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
What happened to the Abu Dhabi Film Festival? The Abu Dhabi Film Festival has been unexpectedly canceled, begging questions about the reasons behind the decision and its impact on the film industry in the region. United Arab Emirates
Hezbollah courts media outlets Hezbollah gave the media a tour of parts of western Syria after seizing territory previously held by Jabhat al-Nusra. Lebanon
GCC official: Camp David 'exceeded' expectations A senior Arab official says the Gulf Cooperation Council is pleased at US assurances of a “strategic partnership” and calls on Iran to “modify its behavior” toward the region in the wake of a likely nuclear deal. Regional
Hamas courts Saudis Hamas is seeking a rapprochement with Saudi Arabia to improve its leverage in Palestinian reconciliation talks, which might not please Egypt, which has long brokered the discussions, or Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas. Gulf
Saudi re-reshuffle turning point for relations with Tehran King Salman's recent reshuffling of key positions and statements by the grand mufti and Iran's supreme leader point to strife between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Gulf
Saudi palace intrigue sparks speculation Saudi King Salman's unprecedented personnel changes and other moves have many wondering what might come next from the House of Saud. Gulf
Iraq, Syria crises cost billions for Turkey The amount Turkey has paid for the Iraqi and Syrian crises in the last four years has reached over $16 billion. Turkey
Will Iran review bill survive Senate? A look at the Middle East issues Congress will be addressing the week of April 27. Regional
Khamenei criticizes Saudi airstrikes, nuclear agreement In addition to opposing recent Saudi strikes on Yemen, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei voiced dissatisfaction with the recent Iran nuclear talks milestone, expressing skepticism that coming talks will result in adequate sanctions relief. Saudi Arabia
Yemen war fuels Iraqi sectarianism Operation Decisive Storm has stirred different positions within the Iraqi religious and political circles, be they Sunnis or Shiites. Gulf
Mistrust blinds Netanyahu to regional openings The dangers Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu perceives in the region obstruct his ability to see opportunities favorable to Israel. Gulf
Saudi Arabia gets bipartisan backing for Yemen airstrikes Lawmakers are lining up behind the US ally despite fears of another sectarian proxy war. Saudi Arabia