After Jordan, Emirates also furious with Netanyahu Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not only managed to get into a diplomatic row with Jordan, he also succeeded in angering the Emiratis. Israel
Iran operating new advanced centrifuges, nuclear watchdog finds According to an International Atomic Energy Agency report, Iran is now using IR-4 centrifuges to enrich uranium in violation of the nuclear accord. Iran
Lawsuit filed to close pro-Kurdish party after lawmaker stripped of parliamentary seat Omer Faruk Gergerlioglu, a pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party deputy known to focus on human rights abuses, was stripped of his parliament seat and a lawsuit was filed to close the party March 17. Turkey
Netanyahu courts Arab voters as 'Abu Yair' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adopted a new strategy for the Arab public: cynically rebranding himself as "Abu Yair." Israel
Why the PA wants to stay on good terms with Qatar The Qatari ambassador to Palestine stayed in the Gaza Strip for three weeks, holding banquets, visiting various institutions and making donations, with mixed reactions from Palestinian factions. Qatar
Iraq mulls post-IS role for PMU The Iraqi government is moving to place the Popular Mobilization Units under the control of the prime minister, though some insist that the sectarian force must be dissolved after the Islamic State is defeated. Iraq
Freedom of the press: Palestine's journalists call for action Although President Mahmoud Abbas recently reiterated that freedom of the press is absolute in Palestine, the executive branch has carried on with its abuses against journalists, in a flagrant contradiction between what's being said and what's actually happening. Palestine
Why were 3,000 Gazans excluded from Qatari grant to pay salaries? Hamas is accusing the Ramallah government of tampering with the list of Gazan government workers who were supposed to receive payment as part of a recent grant from Qatar. Qatar
Egyptian authorities ban social media satire pages Egyptian satirists and the public figures they mock play a cat-and-mouse game on the internet. Egypt
Iraqi militias aspire to be like Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units consider themselves as an "alternative" state institution, like the IRGC; Russia-Turkey "reset" stumbles on Syria; United States and Russia need to conclude agreement on Syria. Iraq
What's behind meeting between Italian ambassador, prominent leader of Iraq's PMU? The Italian ambassador to Baghdad official meets with the secretary-general of the League of the Righteous movement, Qais al-Khazali, which reads as clear support for Shiite militias in Iraq. Iraq
US elections 2016: Why we shouldn’t count Trump out Here’s what happened on the campaign trail the week of Aug. 15. United States
Egypt’s state TV under fire after suspending anchorwomen until they shed pounds Despite once being a victim of discrimination herself, the head of an Egyptian broadcasters' union has forced eight female public employees off the air, demanding they lose weight. Egypt
Saudis expect little from next US leader As the regional security situation deteriorates around them, the Saudis are not optimistic about either candidate for the US presidency, with Hillary Clinton likely to continue current policies and Donald Trump a frightening wild card. Saudi Arabia
Why some think this former Israeli PM is planning a comeback Accusations by former Prime Minister Ehud Barak against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu might be part of Barak's political comeback strategy. Israel
11 years on, have Gazans failed to invest in liberated areas? More than a decade after Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, the liberated lands remain mostly empty, with analysts urging the Palestinian Land Authority to optimize the use and cultivation of these lands. Palestine
