All Middle East
Qatari housing project in Gaza concludes first stageMore than 1,000 Palestinian families will move into the new apartments.聽Gaza needs an estimated 130,000 housing units.
Iran releases five American prisoners, including journalist Jason RezaianWashington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, former US Marine Amir Hekmati of Flint, Mich.,聽Pastor Saeed Abedini of Boise, Idaho, Siamak Namazi, and Matthew Trevithick were released from Iranian custody Saturday.
US sailors freed: With nuclear deal close, Iran skirts boat-loads of troubleIran brings a speedy end to a potentially thorny incident by releasing 10 US sailors detained Tuesday. 'The regime is in a pragmatic mood,' says an analyst. 聽
US sailors freed by Iranians. No US apology issued, says Joe BidenAll 10 US Navy sailors detained by Iran after drifting into its territorial waters have been released, the US and Iran said Wednesday.
Istanbul bombing was no surprise, Turks agree, but they differ on whyMost of those killed Tuesday by a Saudi-born suicide bomber were German tourists. Was Turkey targeted because of its role battling terrorism or its policy on Syria?
Saudi Embassy attack: Is vigilantes' excess empowering Rouhani?Iran's president has reacted swiftly to the Jan. 2 firebombing of the Saudi embassy in Tehran by hard-liners, prompting a new debate over the wisdom of Iran's vigilante culture.
ISIS claims responsibility for deadly Baghdad mall attackAt least 18 people were killed Monday when Islamic State militants detonated a car bomb, followed by an assault by gunmen. Another 29 people were killed in two other attacks in Iraq.
Islamic State targeting Libyan oil to make trouble, not a profitA string of IS attacks on oil installations are designed to harm Libya and Europe economically rather than replace lost revenues in the group's Syrian and Iraqi strongholds, experts say.
'Projectile' strikes M茅decins Sans Fronti猫res clinic in Yemen, killing fourM茅decins Sans Fronti猫res says a projectile struck one of its clinics in north Yemen Sunday, the third severe incident against the聽international medical group in the last three months.聽
Air strike kills at least 39 in Syria as UN envoy visits DamascusAn air strike reportedly killed dozens of residents in a rebel-held town in Syria. Meanwhile, a UN envoy visited Damascus to advance preparations for peace talks planned this month.
Egypt's Tourism Minister promises greater security measures after tourist attackEgypt's government will announce additional security measures to protect tourists after an attack in a Red Sea resort left three injured.
Starvation in Madaya: How Hezbollah role in siege could hurt it in LebanonWhile Syria is allowing some food aid to be delivered, the horrific images of starvation in Madaya are causing an anti-Hezbollah backlash in neighboring Lebanon.
The ExplainerIran-Saudi feud: Does it imperil Syria peace talks?Iran and Saudi Arabia were already in opposing camps regarding a solution to Syria's civil war. A UN envoy is trying to keep the process on track.
Iran hard-liners see Saudi Embassy attack as a win-win. Are they wrong?By attacking the embassy, hard-liners were poking the Saudis and Iran's moderate President Rouhani. But some see the move as counterproductive.
Why Shiites are angry at Saudi Arabia for execution of preacherSaudi Arabia executed 47 people, including cleric聽Nimr al-Nimr, whom was accused of inciting violence. Nimr's supporters say he is a peaceful dissident who called for greater rights for the Saudi kingdom's Shiite minority.
Turkey arrests two men allegedly planning New Year's terror attackThe private NTV news channel, quoting security sources, said the men detained in Ankara on Wednesday had 'frequently' moved in and out of Syria, but that security officials had been monitoring their movements for the past month.
Israeli group helps blockaded Gazans negotiate path to outside worldOfficially, the Gaza Strip's 1.8 million residents cannot exit the territory through Israel. Shadi Bathish, an Israeli Arab paralegal, works with residents to obtain rare exit permits.
Ehud Olmert: First Israeli leader to go to prisonA five-judge panel dismissed the most serious bribery charge against former Israeli Prime Minister聽Ehud Olmert, and reduced his original prison sentence from six years down to 18 months.聽
For Syrian activists in Turkey, a chilling message from ISISNaji Jerf, who was assassinated Sunday, would be the third journalist to have been targeted by Islamic State on Turkish soil. The murders could impact efforts to get word out about IS abuses.
Iraqi forces continue to push ISIS from Ramadi, while some pockets remainThe heavy fighting and limited access to front-lines made it difficult to follow the troops' progress.
