All Middle East
CIA torture report: In Iraq, US abuses, and their consequences, are old newsFor many Iraqis, the US occupation was defined by episodes of abuse of detainees, including high-profile incidents at Abu Ghraib prison that became a powerful recruiting tool for militants.- Can UN envoy sell cease-fire to Syria rebels? Not so fast.Staffan de Mistura met divided and distrustful Syrian rebel leaders in Turkey to push for a conflict 'freeze zone' in Aleppo. Many worry that would be little more than a surrender.
Cairo bath house raid: How Egypt exploits anti-gay sentimentRights advocates say the raid on a Cairo bath house is part of the military-backed regime鈥檚 attempt to portray itself as a guardian of morality after the ouster of a Muslim Brotherhood-led government.
In Syrian conflict, women rescuers are saving lives and changing mindsMore Syrian women are working as first-responders in rebel-held areas. Trained in emergency medical care and search and rescue operations, they are winning over conservative Syrians by playing a nontraditional role in the conflict.聽
UN reports Israeli support for Syria rebelsThe United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, which patrols the Israel-occupied Golan Heights, has reported Israeli contact with Syrian rebels over 18 months. Syria accused Israel in attacks near Damascus today.
Four years after Egypt's uprising, prison ranks swell: A writer's storyNovelist and poet Omar Hazek is just one of 41,000 people arrested since a July 2013 coup in Egypt.
Jihadi hostage-taking: Could it get out of control in Lebanon?Al Qaeda's threat to kill an American in Yemen is in the headlines, but a long-running hostage drama in Lebanon has deteriorated to where women and children are now mentioned as targets.
Sidelined in Jordan, Syrians watch their revolution, dismayed but unbowedArrested, injured, impoverished, or exiled, many Syrians are still cheering from the sidelines 鈥撀燼nd hope the West will change its policies to help the uprising against the Assad regime.
Did Egypt鈥檚 Sinai militants err in joining Islamic State?Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis鈥檚 claim that it killed an American serves Islamic State goals. But it may undermine the Sinai militants at home in Egypt.
British watchtowers dot a Mideast border again 鈥� this time with Islamic StateIn a line of fortified watchtowers recently built by former Middle East colonial power Britain, Lebanese soldiers seek to thwart advances by Islamic State militants holed up along mountainous border.
Israel's 'Nationality Law': What's at stake for Jews and ArabsThe proposed law, which emphasizes Israel as a Jewish state, is tarnishing the country鈥檚 reputation as a democracy and is on the verge of bringing down Netanyahu鈥檚 government.
Pope Francis fails to find common ground in TurkeyFrancis said the rise of the Islamic State militant group in Iraq and Syria is a threat to the region's 海角大神 minority. Turkey's President Erdogan said the fault lies with the West.
Iran nuclear talks: How Khamenei got Iranians to read from same pageIran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has resumed his harsh rhetoric after negotiators in Vienna extended the deadline for nuclear talks. But his actions suggest he is preparing Iranians for a deal.
UN pushes for targeted Syrian cease-fires in hopes of delivering aidThe UN is suggesting Aleppo as a starting point to provide much-needed relief to areas hardest hit by the Syrian civil war. But it's a hard sell with warring parties.
Tunisia's first free presidential vote looks headed for a runoffUnofficial exit polls suggest a runoff vote next month between the incumbent Moncef Marzouki and B茅ji Caid Essebsi. The outcome could affect the size of the Islamist participation in the cabinet.
Will extension of Iran nuclear talks give opening to hardliners?Negotiators in Vienna missed today's deadline for a nuclear agreement. Some observers have expressed concern over the length of the extension announced today to reach a deal.
Hezbollah claims 'pinpoint' Iranian missiles added to its arsenalThe Lebanese Shiite militant group and close ally of Iran said it has received more advanced missiles, with greater range, as talks over Iran's nuclear program wind down in Vienna.
Iran nuclear talks, in home stretch, still face obstaclesIran distrusts US intentions 鈥� and fears that it will make irreversible decisions in exchange for only temporary sanctions relief.
Yazidi families reclaim girls seized by Islamic State 鈥� for a priceIn interviews, girls who escaped or were bought back by their families tell of their brutal treatment at the hands of IS militants. Almost 150 girls have returned to Kurdish-controlled areas in recent weeks, according to activists, with families paying as much as a year's income to get them back.
Israeli mayor draws fire with vow to bar Arabs from school-building projectsMany Israeli politicians have condemned the move by聽the mayor of Askhelon to prevent Palestinian laborers from working on kindergarten construction sites. His action comes amid聽heightened tensions after several Arab attacks on Jews.
