A thaw in Turkey’s relations with Egypt? Gulf Cooperation Council reconciliation may have set in motion Ankara’s desire for a reset with Cairo. Egypt
Biden's deputy secretary of state nominee OK'd by Senate committee The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved moving Wendy Sherman's nomination to the full Senate, with some Democrats and Republicans who had disagreed with her on the Iran deal voting to confirm her anyway. United States
Biden's CIA nominee stresses China over Iran during Senate hearing Ambassador William Burns said that China is the biggest challenge for the United States, but that Iran and Russia cannot be overlooked. Regional
Post-COVID Mideast economies look to the Gulf and Egypt The region took a hard hit from the pandemic, and it’s far from over, but Egypt and Saudi Arabia are managing better than expected. Regional
How Iraqis view Iran’s influence in their country Iranian statements on the role of Iraqi armed groups in protecting Iranian national interests are a violation of Iraq’s national sovereignty, Iraqi officials say. Iraq
Mattis' Mideast trip holds promise, reality check for Israel The US defense secretary's visit to Israel is expected to strengthen an already solid relationship while making sure both parties are on the same page. Egypt
How Iran's military strategy against IS may backfire While Iran’s security services have managed to thwart Islamic State attacks on the domestic front, Salafi jihadi ideology appears to be spreading in the country’s Sunni regions. Iraq
Sinai festival tackles Egyptian issues through theater The second annual Sharm el-Sheikh International Festival for Youth featured theater performances covering topical issues in Egypt such as illegal immigration, the Islamic State, terrorism and war. Egypt
Turkey recruits youth hackers to boost cybersecurity Increasingly susceptible to cyberattacks, Turkey is recruiting former hackers and tech-savvy citizens for training in cyber affairs, but some worry the Turkish government will use these new capabilities to monitor its own citizens. Turkey
Iraq’s Sunnis eye post-IS future under regional cover Under Arab and international sponsorship, Iraq’s Sunni leaders recently attended a conference in Turkey to discuss the future of Sunnis in post-IS Iraq, with the conference sparking Shiite outrage and dissent among other Sunni officials opposed to the Turkish role in Iraq. Iraq
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
Will Saudi Arabia allow Pakistani general to command military alliance? It remains unclear whether Pakistan's Gen. Raheel Sharif will be offered, or take up, the position of supreme commander of the Saudi-led "Islamic military alliance." Saudi Arabia
Why Arab leaders cannot replace legitimate Palestinian ones The Trump-Netanyahu love fest that was broadcast around the world doesn’t bode well for Palestinians or for any possible peaceful breakthrough. Gulf
How these artists are working to fight extremism in the Mideast A group of artists came together at the International Artists Gathering in Fez, Morocco, to generate strategies for a counterattack that points creativity to a social purpose and fights fire with artistic expression. Morocco
Trump follows predecessors in slowing Israel embassy move Overshadowed by his unorthodox campaign promises, new US President Donald Trump, in his first days in office, has followed convention elsewhere in slowing down his pledge to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Israel
After Aleppo victory, what's next for Hezbollah? With recent military victories in the Syrian war, Hezbollah has consolidated its political power and influence in Lebanon as well as in the greater region. Lebanon