Istanbul’s new airport: a looming black hole Istanbul’s giant new airport, scheduled to partially open in October ahead of key elections next year, has become a headache that threatens to carve a black hole in Turkey’s public finances. By Mustafa Sonmez In Istanbul, reporting on economics
Israeli protest movements fighting for the money: Settlers win, Black Panthers fail A new Israeli television series tells the contradicting stories of two parallel protest movements that erupted in the 1970s: the Black Panther movement with its social protests, and the Gush Emunim settlement movement. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Israeli security forces posing as journalists endanger press An Israeli commando accused of impersonating Israeli journalists to arrest a student on a university campus could make reporters' jobs harder and more dangerous on both sides of the conflict. By Shlomi Eldar
Police video of sex workers causes uproar in Iraqi Kurdistan A video circulated on Kurdish social media showing a police filming of a group of women and men apparently caught in a brothel in Erbil stirred controversy in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region. By Fazel Hawramy (Iraq Pulse)
International prize nomination shines spotlight on West Bank theater Palestine's Al-Harah Theater is one of the 11 finalists for the Ellen Stewart International Award, a prestigious prize for theater companies that promote social change. By Aziza Nofal
Palestinian Museum's digital archive project to preserve heritage A three-year project by the Palestinian Museum will enable Palestinians to find and archive key historical documents. By Ahmad Melhem In Ramallah, reporting on politics
Experts speculate on causes of rising birth defects in Gaza Birth defects have increased in the Gaza Strip, which raises questions about what the reasons might be. By Hana Salah
Thousands forced from Libyan town stopped just short of home Despite an agreement for the return of some 600 families to their hometown of Tawergha after seven years of displacement, delays have left them in yet another makeshift camp just miles from home. By Mohannad Obeid
Jordanian dry yogurt gets sweet deal Omar Sartawi, a Jordanian chef with unorthodox practices, took Bedouin dried yogurt and made it into white chocolate truffles — but the jury is still out on its taste. By Mohammad Ersan
Turkish women take to the streets to demand equality Activists say 15 years of rule by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has eroded women’s rights, even as he has vowed to end domestic violence and strengthen the role of women in Turkish society. By Ayla Jean Yackley
Russia considering course change after new challenges in Syria As Russia's presidential election approaches, Moscow finds itself recently pressured by several negative developments in Syria that are causing it to re-evaluate its strategy there. By Maxim A. Suchkov
Rabbis seek to break monopoly on Israeli kosher certification Tzohar rabbis offer an alternative to restaurants and hotels that want a kosher certification but are fed up with the Chief Rabbinate. By Danny Zaken In Ma'ale HaHamisha, reporting on Israel
Iran dismisses Saudi talk of 'triangle of evil' as 'childish' Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Saudi Arabia of making accusations against Iran to hide its own failures in Yemen. By Al-Monitor Staff
Iran's poorest citizens still waiting for some semblance of parity after 39 years Iranian authorities need to muster the courage and will to tackle fundamental tax and subsidy reforms to remedy the gaping wealth inequality in the country. By Navid Kalhor
The dealmaker: Mueller witness helped broker $4.2 billion Iraq-Russia arms deal Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s latest interest, Lebanese-American businessman George Nader, has a long history of mysterious dealings in the Middle East despite a low profile in Washington. By Laura Rozen
Turkish women's organization looks back on two decades of progress For more than two decades, an organization in Turkey’s mainly Kurdish southeast called KAMER has led the uphill struggle to empower women and challenge often deadly social norms in these patriarchal and war-torn communities. By Mahmut Bozarslan