Archives for January, 2014

Erdogan counts on Karaman’s Islamic counsel

Hayrettin Karaman is the ruling AKP’s Islamic jurist of choice.

Turkey

Iran not doing enough to address drug addiction

Iran needs more drug rehabilitation centers.

Iran

Statements on forming new Iraqi provinces cause uproar

Iraq’s Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Torhan al-Mufti caused an uproar when he made statements that the government had decided to transform two Turkmen-majority districts into provinces, yet the actual governmental decisions left the matter open.

Iraq

Netanyahu seizes chance to put Bennett in his place

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be encouraged by a poll that anticipates 18 mandates for a new party headed by him, if he decides to reshape the Likud Party or form a new coalition.

Palestine

Iraqis divided over new national anthem

Although Saddam Hussein’s regime fell more than a decade ago, Iraqi political disputes have prevented the country from adopting a new national anthem.

Iraq

Netanyahu reveals no intention of settler withdrawal

Against the backdrop of Israeli attempts to blame President Mahmoud Abbas for the failure of the peace talks, a new study recommends immediate steps to separate from the Palestinians, thus preserving Israel’s Jewish-democratic character.

Palestine

New report links Lebanese army to economic stability

A report by the Institute of International Finance says the Lebanese economy can be improved by a return to stability.

Lebanon

Charges dropped against Iranian religious singer who shot at couple

The case against a famous religious singer for shooting at a couple after a car accident has been dropped, raising questions about the perceived immunity of those who work closely with the government.

Iran

Veteran US diplomat tackles Middle East 'mess'

In her first interview since confirmation as Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Anne Patterson tells Al-Monitor that it’s too soon to judge the Geneva II talks, that a breakthrough on Iran or Israeli-Palestinian peace could have profound implications and that US officials are daily reassuring Saudi Arabia about the US-Saudi relationship.

Saudi Arabia

Turkish soccer team head blames Gulenists for jail term

Aziz Yildirim, the popular president of soccer giant Fenerbahce, has pointed to the Gulen movement as being behind his conviction of game-fixing.

Turkey

Egyptian woman attacked in Tahrir Square as police watch, laugh

On the anniversary of Egypt's Day of Rage, an Egyptian woman is subjected to the same police brutality her fellow citizens revolted against three years ago.

Egypt

Egypt cracks down on students

As protests continue at Egyptian universities, the authorities have arrested activists and are working to restrict political activity by students.

Egypt

Former Iraqi PM backs Maliki’s war on al-Qaeda

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, former Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari says the “real world war today is the war of terror."

Iraq

Comparative 'Arab Springs'?

The seemingly inevitable election of Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt and the successful ratification of a viable constitution in Tunisia show two different sides of the "Arab Spring."

Egypt

Egypt’s missing political middle

The answer to Egypt’s political crisis is for the middle class and the country's revolutionaries to build durable secular political alternatives.

Egypt

Iraqi 'Ninth Studio' avoids TV's sectarian divide

Although Iraqi media outlets gained some freedoms post-2003, in the past 10 years much of the country’s media has been highly sectarian, but a few outlets are challenging that stereotype.

Iraq