Power struggle in Iraqi Kurdistan on hold as Talabani brothers prevail Patriotic Union of Kurdistan co-chair Lahur Talabani has been peacefully ousted, and Ankara is clearly happy about the turn of events. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Abu Dhabi returns to partial lockdown against COVID-19 variants Beginning Monday, movement will be restricted from midnight to 5 a.m. and public spaces will operate at limited capacity. By Al-Monitor Staff
Erdogan seeks to salvage Kurdish support as poll numbers sag Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Turkey’s largest Kurdish-majority city is seen as a sign of his recognition of how crucial the Kurdish vote will be in his bid for reelection in the next polls. By Mahmut Bozarslan
Has Erdogan achieved his goal to build his 'New Turkey'? As Turkey marks the fifth anniversary of the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt, the putsch has served as a founding myth for Erdogan’s "New Turkey." By Cengiz Candar
Israeli soccer club calls off match with Barcelona in Jerusalem Faced with pressure by pro-Palestinian elements, Barcelona preferred having its soccer game against Beitar Jerusalem canceled, rather than play in Jerusalem. By Afif Abu Much In Baqa al-Gharbiyye, reporting on business and tech
Egypt disappointed by Russian stance on Nile dam dispute Some Egyptians call for reassessing relations with Russia after it failed to back Egypt's view on Ethiopia's Nile dam at the Security Council this month, although overall ties remain strong. By Amr Emam
Ahead of Bennett’s Washington visit, Israel prepares 'Raisi file' Ahead of the trip of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to the United States, Israel’s security agencies are preparing a personal, revealing file on Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Biden looks to help get Jordan-Israel ties back on track King Abdullah II will be the first Arab leader to meet with US President Joe Biden on July 19. By Osama Al Sharif
US military presence in spotlight after Baghdad meeting The US military has no orders to withdraw from Iraq, officials say, following meeting of White House Middle East Coordinator with Iraqi Prime Minister. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Microsoft says Israeli company's malware used to hack dissidents, activists Microsoft said around half of the victims were located in the Palestinian territories, and many of the remaining targets were based in the Middle East. By Al-Monitor Staff
Facebook says Iranian hackers spied on US military personnel using fake accounts The social media company said the hackers baited targets into clicking on malicious links that would infect their devices with malware. By Al-Monitor Staff
Grand ayatollah warns against Iran's Taliban approach The rare criticism came as the Iranian establishment is accused of attempting to canonize the Taliban amid shifting regional dynamics. By Al-Monitor Staff
Iraq's Kurdistan Region detects first case of Delta variant Several Middle Eastern governments have instituted measures aimed at mitigating the spread of COVID-19 variants recently. By Al-Monitor Staff
Syrian government shelling in Idlib kills 9, including 3 children Syria's last rebel stronghold has seen an uptick in government attacks, with at least 10 children killed in the past two weeks. By Al-Monitor Staff
Kremlin's vaccine diplomacy finds trouble in Middle East Deliveries of Russia's Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine are as controversial as the vaccine itself. By Anton Mardasov
Hariri steps down as prime minister-designate after dispute with president Lebanon has been without a government for nearly a year as the economic crisis in the country worsens. By Al-Monitor Staff