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
Hunt for Iraqi IS leaders continues amid heightened secrecy The Islamic State has employed higher levels of secrecy about its commanders since 2018, leading to greater confusion about its hierarchy. The search nevertheless continues for its commanders, most of whom are believed to be of Iraqi origin but are currently in Syria. Iraq
Turkish defense minister claims pivotal role in Syria Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has gotten deeply involved in tactical and operational matters and anxiety is growing in the Turkish military and the ruling party that Akar is taking the reins in Syria. Syria
Egypt seeks to increase exports to Africa Despite figures indicating an increase in the Egyptian exports to Africa, there still seem to be several obstacles facing Egyptian exports to the continent. Egypt
Syrians in Egypt fear new restrictions signal worse to come Many Egyptians believe their government and its supporters are behind the latest xenophobic campaign targeting Syrian refugees in the country, including attacks on their businesses. Egypt
US influence on the line if Israel has 'free hand' to bomb Iraq Israeli attacks in Iraq signal need for some red lines with Iran. Iraq
Why Iran has been quiet when it comes to Syria's Idlib, safe zone Iran has been careful not to antagonize Turkey while also opposing US-Turkish agreements on Syria. Syria
Cairo, Khartoum seem to be moving in same circles Egypt has played a significant role to resolve the Sudanese crisis, as Cairo and Khartoum agree on various regional issues. Egypt
New Iranian hard-line group seeks to expel parliament speaker from their camp Iranian hard-liners say parliament Speaker Ali Larijani has become soft on conservative issues and seek to remove him from their grouping for good. Iran
Qatar's agriculture push risks further groundwater depletion Groundwater depletion is raising environmental concerns over the long-term sustainability of Qatar’s ambitious self-sufficiency policy. Saudi Arabia
Abbas starts austerity measures by sacking his advisers Several reasons pushed President Mahmoud Abbas to suddenly end the services of his advisers, most notably his intention to downsize the number of his many advisers amid the crippling financial crisis hitting the PA. Palestine
Are Libyan Turks Ankara’s Trojan horse? The descendants of Ottoman Turks represent an important foothold for Turkey in Libya, but the community is dispersed in various political and military camps, with some even resentful toward Ankara. Turkey
Why is Netanyahu reviving Palestinians' ‘willing relocation’? Past attempts to encourage Palestinians to voluntarily emigrate have always failed, so time and effort would be better invested in reaching an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement than pursuing a new push by the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Gaza residents to voluntarily move elsewhere. Near East
