All Middle East
Would Israeli bill squelching mosque calls violate freedom of religion?Israel's parliament is considering two bills that would silence mosque loudspeakers, at least during night hours, on the grounds that they cause an unnecessary noise disturbance.
US-Turkey deal on ISIS assault? Why that's a tough sell for Tillerson.On the secretary of State's agenda in Ankara Thursday is the Raqqa, Syria, offensive. But his real challenge is Turkey's disappointment that Trump's election hasn't brought a new alignment of US and Turkish interests.
On display at Arab Summit: division and declining influenceArab leaders are gathered in Jordan, but the region's main movers and shakers 鈥� Iran, Russia, and Turkey 鈥� are absent, a telling sign that the Arab League's influence over events and its own citizens has waned.
After ISIS: For Iraqis, reconciliation in Mosul will be challenging, and vitalThe goal of post-ISIS reconciliation in multi-ethnic Mosul is to avoid the sectarian fighting and Sunni disenfranchisement that helped spawn the jihadist movement and spread its reach in the first place.
First LookLegendary tomb of Jesus resurrectedA Greek restoration team has completed its renovation of the Edicule where, according to 海角大神 tradition, Jesus was buried after his crucifixion.
'Apartheid': How one word reignited UN tensions over IsraelA UN report used the word 'apartheid' to describe Israeli policies in Palestinian territories, in a first for the organization. But amid uproar from the US and Israel, the report has since been pulled.
Has Iran's success in Syria made it an arena for longer-term conflict?Having spent heavily to preserve its geopolitical link to Hezbollah, Iran appears to be settling in for a long presence in Syria. That has caught the attention of the US and Israel, which fears a widening of its Southern Lebanon front to the Golan Heights.
Is this the end of Turkey's flirtation with Europe?It wasn't long ago that Turkey and Europe earnestly sought to forge a common future. But the exchange of accusations between the two, rooted in Erdo臒an's effort to empower his presidency, may have pushed the relationship to a point of no return.
How far will Erdo臒an go in fanning Turkey's diplomatic crisis with Europe?Turkey's President Erdo臒an lashed out at the Dutch for blocking rallies aimed at garnering support from Turkish voters abroad ahead of an April referendum on his presidential powers. While that plays well at home, he may not want to push too hard, given close economic ties and shared interests.
Why Turkey鈥檚 feud with the Dutch is good for nationalists 鈥� on both sidesDutch anti-Islam candidate Geert Wilders and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdo臒an聽are both angling for electoral advantages as they exchange harsh words.聽
For students at an American university in Iraq, travel ban debate is keenly feltIraq was removed from the revised executive order President Trump signed this week. But at an American-founded school that aims to produce Iraq's next generation of leaders, the issue has tested perceptions of the US.
First LookBuried treasure: huge statue of Egyptian king unearthed in Cairo neighborhoodArchaeologists say the 26-foot tall statue is聽likely a depiction of Pharaoh Ramses II, considered the most powerful ruler of ancient Egypt.
First LookIsrael wants Arab neighbors to turn down volume on call to prayerArab Israelis say a bill being reviewed by Israel's parliament would take unfair aim at the Muslim call to prayer.
Israel takes action against boycotters. Is that counterproductive?Israel sees the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement as a significant threat, but by barring foreign supporters of BDS from entering the country, critics say, it is harming democracy and isolating itself further.
Neglected under ISIS, schools in eastern Mosul overflow with students once againJust weeks after the eastern part of the city was liberated, schools are scrambling to accommodate eager learners. Education suffered badly under ISIS, which imposed a curriculum filled with violent viewpoints and drove away students fearful of being forcefully recruited.聽- First LookAmid rising tensions, Iran tests Russian-built missile systemIran says that it has successfully test-fired an S-300 air defense system, which has a range of up to 125 miles, as tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate.
Fight for Mosul: Undaunted by close calls, Iraqi soldier returns (again) to battle ISISMohamed Selman Methboub, who was badly injured in a 2014 ISIS ambush, is聽part of the force pushing to liberate Mosul. The Army has been rebuilt from three years ago, when much of it disintegrated before an ISIS offensive.聽
As US pressures Iran, parallel tensions grow between Israel and HezbollahA decade of relative calm along the Israel-Lebanon border is being rattled as both Israel and Hezbollah threaten each other. The threats were provoked by the Trump administration signaling an intent to roll back the growing influence of Iran, Hezbollah鈥檚 sponsor.聽
With ISIS besieged in western Mosul, civilians decide it's time to fleeRecent refugees from Mosul describe how the increased Iraqi pressure on ISIS in the western half of the city, the jihadists' last urban stronghold in the country, translates into increased pressure on civilians.
First LookWith explosion in upscale mall, terror attacks continue in PakistanPakistan has deployed paramilitary forces in a politically fractious bid to crush Islamist groups that have claimed responsibility for a wave of recent attacks on civilian targets.
