Turkey needs flexible foreign policy now more than ever Turkey needs to adopt a softer foreign policy to handle the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis it's triggered, but the government's rhetoric makes such a shift highly unlikely. Turkey
'Double disaster' in Yemen as funding runs dry during COVID-19 outbreak In Yemen, where the health care system is dangerously overstretched and aid cuts threaten what remains, health care workers warn the country's battle against the novel coronavirus is only beginning. Yemen
China calls top US diplomat's comments in Israel 'absurd' US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China was not being forthcoming about the coronavirus and critiqued Israel-China ties in Jerusalem this week. Israel
Gulf’s megaprojects face delays, reassessment Saudi Arabia has cut capital expenditure for a number of Vision 2030 projects amid a drop in oil prices and Chinese investment. Will other Gulf states follow suit? Saudi Arabia
Turks celebrate Ramadan under shadow of pandemic From masked drummers to online pide contests, Turks are bringing new twists to Ramadan in the coronavirus era. Turkey
South Yemen in tumult as Yemen government, separatists face off in Abyan Saudi-backed government forces in Yemen launched an offensive in the southern province of Abyan against UAE-backed southern secessionists who declared self-rule in the southern governorates last month. Saudi Arabia
Few Palestinians in Jerusalem covet Israeli citizenship Today, only 15% of Palestinian residents of Jerusalem say they want Israeli rather than Palestinian citizenship, likely a result of support from Turkey, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas. Palestine
Gantz introduces Israel's first female ultra-Orthodox minister Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has tapped legislator Omer Yankelevich as diaspora minister in the new unity government, the first ultra-Orthodox woman to lead a ministry. Israel
Syrian refugees in Jordan build robot to fight coronavirus A group of young Syrians in Jordan’s Zaatari camp designed a sanitizing robot to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Jordan
Drama in Israel’s Knesset: Swearing-in ceremony of new government delayed The national-unity government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has not been established yet, but already suffers from obstacles. Israel
How Jordan’s refusal to extradite a convicted terrorist could imperil $1.5 billion in US aid Conservative Republicans are turning to a new law that could cut Jordan off from as much as $1.5 billion in US assistance unless it agrees to extradite a woman who helped bomb an Israeli restaurant in 2001. Jordan
Intel: US contracts Boeing to build new cruise missiles for Saudi Arabia, Qatar The US Navy awarded Boeing a nearly $2 billion contract Wednesday to provide Saudi Arabia with 650 new land attack cruise missiles, as well as to upgrade existing ones by the end of 2028. Saudi Arabia
US military calls Iranian navy friendly fire incident 'tragic' in statement The US military offers its condolences to Iran, but also criticizes the Islamic Republic for holding the training exercise in a high-traffic body of water, the Gulf of Oman. United States
Palestinian car-ramming suspect shot dead as tensions over West Bank rise The Israeli army says the Palestinian teenager deliberately hit a soldier with his car in a settlement near Hebron. Palestine
Secret operation brings Israelis stranded in Morocco back home In a complicated operation, Israelis stuck in Morocco because of the coronavirus were finally brought home. United Arab Emirates
Syrians held in Turkish prison 'in breach of international law,' advocates say Scores of Syrians detained after Turkey's Operation Peace Spring began in October have been accused of links to the Kurdistan Workers Party and moved to a prison in Sanliurfa, Turkey. Syria
