Iran FM holds Damascus meeting en route to Ankara Iran and Turkey’s foreign ministers will meet in Ankara tomorrow following the Iranian diplomat’s visit with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, raising speculation that he may be carrying messages from Damascus. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
University graduates swell Turkey’s army of jobless More than a fourth of Turkey’s 4.7 million unemployed are graduates of higher education — an alarming trend that reflects not only the country’s economic downturn, but its faltering university system. By Mustafa Sonmez In Istanbul, reporting on economics
US sticks Iraq in middle by calling Iran's IRGC terrorists Iraqis are divided on the recent US action against Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as some back Iran while others fear that a US-Iran conflict will engulf Iraq. By Hamdi Malik
Shtayyeh government to focus on economy of resistance New Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh is trying to connect with the Palestinian people to prepare them for austerity measures to withstand the economic pressure being exerted by Israel and the United States. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Despite lifting ban, Egyptian commodities still absent in Sudanese market Analysts believe the delay in enforcing the decision to lift the ban on the export of Egyptian products to Sudan is due to economic reasons, in light of the current changes and events ongoing in the country. By Amira Sayed Ahmed
Netanyahu facing greater ultra-Orthodox political appetite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have a hard time finding common ground between the large ultra-Orthodox bloc in the Knesset and secular hard-liner Avigdor Liberman. By Danny Zaken In Ma'ale HaHamisha, reporting on Israel
What does timing of Lavrov’s visit to Cairo mean? Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and other officials during his visit to Cairo, focusing on political, economic and security ties between the two countries. By Hagar Hosny
Will new Sudanese regime stop arms flow to Gaza? The toppled regime of Sudanese leader Omar al-Bashir had turned a blind eye to the smuggling of weapons through Sudan to Gaza, and Hamas is hoping that any successor government will adopt a similar attitude. By Ahmad Abu Amer
Why Israelis lost faith in rail service A sudden halt in train service throughout Israel stranded thousands of commuters, who have lost all faith in the country’s rail system amid an escalating conflict between its management and the labor union. By Mordechai Goldman
Will Israeli left unite after election defeat? The resounding defeat of the Israeli left at the April 9 elections must serve as a wakeup call for lifting the banner of real equality among all Israelis along with a respectful and serious dialogue to end the Palestinian conflict. By Akiva Eldar
Can Russia, Iran, China agree on division of roles in Syria reconstruction? Moscow, Tehran and Beijing are all vying for a piece of the Syrian reconstruction business, but will they be able to divide their interests civilly, or are they doomed to rivalry? By Igor A. Matveev
Turkish election board disqualifies pro-Kurdish mayors in southeast While Turkey awaits an official decision in the Istanbul mayor's race, electoral authorities void HDP victories in Diyarbakir and elsewhere in the southeast. By Jasper Mortimer
US to ask Syrian Kurds to let Turkish forces through the door The United States is requesting numerous concessions from its Kurdish allies in Syria, but the Kurds are pushing back. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
How Egypt views turmoil in neighboring Sudan Egypt backs Sudanese president's removal; Egyptian activists hope Sudan's change of command will go better than their country's did. By Shahira Amin
Why Iranian authorities failed to minimize flood damage While the extent of the recent floods in Iran would have been difficult to manage for most countries in the world, the impact of mismanagement on the part of the Iranian authorities has been so extreme that the disaster has been referred to as “man-made.” By Bijan Khajehpour In Vienna, reporting on Iranian politics
Debate emerges as Iraqi forces enter Iran to aid flood relief The presence of Iraqi forces in Iran set off an online debate about the role of foreign fighters inside Iran. By Al-Monitor Staff