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
PA needs Arab safety net to overcome Israeli tax freeze The Palestinian Authority said it would not abandon its efforts to join international treaties, despite Israel's decision to freeze the transfer of tax revenues, a step considered a pressure card by Palestinian officials. Palestine
Kurdish peshmerga divisions hamper war effort The majority of Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces are divided between the two main rival political parties, hindering efforts in the fight against the Islamic State. Iraq
Will Paris attacks overshadow quest for Palestinian statehood? President Mahmoud Abbas' constant objection to violence earned him a first-row place among world leaders at the Paris march against terror, but won't guarantee that the Palestinian issue remains a top priority. Palestine
Turkish religious thinker ponders future of Islam Turkey’s veteran religious thinker Levent Gultekin may have a solution for both Islamophobia and Islamic extremism. Turkey
Shiite leaders forbid insults against Sunnis Najaf's Shiite authorities in Iran and Iraq issue fatwas against insults to Sunni figures and their sanctities. Iraq
Egyptian Christians weigh joining Nour Party list A dispute with the Coptic Church over personal status laws and a new electoral law have led some Christians toward running on the Salafist Nour Party list. Egypt
Netanyahu fumbles diplomatic process Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could have seized an opportunity at the Paris march to walk alongside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in a display of unity against terror, but preferred to ignore him and focus on his electorate. Palestine
Israeli right campaigns on Paris terror attack When calling on Europe to stand by Israel and when calling French Jews to immigrate to Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is harnessing the Paris terror attacks for his electoral needs. Countries
Lebanon’s continued electricity cuts portend disaster The Lebanese state has yet to secure a continuous electricity supply to its citizens, nearly 20 years after the end of the civil war, which has led to heavy debts and will incur a major disaster in the near future. Lebanon
How foreign journalists become 'spies' in Turkey Journalism in Turkey is increasingly becoming a nightmare for foreign reporters, too, while the president personally leads psychological lynching campaigns. Turkey
Iran’s shallow influence in Yemen Iran believes its influence is spreading to a new country with the rise of the Houthis in Yemen in September 2014; however, Yemen is different from other Iranian-influenced countries (Syria, Lebanon and Iraq), where sectarian compositions differ. Saudi Arabia
Iran presents enrichment needs ahead of talks The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization has discussed the next step in nuclear negotiations and Iran's fuel needs on Iranian television. Iran
