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
Saudi-led cease-fire expires in Yemen with no deal in place A unilateral truce in Yemen has expired as aid organizations fear a coronavirus outbreak in the war-ravaged country. Saudi Arabia
Iran unlikely to release women activists during pandemic The coronavirus outbreak is adding to the plight of imprisoned women’s rights defenders in Iran. Iran
Turkey seeks to exploit claims to Iraqi Kurdish village A small village in Iraqi Kurdistan has become a flashpoint for tensions between the ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party and its rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, with the PKK also entering the dispute. Iraq
Intel: Trump administration claims Palestinian aid not reaching people who need it Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, explaining the Donald Trump administration’s decision to provide $5 million in COVID-19 assistance to the Palestinians in place of $75 million appropriated overall, said US economic and humanitarian aid for the West Bank and Gaza is being cut in general because it was not reaching the people. Palestine
Erdogan says life in Turkey could return to normal by late May The Turkish president also said the country was facing its biggest economic crisis since World War II. Turkey
Lebanon becomes first Arab country to legalize cannabis farming Despite pushback from Hezbollah, the Lebanese parliament passed legislation Tuesday legalizing cannabis cultivation for medicinal and industrial purposes. Lebanon
Intel: Iran launched its first satellite into space. Then Trump threatened to destroy Iranian vessels. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Iran today on Twitter, saying he has “instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea.” Originals
First confirmed coronavirus case in Lebanon Palestinian refugee camp A Palestinian refugee woman tested positive for the coronavirus in Lebanon amid fears that the conditions in such camps could lead to an outbreak. Palestine
How a German court is trying to bring Syrian war criminals to justice Because Syria is not a member of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, victims of torture and abuse by the Syrian government are seeking justice in Germany and other countries. Syria
Rouhani hits out at skeptics of Iran pandemic statistics The Iranian president said skeptics of the official coronavirus narrative in his country are serving as enemy mouthpieces. Iran
Israel bans visits to military cemeteries, imposes Ramadan curfew Israel’s Cabinet banned visits to military cemeteries on Memorial Day and imposed a curfew on Arab towns for the month of Ramadan. Israel
Larger than expected rate cut raises pressure on Turkish lira Turkey’s central bank surprised market watchers Wednesday with a significant interest rate cut to bolster the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, though analysts say the move poses inflationary risks. Turkey