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
UAE, Russia leaders affirm common ground in Moscow meeting The crown prince of the United Arab Emirates visited Russia last week for the seventh time in five years, meeting with President Vladimir Putin to discuss many areas in which they agreed to collaborate. United Arab Emirates
Turkey’s opposition battles media banishment ahead of polls Ahead of critical elections this month, Turkey’s public broadcaster and mainstream TV channels are under fire for an unprecedented level of bias in favor of the government, while signs are emerging of audience fatigue with Erdogan. Turkey
Turkish public decries life sentences for young cadets A spate of life sentences handed down to young Turkish military cadets involving the 2016 coup attempt seems disproportionately harsh, especially as some top officers received short sentences. Turkey
Netanyahu accused of spying on own staff Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lives in constant fear of eavesdropping, digging a destructive chasm between his office and Israel's security services. Israel
Upcoming protests will test Hamas' ability to calm Gaza Hamas would have to end both the rocket fire and the border demonstrations to achieve a real truce with Israel. Palestine
Tunisia faces calls for government reshuffle Tunisia has had eight governments since the 2011 revolution, and political parties are now calling for yet another government reshuffle and for the removal of Prime Minister Youssef Chahed. Tunisia
US hopes for a quick Syria exit run into a minefield in Raqqa The Donald Trump administration faces significant hurdles getting the centerpiece of its reconstruction efforts back on track. Syria
Moscow updates playbook on making Israel, Iran happy Russia faces the conundrum of figuratively finding common ground between Iran and Israel in Syria while literally keeping distance between them. Israel
Concern mounts as coalition forces advance on key Yemeni port Has the United States lifted its “red light” on an Emirati- and Saudi-backed military operation to take the key Yemeni port? Saudi Arabia
Meet Iran’s likely next hardliner-in-chief Iranian hard-liners appear set to be led by a new yet seasoned face, Mohammad-Mahdi Mir-Baqeri. Iran
Turkey's steel wars heat up While gearing up for countermeasures against US steel tariffs, Turkey faces a fresh challenge from regional steel producers who are increasingly targeting its own market. Turkey
Disputes over election results threaten conflict in Iraq's Kirkuk Kirkuk has witnessed major political and security tensions since the elections on May 12, which may cause an ethnic crisis between Arabs, Kurds and Turkmens. Iraq
