Middle East
Anti-IS coalition vows to step up military campaign in Iraq, Syria
February 4, 2016
Anti-IS coalition vows to step up military campaign in Iraq, Syria
The US-led coalition of countries combating Islamic State in Iraq and Syria vowed Tuesday to "accelerate and intensify" their fight…
UN halts Syria talks as government closes in on Aleppo
February 4, 2016
UN halts Syria talks as government closes in on Aleppo
A United Nations envoy halted his attempts to conduct Syrian peace talks on Wednesday after the army, backed by Russian…
Authorities detain Iranian translator, former BBC reporter
February 4, 2016
Authorities detain Iranian translator, former BBC reporter
An Iranian opposition website is reporting authorities have detained a former BBC Persian service reporter. A late Wednesday report by Kaleme.com…
To silence propaganda, Iraq seeks to take Islamic State offline
February 4, 2016
To silence propaganda, Iraq seeks to take Islamic State offline
Iraq is trying to persuade satellite firms to halt Internet services in areas under Islamic State's rule, seeking to deal…
Palestinian gunmen wound 2 Israeli officers and are killed
February 3, 2016
Palestinian gunmen wound 2 Israeli officers and are killed
Three Palestinians carrying automatic weapons, explosive devices and knives shot and stabbed two Israeli security officers in Jerusalem on Wednesday,…
UN scrambles to sustain Syria talks; Russia vows to crush ‘terrorists’
February 3, 2016
UN scrambles to sustain Syria talks; Russia vows to crush ‘terrorists’
The United Nations strained to keep faltering Syrian peace talks alive on Wednesday as Damascus tried to press home gains…
‘Time has come’ for statehood referendum: Iraq Kurd leader
February 3, 2016
‘Time has come’ for statehood referendum: Iraq Kurd leader
Iraqi Kurdish leader Massud Barzani has declared that the "time has come" for the country's Kurds to hold a referendum…
Saudi court commutes Palestinian poet’s death sentence to jail, lashes: lawyer
February 3, 2016
Saudi court commutes Palestinian poet’s death sentence to jail, lashes: lawyer
A Saudi court has commuted the death sentence against a Palestinian poet on charges of apostasy and abandoning his Muslim…
Syrian army threatens to encircle Aleppo as talks falter
February 3, 2016
Syrian army threatens to encircle Aleppo as talks falter
A Syrian military offensive backed by heavy Russian air strikes threatened to cut critical rebel supply lines into the northern…
Israel demolishes buildings in southern West Bank
February 2, 2016
Israel demolishes buildings in southern West Bank
Israeli forces demolished at least a dozen buildings in a disputed military zone in the southern West Bank Tuesday, leaving…