All Middle East
In Babylon, Iraqis shield ancient symbols of identity from Islamic StateIslamic State militants, still some 37 miles from Babylon, have already taken a toll on Iraqi cultural heritage sites. 'For those who want to take pride in Iraq, Babylon is the best we have,' says the site's archaeological director.
Islamic State: Why Turkey is hesitating to prevent fall of KobaneWith the Islamic State assault on Kobane entering its endgame, Turkey is resisting mounting pressure from its own Kurdish minority to assist the town鈥檚 defenders.
In jihadist-ruled Iraqi city, residents fear US airstrikes 鈥� and sectarian revengeMosul is the largest city in northern Iraq and its capture in June by Islamic State was a major blow to Baghdad. Some Sunni residents welcomed their new rulers, but tensions are rising over a future assault by US-backed troops.聽- Is Turkey targeting soccer hooligans or collecting names? Fans are suspicious.Attendance at Turkey's once-vibrant soccer stadiums has plummeted after the government introduced a new e-ticketing system that requires fans to submit personal data in return for a bank card used to buy tickets.
Jihadists threaten Eid attack in Egypt. Can group reach beyond Sinai base?Ansar Bayt el-Maqdis, the deadliest of Egypt's jihadist groups, is said to be in touch with the Islamic State. It has been largely hemmed in by the army in the Sinai, where the army says it recently killed one of its commanders.
In ancient Israeli city, an Arab-Jewish drive to keep Yom Kippur peaceWith the Jewish fast day of Yom Kippur coinciding with the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha, officials in the mixed Jewish-Arab Israeli city of Acre are preaching tolerance to prevent the violence that marred the holiday six years ago.
FocusCan the Iraqi Army regroup in time to repel the Islamic State?If the Iraqi Army is to serve as a US ally in the campaign to defeat the Islamic State, first comes the challenge of building a well-led fighting force, motivated by a belief in its cause.
UN report spotlights 'staggering' Islamic State atrocities in IraqMilitant group's territorial ambitions mark it out from other extremist groups such as the Taliban, according to international law expert. More than 9,000 civilians have died in Iraq's conflict so far this year.
Fighting horror with humor, Iraqis retaliate against Islamic StateFrom cartoons and YouTube skits to repurposed Popeye episodes and a full-blown soap opera, Iraqis are deploying humor to combat the Islamic State, whose tactics require little exaggeration to ridicule.
Islamic State: Is Turkey jeopardizing peace with Kurdish minority?Islamic State militants are besieging the Syrian town of Kobane, leading tens of thousands of Kurds to flee into Turkey. Kurdish leaders accuse Turkey of supporting IS in order to curb Kurdish self-rule in Syria.聽
Islamic State: Arab female F-16 pilot stirs debate in Muslim worldUAE fighter pilot Mariam al-Mansouri shot to fame last week for her role in a US-led bombing campaign in Syria. While Americans hailed her pluck,聽for Arabs it's more complicated.聽聽
Turkey shifts tone on Islamic State. Will it join US-led coalition?President Erdogan, courted by Obama and Biden while in New York, says Turkey is ready to play a more active role against the Islamic State. It has had many misgivings.
How Palestinian divisions undercut call for a UN deadline on statehoodThe Fatah faction of President Mahmoud Abbas is fundamentally at odds with Hamas over diplomacy vs. armed conflict as the best path to statehood. The problem for Palestinians: Neither is working.
Woman uses hidden camera to expose life under Islamic StateA Syrian woman walked the streets of Raqqa with a camera hidden in her niqab. The video offers a rare glimpse of what life is like in the IS stronghold, where the group has imposed a radical interpretation of Islamic law.聽
Islamic State: Iran's Rouhani warns of 'blades in the hand of madmen'In a speech to the UN, the Iranian president blamed 'certain intelligence agencies' for fomenting extremist groups in the Middle East. He said a nuclear deal with Iran should mean more security cooperation. 聽
For migrants fleeing war, a perilous Mediterranean passage to EuropeEgypt has seen a ten-fold increase in illegal boat crossings as migrants avoid Libya and other transit points to Europe. Cyprus said Thursday it had received a distress signal from a fishing boat carrying hundreds of Syrians off its coast.聽
Syrians inundate Turkey, bearing tales of sorrow and Islamic State horrorAssisted by aid agencies, Turkey is racing to handle its worst humanitarian crisis since the start of the Syria conflict, as 150,000 refugees flee advancing Islamic State forces.
Islamic State: Lebanon's own hostage crisis mirrors Western predicamentIslamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra, both targets of US-led airstrikes in Syria, are holding more than 21 Lebanese police and soldiers. Three have already been killed, and the government is under fire from captives' relatives.
US airstrikes in Syria: High risks, elusive rewardsThe US-led airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria could invite retaliation and even play into IS hands, warn analysts. Moreover, the opening salvo did not mask the need for boots on the ground.
Israel kills kidnapping suspects: Does that close book on saga, or reopen it?Killing the men is unlikely to restore the quiet that prevailed before the kidnapping of three Israeli teens, given the escalation of violence and declining faith among Palestinians in a peaceful path to end the conflict.
