Is Erdogan's airport dream turning into nightmare? The Istanbul New Airport's current and projected damage to ecosystems, its subpar construction and its woeful financial setup is turning the project into a grandiose failure — one that will cost the Turkish public dearly for decades to come. By Pinar Tremblay
Some Iranian Reformists welcome new hard-line judiciary chief Although many Reformists are not likely to be enthusiastic that Ebrahim Raisi has been named as Iran's judiciary chief, some Reformists are welcoming him. By Al-Monitor Staff
Turkey faces growing Kurdish insurgency in Syria's Afrin An investigative journalism site reports that hundreds of violent attacks claimed by several anti-Free Syrian Army groups in Afrin mirror the modus operandi of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). By Amberin Zaman In London, reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Islamic State roots run deep in Middle East discontent There has been a sharp increase in reports that the Islamic State is being eradicated in Syria, but such declarations seem premature. By Metin Gurcan
Yemenis divided over Mideast peace deal, Iran The controversy that ensued after a photo emerged of Yemen's foreign minister sitting next to the Israeli premier in Warsaw indicates that Arab states may be further divided by stances on Iran and a Palestinian-Israeli peace deal. By Ammar al-Ashwal
Iraqi Kurdistan takes aim at gun control The Iraqi Kurdistan Region has given gun owners six months to register their small firearms and give up heavy weapons. By Dana Taib Menmy
Egypt, Turkey vying for clout Turkey has loudly criticized the Egyptian regime, pointing to a growing competition between the two countries for prominence. By Albaraa Abdullah
Russian Industrial Zone in Suez to be launched soon The construction of the Russian Industrial Zone in the new Suez Canal Economic zone is expected to begin soon, in a project that Egypt hopes will boost its economy. By Salwa Samir In Giza, reporting on politics
Will Algerian protesters accept ailing president’s offer for reforms? Against a background of growing dissent, Algeria’s ailing president has confirmed his intention to run in April’s elections; however, whether a commitment to reform and a fresh vote within the year, delivered by proxy, will be enough to quell protest remains uncertain. By Simon Speakman Cordall
Iranian forum looks to address so-called 'sexual crisis' An Iranian media group is sponsoring a series of talks on the taboo subject of sex to deal with the so-called sexual crisis in the country. By Fereshteh Sadeghi
Iraqi artists keep up pottery tradition Iraqi pottery craftsmen fear that their ancient craft will disappear, even though this art is now picked up in academia. By Adnan Abu Zeed
'No money, no marriage' sparks dueling social media campaigns After young Egyptian men launched a campaign to boycott marriage due to the unfulfillable demands of prospective brides' parents, women countered with a campaign of their own in defense of their families. By N.A. Hussein
Zarif’s stock rises with support from Soleimani While Iran’s foreign minister carries the day against hard-liners, Israel hopes to exploit possible cracks in Tehran’s Syria policy. By Week in Review
Israeli ultra-Orthodox journalists in love with Twitter Ultra-Orthodox journalists explain that the use of Twitter opened up their world to the general Israeli society, breaking several stigmas and misunderstandings. By Mordechai Goldman
The campaign to equate anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism Although some acts of anti-Semitism are perpetrated under the guise of anti-Zionism, anti-Zionists, a group that includes some Israelis, are not anti-Semitic despite a definition of anti-Semitism being promoted by the International Alliance for Holocaust Remembrance and Israeli governments under Benjamin Netanyahu. By Yossi Beilin
Turkey’s new Kurdish card in Syria: Kurds themselves A relatively new Kurdish group that doesn't reject relations with Turkey is rising, calling itself the Independent Kurdish Coalition of Syria. By Mahmut Bozarslan