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
Lobbying 2015: Turkey resents America’s love story with the Kurds The United States and Turkey are finding ways to work together in Syria and Iraq despite Washington’s growing concerns with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s authoritarian streak. Syria
Lobbying 2015: Iraq turns to US to keep country together Iraq launched a massive lobbying push two years ago to convince the US not to let the country fall apart. With the Islamic State finally on the defensive, are Kurdish dreams of independence the next target? Iraq
Gaza money traders profit from dollar-shekel exchange rate manipulations Gazans are calling for tighter monitoring by the authorities over money traders, who they believe are manipulating dollar-shekel exchange rates to their advantage. Palestine
Will nuke deal open door to Iranian military assistance to Lebanon? The Iranian nuclear agreement has removed a major obstacle to Tehran's offer of military assistance to Lebanon, but government dysfunction in Beirut remains a stumbling block. Lebanon
Few dengbejs remain to sing Kurdish stories In the old city of Diyarbakir, a dengbej house was established for the few remaining Kurdish storytellers to gather and try to keep their tradition alive, although younger generations are resorting to pop culture to convey the people’s suffering. Syria
Suffering in silence, Sudanese refugees now migrating from Egypt Egypt’s Sudanese refugee community looks to the Mediterranean as a way out of the intimidation and corruption they face in Egypt. Egypt
As terror attacks continue, Iraqi government prioritizes nightclub raids The ongoing attacks against nightclubs and liquor stores in Baghdad suggest an alliance between religious currents and the Iraqi government. Iraq
AIPAC chooses sides: Picks Bibi over own supporters, US Jews AIPAC and other Jewish organizations have chosen to fight the Iranian nuclear agreement, even though the majority of American Jews support the agreement and despite the growing damage to Israel-US relations. Israel
Despite paying taxes, many Jerusalemites still without basic services The Jerusalemites residing in the areas outside the Israeli West Bank barrier suffer from a lack of basic services, which the Jerusalem municipality is supposed to offer in return for the taxes residents pay. Palestine
Iran's Basij lash out at nuclear deal While President Rouhani has not faced severe criticism over the nuclear deal from Principlists and even IRGC commanders, some members of the Basij are voicing their opposition Iran
Critics say Suez Canal project falls short of expectations An extension to the existing Suez Canal is set to be inaugurated Aug. 6, but some experts and civil society members say the project could have done a better job capitalizing on Egypt’s resources. Egypt
Lobbying 2015: Israel collides with White House over Iran America’s historically bipartisan pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, has launched a $20 million campaign to kill an Iran deal that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly decried as a “bad deal” for Israel. Israel
