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
Turkey’s LGBT fight uphill but not hopeless battle While Turkey’s LGBT community faces significant challenges, events such as this year’s Gay Pride Parade in Istanbul and Turkey’s first transsexual beauty pageant indicate small yet significant steps are being made to secure LGBT rights. Turkey
Netanyahu, Ya'alon prefer airstrikes over ground attack Lessons learned from the second Lebanon war, international objections and politics are all playing a part in Turkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to postpone a Gaza ground attack. Palestine
Hamas bites the hand that feeds it Israel is aware of the fact that any regime vacuum in the Gaza Strip will draw in more extreme forces, which is why it battles an impossible fight of trying to stop the rocket fire from Gaza while preserving Hamas rule. Palestine
Iranian military vows to uphold cultural norms Iran’s military has called the breaking of cultural norms a national security threat and urges all government institutions to help it enforce the law. Iran
Palestinians accuse Israel of war crimes in Gaza Cafes and homes in the Gaza Strip have been destroyed by Israeli bombardment, which local Palestinian activists say constitute war crimes. Palestine
Abbas' lack of action on Gaza war infuriates Hamas Hamas officials have scolded President Mahmoud Abbas for attending a peace conference in Tel Aviv during Israel's assault on Gaza. Palestine
Barzani: Iraqi Kurds keeping their options open In an interview with Al-Monitor, President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region Massoud Barzani speaks about the current crisis and doesn’t rule out the right to self-determination if unification efforts fail. Iraq
Economic cooperation between Egypt, Ethiopia on the rise In light of the expected visit of Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Ethiopia, the Egyptian-Ethiopian committee is working on resuming dialogue on the Renaissance Dam issue. Egypt
US, Iran security cooperation could help save Iraq Tehran and Washington must act together to manage the crisis in Iraq before the volatile divide between Shiites and Sunnis becomes an all-out sectarian war and destabilizes the region. Iraq
Israel levels Gaza farms in search of tunnels Israeli airstrikes on seemingly empty tracts are often agricultural lands vital to Gaza’s food production. Palestine
Islamic State moves to capture another Turkish border crossing The Islamic State is attacking Kobani canton, or Ain al-Arab, in an attempt to encircle the Kurdish autonomous region in Syria and capture a third crossing to Turkey. Iraq
American athletes get star treatment in Iran Sports diplomacy is on the rise again between the United States and Iran, spearheaded by American wrestlers. Iran
