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
Is Abbas using Big Brother policy to threaten opponents? President Mahmoud Abbas seems to be working to punish and pressure his opponents, by halting their monthly stipend and establishing a High Constitutional Court. Palestine
Congress inches closer to handing Pentagon $350 million for Syrian rebels Sen. John McCain signs off on aid request blocked after last year's effort ended in a debacle. Jordan
UN warns of 'catastrophic' breakdown of Syria cease-fire The United Nations warned of a catastrophic breakdown of the Syria cease-fire as the United States said it was outraged by what it initially assessed to be a deliberate Syrian regime airstrike on a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo. Syria
Egypt's writers fear increasing restrictions Egyptian authors are fighting for freedom of expression as the state cracks down on what it calls offending public decency and contempt of religion. Egypt
Who’s to blame for US seizure of $2 billion in Iranian assets? Iran's former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has rejected blame in a US Supreme Court case that ruled Iran's assets of $2 billion can be seized. Iran
Mad love, amnesia or fear? How Erdogan pulls it off President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s political fortunes have not suffered from his contradictions, questionable denials and attacks on opponents. Turkey
How education became an Israeli political tool Education Minister Naftali Bennett and his colleagues from other Orthodox parties know that teaching their ideology to school children will benefit themselves politically in the long run. Israel
Will Syria's Kurds succeed at self-sufficiency? Despite major obstacles and challenges, the Kurds are making efforts to achieve economic self-sufficiency in areas they control in northern Syria. Syria
Will Ankara’s new culture plan lead to more censorship of the arts? In Turkey, where freedom of expression is curtailed, the AKP’s sustainable cultural development program finds little enthusiasm. Turkey
Aid poured into fixing mosques while Gazans live in tents Enormous funds are being funneled into the reconstruction of destroyed mosques in private projects that are directed by the donors themselves, with money Hamas cannot redirect toward housing displaced Gazans. Palestine
Libyan government, parliament enter into standoff Libya's Government of National Accord is yet to get a vote of confidence by the House of Representatives. Libya
Why some Palestinians aren't optimistic about Israel's decision to ease residency restrictions Israel issued a decision allowing some Palestinians living in Jerusalem and the West Bank to reunite with their families in Israeli cities, but security concerns may undermine it. Palestine
