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
Egypt goes against international current with Libya support Amid accusations that Egypt is sending weapons to Libya in violation of the arms ban, Cairo is still working to convince the UN Security Council to support Gen. Hifter and the Libyan National Army. Egypt
Will presidential referendum kill Turkey's democracy? Turkish voters have a chance to avert the country’s descent into a party-state autocracy in a referendum, after parliament approved constitutional amendments to install a presidential regime. Turkey
Is Turkey’s shift on Assad beginning of the end of Syria’s war? Turkish deputy prime minister says "we just have to work with what we have"; no sectarian divide in Aleppo; the Syrian Kurdish fault line. Lebanon
How Washington, Riyadh can work together to counter terrorism It would behoove Washington and Riyadh to take steps to reassure each other in the fight against terrorism. Saudi Arabia
US strike rekindles debate over Trump plans for Libya Barack Obama made a show of battling the Islamic State in conjunction with Tripoli's UN-backed unity government. Will the new president drop the GNA for an anti-Islamist strongman? Libya
In death, Iran's conservatives take ownership of Rafsanjani Iranian conservatives are maneuvering to shape the narrative of Rafsanjani’s political legacy in yet another attempt to subdue their Reformist and moderate rivals. Iran
Turkey's parliament comes to blows over Erdogan-enabling reforms Proposed constitutional reforms have sparked all-out brawling in Turkey's parliament, complete with physical and verbal attacks on female opposition figures. Turkey
When will Egypt's soccer fans be allowed to return? Whether Egypt's Interior Ministry will lift the ban against club supporters is far from decided. Egypt
Critical film unnerves Egypt's religious scholars Many Egyptian clerics are up in arms over a new film that takes on the nation's sheikhs and mosque preachers, saying it harms the reverence and respect they are due and calling for it to be pulled from theaters. Egypt
Turkey offers citizenship to foreigners with deep pockets To attract much-needed foreign currency to the country, Ankara is offering Turkish citizenship to wealthy foreigners, but given Turkey’s gloomy economic and political outlook, the plan may lead to disappointment. Turkey
What is Turkey’s problem with Darwin? The elimination of the theory of evolution from Turkey's high school textbooks seems to be the latest round in the country's century-old culture war. Turkey
After Paris — a Moscow conference on Mideast peace? Palestinians are now developing a follow-up strategy to the Paris II conference, and are hoping for a Moscow conference in the near future. Palestine
