or hoax? Egyptians are asking whether the ministry charged with law enforcement and security can be a credible health care provider to the public. By Amr Mostafa
Syrian opposition arresting those who promote reconciling with regime Free Syrian Army factions and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in northern Syria have launched a security campaign against so-called spies for the regime and advocates of reconciliation in opposition-held areas. By Khaled al-Khateb
Abbas tightens grip on Palestinian governmental bodies Some Palestinian factions claim President Mahmoud Abbas' recent appointments for Executive Committee posts show that he is tightening his grip on the PLO. By Ahmad Melhem In Ramallah, reporting on politics
Tunisian parties begin premature electoral race In light of the breakthrough achieved by female candidates in Tunisia’s municipal elections, women are hoping the 2019 presidential election will also witness more female participation. By Mohamed Ali Ltifi
Without conscription, will Israel's Arab citizens ever obtain equal rights? The relative contribution of Arab Israelis to the shaping of Israeli culture, economy and science is more significant than that of their Druze neighbors, yet Israeli Jewish society refuses to acknowledge it. By Akiva Eldar
Iranian MPs, activists lobby to force government to hire young managers An initiative to compel the Iranian government to start hiring younger staff for managerial positions appears to be gaining steam. By Maysam Bizaer
Gaza’s aspiring female artists drop paint brushes for solid jobs Young female artists in Gaza are finding themselves stuck between economic woes and social constraints, leading many to forgo their passion to paint. By Amer Balousha
Will Israel get its first ultra-Orthodox woman lawmaker? Israeli ultra-Orthodox women are fed up with the exclusion from national politics, and are challenging the religious parties that prevent women from joining. By Danny Zaken In Ma'ale HaHamisha, reporting on Israel
US hopes new sanctions fuel Iran protests The US administration said it hoped that renewed economic sanctions on Iran going into effect Tuesday will spur Iranian protests and pressure the regime to accept Donald Trump’s offer for talks. By Laura Rozen
Turkey remains defiant in row with US over pastor as deal falls through A possible deal to end the US-Turkish row over an American pastor detained in Izmir appears to have failed after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan heaped additional demands on an agreement. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Syria's Kurds cautiously progress in talks with Damascus According to the former head of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, Salih Muslim, a recent Kurdish delegation to Damascus didn’t go into the talks with red lines, but rather focused on building confidence. By Fehim Tastekin In Paris, reporting on Turkish politics
How regional politics is restraining Kurdish militancy in Iran While some Iranian Kurdish armed opposition groups are intent on raising the heat on Iran amid ongoing US pressure, other groups are careful not to enter a conflict that may spiral out of control. By Fazel Hawramy (Iran Pulse)
Turkey’s economy struggles with new political reality Turkey’s economic downturn has only grown worse since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan assumed sweeping new powers after the June polls, as some observers fear that the economy might not be Ankara’s primary concern. By Mustafa Sonmez In Istanbul, reporting on economics
Zarif says US primary goal is to ‘create chaos’ in Iran Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif believes Iran can weather the storm of US sanctions. By Al-Monitor Staff
Culture alert: Music mixed with history in August Some of the August festivals in the Middle East take place in spectacular settings, from Cairo to Byblos to Troy. By Nazlan Ertan In Izmir, reporting on culture
Is Israel's Mossad expanding scope of secret assassinations? The killing of a Syrian missile-engineer, widely attributed to the Mossad, is likely meant to serve as a message that the lives of those developing weapons against Israel are in danger. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense