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
Gaza receives first batch of construction trucks in 10 years The Egyptian authorities allowed for dozens of trucks carrying construction materials to enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing, as part of its openness policy toward the small enclave that has been besieged by Israel since 2007. Palestine
Will Bahrain use military trials against Shiite leader's supporters? Bahrain recently amended its constitution to expand military courts' jurisdiction, perhaps in anticipation of fiery protests once a verdict is announced in the trial of Sheikh Isa Qassim. Bahrain
Can American PR companies improve Egypt's image in US? Egypt's intelligence agency has contracted with US public relations and lobbying firms to improve the Egyptian government's image in the United States, but will simple window dressing be enough? Egypt
Israel weighs response to Hezbollah rocket threat For now, deterrence holds on Israel’s northern border; Iran ready to "fight to the last man" in Syria; Why does Erdogan go easy on Putin over Syrian Kurds? Israel
Conflict over Kirkuk oil returns As the Kurdish political dispute rises up, a military force from the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) seized the Kirkuk oil field and stopped the oil flows in order to push Baghdad to arrange a new oil agreement in the favor of the PUK. Iraq
Azhar-Vatican ties witness major breakthrough after long hiatus Al-Azhar and the Vatican have resumed talks that address the root causes of extremism, highlighting the means of combatting terrorism and religious extremism. Egypt
Will Jordan extradite woman convicted in Jerusalem bombing to US? A US request that Jordan extradite Alham Tamimi, convicted for involvement in a 2001 terror attack in Jerusalem that cost American lives, has put King Abdullah II in a difficult position. Palestine
Why Netanyahu offended his finance minister The public rift between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon never really threatened the integrity of the coalition, as none of its members is interested, at least for now, in early elections. Israel
Arab MK: Israel must 'pay a price' for occupation Israeli Knesset member Ahmad Tibi believes that the two-state solution remains the best possibility for resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict despite waning enthusiasm for it. Palestine
Egypt sees progress in settling Nile issues Cairo appears to be making some headway in realigning with members of the Nile Basin Initiative and resolving its issues with the Entebbe Agreement, seven years after it was signed. Egypt
Runners in grueling marathon persevere, as do Sahrawis Each year, runners brave the harsh conditions of the Sahara Marathon to benefit and show solidarity with the Sahrawi people. Algeria
What are Israel’s Liberman, Fatah’s Dahlan plotting? For former Fatah senior member Mohammed Dahlan, a combination of Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman’s land-swap plan with the integrity of the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative could open up negotiations for an Israeli-Palestinian arrangement. Palestine
