All Middle East
Lebanon tells Palestinian-Syrians it is safe to go back to SyriaLebanon has begun deporting or refusing entry to Palestinian-Syrians seeking refuge in Lebanon. But the door seems to remain open to Syrian nationals.
Lebanese patriarch joins Pope Francis in Israel, stirring controversyIt is against the law for Lebanese to visit Israel, but Cardinal Beshara Rai 鈥� the first patriarch of the Lebanese Maronite church to do so 鈥� says he has a duty to meet followers.
How the Ukraine crisis made Iran a better US partner on SyriaUS and Russia's relations are at their lowest point in decades as the US and Iran hold productive nuclear negotiations. A nuclear deal could unlock cooperation on fixing Syria.
Rival 海角大神 interests undermine Pope's message of Middle East peaceIsrael wants Pope Francis to promote peace on his visit. But with 海角大神s increasingly backing opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, they may be calcifying the divide.
In Iran, no room for 'Happy'Young Iranians who filmed a version of the viral hit 'Happy' were arrested, then released. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini聽once said, 'There is no fun in Islam.'
Forced to flee Syria, young adult refugees stall outSyrians in the early stages of their careers or finishing up university education have lost critical professional years. Personal dreams are also on hold.
Supporters go all-in for Sabbahi, Egypt's long-shot presidential hopefulHamdeen Sabbahi is running against Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, hailed as Egypt's savior since leading a military takeover last summer. Sabbahi's supporters say his ideals won them over.
Rogue Libyan general attracts militia support as parliament flailsLibyans are waiting to see how the government responds to Khalifa Haftar's recent attacks 鈥� but even decisive action is probably not enough to stem rising chaos.
Maverick Libyan general steps into political void, stirring unrestA retired general led attacks on Islamist militias in Benghazi, then moved onto Tripoli, where the parliament came under attack Sunday. It has since asked Islamist militia to restore order.
In Tunisia an ancient Jewish pilgrimage, controversy 鈥� and hopeEvery year hundreds if not thousands of Jewish pilgrims travel to Djerba island in Tunisia, where an ancient Synagogue is believed to contain a stone from the destroyed First Temple in Jerusalem. This year, controversy has come with them.- Extremist groups battle each other for control of Syria's oil hubThe foreign group ISIS swept into Syria's Deir ez Zor Province to violently wrest control from Al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra and force Syrian rebels to join its ranks.
Syrian war prompts unusual cultural exchange with IsraelAt war since 1967, Israelis and Syrians rarely interact. But with wounded Syrians seeking treatment in Israel, a rare opportunity for chatter has emerged.
Miners say safety declined after Turkey privatized Soma mineAfter the government sold the Soma coal mine, production ramped up and costs were cut, paving the way to this week's devastating accident, miners say.
Iran ends free vasectomies with 'maximum-baby' pushIran earned international applause for its reproductive policies, but Tehran's concern about a shrinking population has spurred efforts to reverse them. Iranians say 'Not so fast.'
iNakba reminds Israelis of Palestinian towns erased from the mapAn Israeli NGO hopes to crowd-source location-based data about the villages destroyed in the wake of Israel鈥檚 independence, which Palestinians refer to as the nakba, or catastrophe.
Hopes fade of finding more survivors of Turkey mine explosionMiners, already deeply shaken, are taking the lead in the search because they best know the tunnels. The accident is likely the deadliest ever in Turkey.
World Cup spotlight forces Qatar to reform despised foreign worker systemBy hosting an international sporting event, Qatar opened itself up to criticism of its treatment of laborers. The ceaseless pressure has forced an overhaul of its sponsorship system.聽
Turkey coal mine explosion: Did lawmaker's warning go unheeded?Turkey has one of the worst mining safety records among industrialized nations, and a local politician says that his calls for higher standards have gone ignored.聽
Its EU dream thwarted, Turkey rejects 90 million-euro Cyprus fineThe European Court for Human Rights ruled against Turkey for its 1974 invasion of Cyprus. Turkey's refusal to pay damages comes amid waning interest in EU membership.
A 'nightmare becoming reality'? Iran unveils American drone replica.Iran captured a US stealth surveillance drone in 2011, and started working to reverse engineer its own. Yesterday it unveiled what it claims is a replica, plus bombing capabilities.
