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
Will next Saudi king seize opportunity for change? The successor to King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz needs to make real political reforms, whether pressured by citizens or not. Saudi Arabia
In tough times, Egyptian theater troupe pushes boundaries The Egyptian theater group Outa Hamra works with local disadvantaged communities to develop theater as a medium for expression and social change in the country. Egypt
Turkish women receive mixed messages on work-life balance Officials from Turkey's Justice and Development Party have made a habit of issuing controversial social edicts to women that don't apply to their wives and daughters. Turkey
As Iraqis cope with past injustices, so should Israelis Iraqis are looking courageously into their past, examining the attacks against the Jewish community in the 1950s that forced it to flee the country, and Israelis should do the same by acknowledging the Palestinians' suffering. Palestine
Hezbollah starts 2015 facing setbacks Hezbollah is set to face what could be an eventful year, after it has had a number of significant setbacks over the last few weeks. Lebanon
Cairo imposes new restrictions on travelers Egyptian authorities have implemented new measures to restrict the entry of foreigners and to prevent Egyptians from traveling to politically unfriendly countries like Qatar and Turkey. Qatar
Islamic State book burnings target minorities The Islamic State has imposed strict conditions for books entering Iraq by land, confiscating all those related to Christianity and slowly destroying cultural pluralism in Iraqi society. Iraq
Political missteps in Libya cause Turkey's economy to stumble Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the AKP government's backing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Libya is inflicting billions of dollars of economic losses on Turkey and eroding its political influence in Libya and Saharan Africa. Turkey
Turkey allows building of first new church in a century Syriac Christians, who speak the language of Jesus, will finally have a church in Istanbul, but why now? Turkey
Jordan to arm Sunni tribes in Iraq, Syria Jordan is concerned airstrikes alone will not defeat the Islamic State threat, and is considering arming Sunni tribes in Iraq and Syria to prevent the jihadists from reaching its borders. Iraq
Netanyahu’s threats won’t sway Abbas The Israeli prime minister’s angry response to the Palestinian decision to sign the Rome Statute, including withholding Palestinian tax revenue, is unlikely to deter President Mahmoud Abbas from persisting with his plan for greater recognition of Palestine. Palestine
Rouhani’s referendum proposal causes stir in Iran Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has proposed direct referendums to sidestep the parliament and resolve key issues in the country. Iran
