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
Brother of executed Saudi cleric says Nimr is 'martyr against injustice' In an interview with Al-Monitor, Mohammed al-Nimr, the brother of the Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, who was executed by Saudi Arabia, speaks about his family’s reaction, responses inside and outside Saudi Arabia and the fate of his brother’s body. Gulf
First the Middle East, now Central Asia slipping away from Turkey Having lost influence in the Middle East, Turkey finds itself increasingly isolated from Central Asia and the Caucasus after its dust-up with Russia in Syria. Turkey
Congress seeks to punish countries that fail to hinder foreign fighters The House Foreign Affairs panel will vote this week on a plan to combat international travel by terrorists. Jordan
Obama bemoans 'unspeakable violence' against Mideast Christians US President Barack Obama condemns the persecution of Christians by the Islamic State. Gulf
Are mutual feelings of isolation pushing Turkey, Israel closer? It remains unclear whether Ankara’s attempts to normalize ties with Israel represents a new orientation in Turkey’s foreign policy. Near East
Who kidnapped Hannibal Gadhafi, and why? The mysterious kidnapping of Hannibal Gadhafi in Lebanon has raised numerous scenarios about the motives behind the operation. Egypt
Iraqis dive deeper into sectarianism Regional conflicts and shifting alliances since 2003 have led many Iraqis to view every development through a sectarian lens. Iraq
How to help Libya … before it’s too late The Islamic State is gaining ground in Libya, already having seized control of Sirte, an hour's flight from southern Europe. Libya
What's the one thing that Arabs, Turks and Iranians can all agree on? Majorities in eight Muslim countries blame “corrupt, repressive and unrepresentative governments” and wrong-headed religious leaders for the rise of extremist groups such as the Islamic State. Congress
Are Turkey, Saudi Arabia pressuring Jordan on terror blacklist? Jordan has been tasked with overseeing which groups fighting in Syria are designated as terrorist organizations, but its mission is complicated by alliances in the region. Saudi Arabia
Khamenei uses Tehran gas summit to slam US In meetings with world leaders, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned about US goals in the Middle East and Latin America. Regional
Will downing of Russia warplane thwart France’s efforts for broader anti-IS coalition? Turkey’s downing of a Russian warplane threatens to complicate French efforts to bolster closer Western coordination with Moscow in combating IS. Iraq