Netanyahu’s old friend becomes Trump’s new ally Much to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chagrin, Jewish billionaire Ronald Lauder is encouraging US President Donald Trump to advance the two-state solution. Palestine
US to send senior envoy to Syria talks after Trump-Putin call Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Stuart Jones is set to attend Syria cease-fire talks in Astana on May 3-4 after Trump-Putin confer on Syria. Syria
Gulf carriers delight as Congress rakes US airlines over the coals Lawmakers fault lack of competition for plummeting US customer service; could this affect US airlines' campaign for fairer competition with Gulf carriers? United Arab Emirates
Cotton revival could keep Egypt’s economy spinning The production and export of Egypt’s most famous crop is seeing a revival after quality assurance measures are enacted. Egypt
Turkey continues its foreign policy blunders Turkey finds itself ever more isolated after making "frenemies" on all fronts. Syria
Post-referendum, what’s next for Turkey’s EU bid? EU foreign ministers disappoint Turkey’s democratic opposition by declaring “respect” for referendum results that further empower President Erdogan. Turkey
Which candidate does Iran’s influential speaker favor? In Iran, moderate conservatives have officially thrown their weight behind incumbent President Hassan Rouhani, who is seeking a second term in the May 19 presidential elections. Iran
Why Rouhani will likely win second term While incumbent Hassan Rouhani is likely to face a tighter race than anticipated, he will likely be re-elected on May 19 — just as the Iranian political establishment prefers. Iran
US, Turkish nerves fray as Erdogan visit nears The Turkish foreign minister shared a heated conversation with his American counterpart in the wake of the Turkish airstrikes in Syria, and despite US fury, Ankara's increasingly roguish behavior will likely remain unchanged. Syria
Jordan and Egypt key to Abbas' Washington visit With the support of Egypt and Jordan, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is hoping that he can slightly change the balance of forces in favor of a fair process in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict ahead of his visit to the United States. Palestine
How can Iraq address child abuse, torture? While the phenomenon of child abuse has recently come under the spotlight in Iraq, the government is not taking action to stop this violence against children. Iraq
Congress blames State Department after draft sanctions bill leaked to pro-Hezbollah media The Lebanese government is preparing to send a delegation to Washington to oppose the proposed new sanctions on the designated terrorist organization. Lebanon
Turkey-Ukraine defense industry ties are booming Turkey is promoting deals with Ukraine to bypass Western embargoes in the defense industry and share critical military technologies. Turkey
Turkish bans on Wikipedia and public drinking rouse anger The Turkish public has reacted with anger to both the Antalya police department's ban on the public consumption of alcohol and a Turkish court's ban on Wikipedia. Turkey
US move to protect YPG could push Turkey into Russia's arms US special forces have deployed along Syrian border to deter Turkey from further attacks against Syrian Kurdish forces but the United States has no sway over Russian-dominated northwestern Syria, prompting conjecture about a possible Russian-Turkish deal for Idlib. Syria
Who killed exiled Iranian TV executive in Istanbul? The owner of GEM TV, which airs dubbed Western programs into Iran, was gunned down in the streets of Istanbul. Turkey
