Jordan, Syria reopen border Jordan hopes to make up for lost time as a key border crossing with Syria reopens for the first time since the Syrian civil war erupted in 2011. By Osama Al Sharif
Egypt celebrates new airport servicing Giza Plateau Egypt's new Sphinx International Airport promises to facilitate travel in Giza as tourism further rebounds in the area. By Salwa Samir In Giza, reporting on politics
Iraq's PMU militia wants its own soccer club The Popular Mobilization Units, an Iraqi military organization, seek to enter the world of sports by establishing a club to compete in official soccer events. By Mustafa Saadoun
What's next for Israel: early elections or war in Gaza? With early elections expected and rumblings on Israel's border with Gaza, the opposition appears unable to come together to present a credible alternative to the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Palestinian property transfers to settlers anger Jerusalemites The recent transfer of a Palestinian-owned property in the Old City of Jerusalem to settlers caused anger in the Palestinian territories, as the seller and buyer exchange accusations. By Ahmad Melhem In Ramallah, reporting on politics
Iran sets sights on Syrian reconstruction projects Iran is ready to help rebuild Syria, and seems especially interested in getting the power back up and running, but restructuring projects will remain stalled until a political solution is reached. By Mohammad Bassiki
India, Iran or Turkey: Iraqi students look abroad for post-grad studies Stiff competition for a very limited number of seats at public universities and high fees at private institutions are pushing Iraqi students to pursue post-graduate studies abroad. By Sara al-Qaher
Egyptians outraged by wedding photos as ancient sites tapped for revenue Egypt's cash-strapped Ministry of Antiques is making money from renting out historical venues, but the public is less than pleased with archaeological venues being used for private events. By Hani Sameer
Rouhani touts meeting with top economists on containing crisis Iran's president held a meeting with the country's top economists to discuss the ongoing crisis, but some hard-liners have lambasted the secrecy surrounding the talks. By Al-Monitor Staff
Pompeo heads to Turkey as Saudis change Khashoggi tune US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is headed for Ankara, where he will likely brief Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his talks with Saudi leaders on the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
IRGC masses troops on Iraq border amid rising tensions with Kurdish groups The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is beefing up its control of Iran’s border with Iraqi Kurdistan a month after its missile strike on the headquarters of the main armed Iranian Kurdish opposition group. By Fazel Hawramy (Iran Pulse)
Is Erdogan aiming to end Turkey’s dream of EU membership? Calling for a referendum on whether Ankara should end its bid for EU membership could shore up domestic political support for Erdogan ahead of crucial local elections in March 2019. By Semih Idiz
Egypt promotes government bonds on international tour Egypt is marketing its treasury bonds in Europe and Asia, though some analysts worry that expanding foreign debt will negatively affect the local economy. By Menna A. Farouk
Can Libya’s tribes help solve crisis? In an interview with Al-Monitor, the head of the Supreme Council of the Tuareg Tribes, Mawlay Qudeidi, speaks about the clashes between rival militias in Tripoli, the security situation and illegal immigration in the south, as well as the elections pushed for by the United Nations. By George Mikhail