New WhatsApp terms spark antitrust investigation, exodus from app in Turkey Turkey launched an antitrust investigation into Facebook and its popular messaging service WhatsApp Monday after the application’s new privacy terms raised concerns, prompting some users to seek alternatives. Turkey
Biden taps veteran diplomat William Burns for CIA director Burns, a former ambassador to Jordan and Russia, would bring with him decades of experience in the foreign service. United States
Ankara gives police access to military, intelligence assets to crush protests A presidential decree has paved the way for Turkish police to use military and intelligence resources to crack down on public protests. Turkey
Iran officials defend ban on US, UK COVID vaccines Iranian officials have said they will begin vaccinating their population in the spring and do not have confidence in Western vaccines. Iran
The battle against the bottles: Israel extends law on plastic containers The Knesset Economics Committee has now approved extending the Bottle Deposit Law, so it will also include family-size plastic bottles. Israel
Pompeo to label Yemen's Houthis a foreign terror group Relief organizations in Yemen warn the designation will hamstring their life-saving work in a country already considered to have the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Yemen
Nile dam talks hit yet another snarl The latest round of talks between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the controversial Nile River dam again collapsed amid Sudanese objections and calls for African Union experts to take on a greater role in resolving the dispute. Egypt
Syrian opposition split on timing of Assad military offensive An anticipated military operation by the regime and its allies in the city of al-Bab has stirred controversy among the opposition ranks. Syria
What can Turkey expect from Qatari-Gulf deal? Turkey feels vindicated as al-Ula Declaration ends the blockade against Qatar. Turkey
Jordan bets on GCC deal to boost economy Jordan has attempted to remain neutral in the Gulf feud that erupted in 2017 when a Saudi-led bloc of nations cut diplomatic ties with Qatar. The kingdom has welcomed the agreement recently signed to end the Gulf dispute. Jordan
Is Al-Qaeda affiliate expanding attacks beyond Syrian town of Idlib? Hurras al-Din, affiliated with al-Qaeda in Syria, claimed responsibility for an attack against a Russian base in northern Raqqa and pledged to expand operations outside its areas of deployment in Idlib. Syria
Egypt seeks to bypass Turkish presence in Senegal In an attempt to counter Turkey’s expansion in West Africa, Egypt and the UAE seek to consolidate their ties with Senegal, the gateway to West Africa, by pushing forward new investments in the African country. Egypt
Coronavirus crisis propels Israeli mayors to front stage With the government in a perpetual state of crisis, the coronavirus pandemic propelled Israeli mayors to a position of unprecedented prominence. Israel
Ethiopia’s worsening crisis threatens regional, Mideast security With the Horn of Africa increasingly becoming an integral part of the Middle East’s security landscape, the fallout from Ethiopia's current crisis will have a significant impact on states of the region. Egypt
Israel tightens lockdown measures Israel added more restrictions on top of its lockdown as coronavirus cases continue to spread rapidly. On the other hand, Israel is successfully rolling out the vaccine. Israel
Pentagon’s top policy official meets Saudi Arabia’s deputy defense minister in Riyadh Anthony Tata sat down with Prince Khalid bin Salman on Thursday, but details of the discussion remain unclear. Saudi Arabia
