Progressive champion Sanders joins fight against Yemen war Anti-war activists hope that a new bipartisan effort spearheaded by 2016 left-wing candidate Bernie Sanders will reinvigorate efforts to end US support for the Saudi-led campaign against the Houthis. Saudi Arabia
Sunsets 'tricky bit' in transatlantic talks on Trump Iran demands Diplomats say sunset clauses that eventually will ease limits on Iran’s enrichment capacity are proving the most difficult issue in US-European negotiations to meet Donald Trump’s Iran ultimatums. United States
State Department OKs nuclear monitoring system for Iran The State Department has approved US exports that will help a UN agency set up nuclear monitoring stations inside Iran to strengthen the nuclear deal. United States
Congress, State Department divided on sanctions against Turkey While Congress has bipartisan support for sanctions against Turkey, the State Department is pushing back, demanding that newly established consultative mechanisms to normalize relations between the NATO allies be given time. Turkey
Iran’s Islamic Azad University rocked by layoffs of pro-reform professors In Iran, conservative elements appear to be targeting pro-Reformist professors at Islamic Azad University. Iran
Netanyahu's Case 4000 takes center stage With all that is going on with Netanyahu, recent revelations in Case 4000 might turn it into the Israeli prime minister’s No. 1 problem. Israel
Calls for truce fall on deaf ears in Syria's Ghouta As Syria seeks to "liquidate" terrorists in eastern Ghouta, escalated fighting leaves little hope for the much-touted "de-escalation" zones. Syria
Israel's revolutionary sexual harassment law The Law to Prevent Sexual Harassment adopted by the Knesset 20 years ago represented a real breakthrough in changing social norms and priorities overnight. Israel
Syrian Islamist factions join forces against Hayat Tahrir al-Sham The establishment of the new Syrian Liberation Front unifying the Ahrar al-Sham and Nour al-Din al-Zenki movements was swiftly followed by fierce battles between the new group and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. Syria
Palestinians plan their own event to mark US Embassy move The Palestinians might prefer an "alternative ceremony" to the relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, instead of the usual rage days. Palestine
Tribal laws determine fate of IS families in Iraq The war has come to an end in Iraq’s western and northern areas, occupied by the Islamic State in 2014, but another battle has broken out between IS families and tribes whose members were killed by the group during its control of Ramadi and Mosul. Iraq
Will 'marriage loans' boost Egyptian nuptials? Large numbers of Egyptians are unmarried, with many blaming a lack of money, so legislation has been proposed for a loan fund to help young people finance first marriages. Egypt
EU deals Tunisia another heavy blow The Tunisian government is embarking on a series of measures to persuade the European Parliament to back down on its Feb. 7 decision to add Tunisia to the blacklist of countries at "high risk" of money laundering and terrorist financing. Tunisia
Skiers, snowboarders ride for peace in Lebanon One of the world's most extreme winter sporting events has held its first qualifying competition in Lebanon — a first for the country and region at large, putting the mountain on the global map. Lebanon
Book in praise of older women gets Israel's top prize Esther Peled, a female author who defies convention, is awarded Israel’s most prestigious literary prize with the book that describes a woman’s journey on her way to a “room of her own.” Israel
US commander says Iraq sovereignty provides ‘legal basis’ for Syria presence The Pentagon’s top commander in the Middle East told lawmakers today that protecting Iraq’s sovereignty provides the “legal basis” for US involvement in Syria. Iraq
