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
Do Iraqis consider George Bush a liberator or oppressor? Iraqis have different opinions about the late President George Bush, as some praise him for attacking the dictator Saddam Hussein, and some slam him for the devastating sanctions he imposed on Iraq. Kuwait
Fatah slams Iran for funding Gaza Strip while skirting PA Relations between the Palestinian Authority and Iran have taken another bad turn, with a top Fatah official accusing Iran of worsening the Palestinian division by financially “adopting” families of Gazans killed or wounded in the Great Return protests. Palestine
Iraqi Kurdistan bans pro-PKK party amid Turkish pressure Turkey exerted its political and economic pressure on Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government to close the headquarters of political parties that share the ideology of the Kurdistan Workers Party. Iraq
Egyptian authorities go after futsal fields The Egyptian government decided to remove all futsal fields squatting agricultural lands, which raised the ire of the youths whose main outlet is sports. Egypt
Netanyahu against anti-porn bill, rejects online regulation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, fearing the very concept of regulating internet use, objects to proposed legislation that would limit and block visits to pornography sites on the internet. Israel
Italy names five Egyptian officials as suspects in student's murder An Italian prosecutor is investigating five Egyptian police officials concerning the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni while Egypt's own investigation drags on. Egypt
Will Iran ask Hamas to ignite Gaza front in support of Hezbollah? The recent Israeli operation to expose Hezbollah’s tunnels on the Lebanese border raised questions about Iran-backed Hamas’ exposure should Tehran request it to open a second front against Israel in the event of an Israeli-Hezbollah confrontation. Palestine
Jordan moves to improve lives of Gazan refugees The Jordanian government issued a decision recently to allow Gazan refugees to buy and own property and vehicles, which was not welcomed by some who see this as a move aimed to permanently settle refugees in the kingdom. Jordan
Iran, Russia-led bloc move toward free trade The Iranian government is widening channels of trade with Eurasia and India in an effort to dodge the impacts of reimposed US sanctions. Russia
Tunisia's Ennahda party faces more assassination allegations Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi is threatening to sue the Ennahda political party, which was recently accused of planning in 2013 to assassinate him and the French president. Tunisia
Storm in Haifa over Israeli-Arab council member The newly elected mayor of Haifa, Einat Kalisch-Rotem, refused to back down from the coalition agreement she signed with the Israeli-Arab Communist Party. Palestine
Can annexation save Israel from charges of apartheid on West Bank? Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett is promoting the idea that the annexation of Area C on the West Bank will negate claims of Israel pursuing apartheid-like policies in the occupied territories. Palestine
