Middle East
EU-Turkey deal, complicated by PM’s exit, stumbles on terror laws
May 6, 2016
EU-Turkey deal, complicated by PM’s exit, stumbles on terror laws
European demands that Turkey bring broad anti-terrorism laws in line with tighter EU standards risk undermining their agreement to curb…
Israel air raids wound 4 in Gaza as border violence flares
May 5, 2016
Israel air raids wound 4 in Gaza as border violence flares
Israeli air strikes hit four targets in Gaza overnight, wounding four people, three of them children, medical and security sources…
Libya’s east tests muscle with oil shipment, troop dispatches
May 5, 2016
Libya’s east tests muscle with oil shipment, troop dispatches
By defiantly attempting to export their own oil and dispatching troops toward the center of the country, Libya's eastern factions…
Turkish ruling party preparing to replace PM Davutoglu: officials
May 5, 2016
Turkish ruling party preparing to replace PM Davutoglu: officials
Turkey's ruling party is set to replace Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu at an extraordinary congress in the coming weeks, officials…
US, Russia agree to extend truce to Aleppo
May 5, 2016
US, Russia agree to extend truce to Aleppo
The United States said on Wednesday it had agreed with Russia to extend a cessation of hostilities agreement to include…
Syria war could spark confrontation between powers: think-tank
May 4, 2016
Syria war could spark confrontation between powers: think-tank
The chance of unintentional confrontation between foreign powers involved in Syria has risen as its five-year-old conflict turns into a…
UN Yemen envoy says peace talks to resume in Kuwait on Wednesday
May 4, 2016
UN Yemen envoy says peace talks to resume in Kuwait on Wednesday
UN backed peace talks to end Yemen's civil war will resume on Wednesday after they were suspended by the Yemeni…
The ‘bad boy’ cleric poised to be Iraq’s next kingmaker
May 4, 2016
The ‘bad boy’ cleric poised to be Iraq’s next kingmaker
For years after the 2003 American invasion of Iraq, the Shi’ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr had an outsized influence on the…
Iraq holding hundreds of detainees in ‘inhumane conditions’: Amnesty
May 3, 2016
Iraq holding hundreds of detainees in ‘inhumane conditions’: Amnesty
Amnesty International said on Tuesday Iraq is holding more than 1,000 detainees, some as young as 15, without charge in…
UK’s Hammond says new initiative needed for Syria talks
May 3, 2016
UK’s Hammond says new initiative needed for Syria talks
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Monday he was deeply concerned about the state of the ceasefire in Syria…