WHO regional director says COVID-19 threat far from over, despite vaccine progress In a lengthy interview with Al-Monitor, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Ahmed al-Mandhari warns the coronavirus "remains a cause for concern," as he discussed his organization’s efforts to help the countries of the region cope with the pandemic. Gulf
The long road to post-COVID economic recovery in the Middle East Indicators show that economic recovery across the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf following the coronavirus pandemic may take longer and more effort than initially thought. Gulf
Intel: Why Russia is getting involved in Mideast COVID-19 fight Syria has requested assisted from Moscow to fight the coronavirus outbreak, as Russia implements a campaign to cultivate its image as a "caring power," approaching Middle East leaders to work together against the spread of the virus. Near East
Why is Netanyahu reviving Palestinians' ‘willing relocation’? Past attempts to encourage Palestinians to voluntarily emigrate have always failed, so time and effort would be better invested in reaching an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement than pursuing a new push by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Gaza residents to voluntarily move elsewhere. Near East
Russian Subbotniks dream of coming to Israel After joining the Jewish people two centuries ago, the Subbotnik community feels that Israel should recognize them as Jews and enable them to immigrate. Countries
Turkish town gets ready to smell the roses The Turkish town of Isparta is in the midst of this year's rose harvest, a flower the Ottomans revered for its fragrance, taste and medicinal qualities. Countries
Russia remains unconcerned by Trump's anti-Iran rhetoric US President Donald Trump tells the Saudis what they want to hear, but Russian experts don't expect him to renege on the Iran deal. Saudi Arabia
Ankara not backing down from Iraq intervention A week after announcing an end to operations in Syria, Turkey announced that it plans to launch a military operation in Iraq against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in Sinjar, a move guaranteed to outrage the Baghdad government. Near East
Tillerson defends White House proposal to cut State budget Secretary of State Rex Tillerson defended the White House’s proposal to slash the State Department budget by almost 30%, a move that could have serious repercussions on Middle East diplomacy. Near East
Russia rushes to fill possible void left by Trump in Middle East The Palestinian ambassador to Moscow tells Al-Monitor that Russia considers the Middle East its vital sphere of interest. Near East
Will PA, Jordan seek out closer relations? A recent meeting of Palestinian Authority and Jordanian officials could set up a path to rapprochement. Near East
Jordan faces tough path ahead as next Arab summit host Jordan will face a number of diplomatic challenges in March at the Arab League summit meeting in Amman. Gulf
Putin lays out Moscow’s new Mideast strategy A new foreign policy strategy document released by Russia includes a comprehensive section on the Middle East — but will there be a shift in Moscow’s priorities in the region? Gulf
Who is responsible for destruction of Iraq's cultural heritage? Iraqi leaders have not only failed to protect the nation's cultural heritage, but have also contributed to its destruction by demolishing historic homes and landmarks. Near East
Is the Israeli Defense Ministry's new Arabic website a waste? Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman decided to spend 10 million shekels ($2.6 million) on a new website in Arabic that is supposed to spread messages to the Palestinians and the Arab world. Near East
From Cairo to California: Meet the Arab world’s super-agent By establishing talent agency CAT, Egyptian producer and film director Amr Koura hopes to bridge the cultural gap between the Arab world and the West. Near East
