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
What's behind nationalist gains in Turkey’s Kurdish regions? As many struggle to explain the rise in the nationalist vote in Turkey’s Kurdish-majority southeast, some observers see the impact of police and military reinforcements in the region and the influence of the security establishment. Turkey
Drought forces Iraq to abandon cultivation of crops Due to the acute shortage of irrigation water, Iraq is reducing the cultivation of large areas of land and preventing the cultivation of strategic crops that are a source of livelihood for farmers, such as rice and corn. Iraq
Why Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince still needs his father The influential, yet polarizing, Mohammed bin Salman still relies on his father King Salman's legitimacy and credentials as the country faces challenges at home and abroad. Saudi Arabia
International pressure sways Israel on village demolition The case of the Bedouin Palestinian village of Khan al-Ahmar shows that sometimes, international pressure is the only way to confront Israeli injustices in the West Bank. Palestine
Will Islamic bonds help revive Egypt's economy? Some economists say the government's plan to issue dollar-dominated and euro-dominated Islamic bonds will generate more financial resources, while others worry the move strays from Egypt's secular nature. Egypt
Desperate Syrians flee Daraa only to find closed borders As the Syrian regime's offensive escalates in Daraa, refugees are sleeping out in the open as both Jordan and Israel refuse to open their borders. Israel
Israeli centrist leader changes course on ultra-Orthodox draft law Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid took a political gamble and appears to have won by supporting the coalition's proposed law on conscripting ultra-Orthodox males. Israel
Palestinians opt for illegal SIM cards smuggled from Israel West Bank authorities are combating the use of black-market Israeli telecom services, which Palestinians prefer over the pricier internet packages offered by local operators. Palestine
Lebanon-UNHCR feuding over Syrian refugees Hundreds of Syrians displaced in the Lebanese border town of Arsal have returned to their country voluntarily, causing tensions between the Lebanese Foreign Ministry and the UNHCR. Lebanon
Palestinians fear recent aid cuts could expand After Australia decided to cut direct aid to the Palestinian Authority, officials are concerned other countries could follow suit. Palestine
Egypt refuses entry for Sudan opposition leader The Egyptian authorities denied re-entry to Sudanese opposition leader, Sadiq al-Mahdi, as ties warm between Cairo and Khartoum. Egypt
