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
Belly dancer runs for Egyptian parliament seat Egyptian belly dancer Sama El Masry is an official candidate in the upcoming parliamentary elections, stirring outrage among conservative Egyptians who find her art offensive. Egypt
Hamas expands international outreach Recent meetings between Hamas and international figures suggest that ties are deepening between the movement and Western diplomats, who are quietly meeting to discuss Gaza’s future, the reconciliation with Fatah and a proposed truce with Israel. Palestine
On Iran deal, Republicans cut off their nose to spite their face A letter written by 47 Republican senators to the Iranian government highlights the deepening divide in US Congress on the pending Iran nuclear agreement. Congress
Lawmakers see Iran's rise as key concern in fight against IS Republicans focus on Tehran in first hearing since Tikrit offensive. Iraq
Rafsanjani supporters upbeat despite another election defeat Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani suffers another political defeat, though his supporters remain upbeat. Iran
Turkey's official Islamic body extends influence abroad Turkey’s giant Directorate of Religious Affairs, which runs the country’s 85,000 mosques and employs 122,000 people, has assumed an increasingly active role in the government’s foreign policy. Turkey
Israel should be wary of Hamas' truce proposal The dire situation in Gaza has apparently prompted Hamas' political leaders to offer Israel a long-term cease-fire, but the dominance of the movement's military wing casts doubt on such a truce holding. Palestine
How Iranian women are using Sharia to their benefit Given the important role that religion plays in Iran, Iranian women are working within the system to gain rights and achieve equality. Iran
Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia inch toward resolving Nile dam crisis During the closed negotiations held in Khartoum, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia agreed on a plan to find technical solutions to the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Egypt fears threatens its share of the Nile. Egypt
Why is Israel still blind to settler violence against Palestinians? Despite resolutions by Israeli administrations to adopt the 2003 Road map for Peace and the Sason report on illegal West Bank outposts, settler violence against Palestinians continues unabated. Palestine
Did Erdogan undermine Gul? Turks question why President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it would be good for former President Abdullah Gul to run for parliament. Turkey
Rouhani adviser denies he called for Iran's return to empire President Hassan Rouhani's Ethnic and Religious Minorities adviser had called for a union between the countries bordering Iran, to wide criticism in the Arab-language media. Iran
