3 reasons Turkey's ex-president never had chance at re-election The opposition to former President Abdullah Gul’s candidacy shows a despairing, fractured opposition ahead of Turkey's snap elections. Turkey
How Turkey's 'doping-induced' growth backfired into hasty elections The Turkish government’s rush to hold elections in June is driven by economic woes that even its attempts at "doping-induced" growth have failed to overcome. Turkey
Israel braces for Iranian military reaction Following attacks in Syria against Iranian targets and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's "atomic archive" speech, Israeli officials are debating how to react to an anticipated response from Tehran. Israel
Netanyahu’s expansion of war powers raises concerns in Israel The timing of the new law authorizing the prime minister and defense minister to declare war without consulting the Cabinet worries many Israelis. Israel
Iran’s Fajr film festival grabs headlines with Oliver Stone The Fajr International Film Festival's ambitious director is determined to get the festival top rankings by focusing on regional issues and high-profile guests. Iran
How Netanyahu’s nuclear 'show' could harm Mossad While revelations by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the Iranian nuclear program exposed Tehran's lies about past efforts to reach nuclear capacity, they also revealed involuntarily that Iran has obeyed the 2015 accord. Israel
Egypt establishes sovereign fund The Egyptian government has moved to establish a sovereign fund as part of reforms intended to boost the economy and shrink unemployment. Egypt
Trump administration sides with Morocco in Western Sahara dispute The Donald Trump administration pushed a UN resolution that is tough on the Algeria-backed Polisario Front. Morocco
Europe says Bibi’s ‘atomic archive’ pitch proves need for Iran deal European powers and Russia said Israel’s claimed seizure of documents from Iran’s shuttered nuclear weapons research program proves the need for 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Israel
Five trends to watch in Lebanon’s parliamentary elections Lebanon's upcoming parliamentary elections still have the potential to surprise, as political giants aim to solidify their grip on power and as retired military officers make the leap to politics. Lebanon
Turks mark May Day far from traditional rallying site The Turkish authorities have arrested dozens of protesters for violating a ban on May 1 demonstrations at Istanbul’s Taksim Square. Turkey
Iran pushes for transparency to deal with currency instability While Iran’s push for transparency is positive, its new integrated system for hard currency transactions seems ill-prepared to manage the complexities of the Iranian currency market. Iran
Pompeo's meeting with Turkish FM fails to calm tensions Mike Pompeo's first meeting as secretary of state with his Turkish counterpart failed to bring a breakthrough in Ankara-Washington ties, as the Syrian city of Manbij remains a potential flashpoint in relations between Turkey and the United States. Turkey
Iran: Netanyahu's claims 'childish' attempt to influence Trump Iranian officials reacted to Israeli allegations about Tehran’s nuclear program, warning Israel against “conspiracies” against Iran and “dangerous behavior.” Israel
Iraq's Yazidis resume pilgrimages to sacred temple Thousands of Yazidis have returned to observe the Yazidi New Year in Lalish, where they gather olives and firewood to perform religious duties in the temple. Iraq
For Netanyahu, Israel’s only problem is Iran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pretends the Iranian threat is the only problem that Israel faces. Israel
