Middle East

Turkey: bridging cultures

24/05 17:00 CET

Reflecting a wider debate about Turkey’s identity and the role that religion should play in public life, there is controversy over the increasing number of children now going to Islamic schools. Back to the future Turkey is a secular state although most people who…

Lebanon - 24/05 15:54 CET

Syria conflict spills over into Lebanon with more sectarian…

Gunmen have been seen prowling through a Sunni district of the Lebanese…
Istanbul - 23/05 13:04 CET

Syrian opposition meets in Istanbul to discuss peace talks plan

Members of Syria’s opposition coalition are in Istanbul to decide…
Syria - 23/05 02:44 CET

No role for Assad post-conflict - Friends of Syria

President Bashar al-Assad will have no role to play in a peaceful Syria…
Egypt - 22/05 20:44 CET

Freed hostages prompt security issues in Sinai

The release of seven security men by their kidnappers in Sinai has…
Lebanon - 22/05 18:25 CET

Lebanon: Spillover of violence from Syria

Anti-government fighters in Syria are continuing to clash with the army…
Egypt - 22/05 14:34 CET

Egyptian security officers are freed by Islamist kidnappers

Seven Egyptian security officers kidnapped in Sinai last week have been…
Egypt - 22/05 08:03 CET

Sinai: Egyptian hostages released - army spokesman

Seven Egyptian security officers kidnapped in Sinai last week have been…
Syria - 22/05 02:24 CET

Major diplomatic push underway over Syria

A major diplomatic push is underway for negotiations to end the civil war…
Syria - 21/05 15:35 CET

Golan Heights: Fresh tension after Israeli vehicle attacked

There is fresh tension on the ceasefire line in the Israeli-occupied…
Saudi Arabia - 21/05 12:45 CET

Five Yemenis executed and publically displayed in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has executed five Yemenis accused for killing a Saudi…
Egypt - 21/05 11:34 CET

Egypt sends military reinforcements to Sinai

Egypt sent extra troops to Sinai – days after seven members of its…
Syria - 20/05 22:34 CET

Battle for Qusair inflicts heavy losses in Syria

Fierce fighting for the Syrian rebel stronghold of Qusair has inflicted…
Israel - 20/05 19:25 CET

Israel contests France TV over Palestinian boy's death

Israel says there is new evidence that a French television report whose…
Israel - 20/05 17:47 CET

Israeli police think twice over robbery as motive for bank…

Police in Israel are investigating a shootout at a bank in the southern…
Lebanon - 20/05 16:13 CET

Tensions over Syria trigger clashes in Tripoli

Lebanese soldiers have been patrolling an area of Tripoli after the…
Turkey - 20/05 14:15 CET

Hot-air balloon collision leaves two dead in Turkey

A hot-air balloon has crashed to the ground in Turkey after a mid-air…
Syria - 20/05 12:33 CET

Syria: fierce battle for strategic town of Qusair

Around 30 Hezbollah fighters and 20 Syrian soldiers have been killed in…
Syria - 19/05 19:14 CET

Syria army 'in centre' of Qusair amid assault on rebel town

Syrian government forces have launched a major offensive to retake the…
Syria - 19/05 10:05 CET

'Here to Stay', Syrian President Assad's defiant message

President Bashar al-Assad has said he will not step down, as the conflict…
Turkey - 18/05 23:05 CET

Anti-government anger in Turkey after Syria border bombings

Authorities in southern Turkey say they have detained four more suspects…
Turkey - 18/05 17:32 CET

Protestors and police clash in Turkey-Syria border town

Protestors have clashed with police in Reyhanli during an anti-government…
Alexandria - 18/05 14:44 CET

Row sparks sectarian violence at Alexandria in Egypt

It started as a row between two young men in Egypt’s second city of…
Syria - 18/05 10:34 CET

US criticises Russia over missiles to Damascus

The US has criticised Russia’s recent delivery of anti-ship…
Lebanon - 18/05 10:33 CET

Lebanon: The Syrian refugee factor

So many Syrians are fleeing the war in their country that it has put a…
Syria - 17/05 23:24 CET

Human rights activists claim to have found torture evidence in…

Human rights activists have visited what Syrian rebels described as…
Turkey - 17/05 16:14 CET

Prime suspect in Turkey car bombing detained

Turkish police have the man they believe to be the prime suspect in the…
Turkey - 17/05 14:17 CET

Turkey gains investment grading from Moody's

Turkey’s economy has been given a boost with an upgrade by the…
Syria - 17/05 11:38 CET

Number of Syrian refugees tops 1.5 million

The number of Syrian refugees registered or awaiting registration has…
Turkey - 17/05 07:50 CET

Bulgarian truckers block road into Turkey

Truckers have blocked the main passage from Bulgaria into Turkey for a…
Israel - 17/05 07:50 CET

Ultra-orthodox Jews protest at enlistment

Tens of thousands of ultra-orthodox Jews have surrounded the Israeli…
Egypt - 16/05 08:17 CET

Egypt: Militants planned French and US embassy attacks, reports…

An Al Qaeda-linked militant cell has reportedly been planning suicide…
Syria - 16/05 00:54 CET

UN condemns Syrian regime forces

The UN General Assembly has condemned Syrian regime forces and praised…
Gaza - 15/05 20:35 CET

Palestinians' Nakba day one of infamy

The British presence in Palestine had become untenable following the end…
Gaza - 15/05 19:35 CET

Thousands of Palestinians gather to commemorate 'Nakba'

Thousands of Palestinians gathered in Ramallah for the annual day of…
Turkey - 15/05 04:54 CET

Syria set to dominate talks between Obama and Turkish PM

Turkey’s prime minister says the Syrian crisis will be high on the…
West Bank - 15/05 01:35 CET

Palestinians mark 'Nakba' anniversary

Hundreds of people have joined a march in the West Bank city of Ramallah…
Turkey - 14/05 20:58 CET

PKK peace plan

The first Kurdish PKK members have arrived in Iraq, under a peace plan…
Yemen - 13/05 16:41 CET

Yemen military plane crashes

A military aircraft in Yemen has exploded in mid-air over a residential…
Turkey - 13/05 16:36 CET

Reyhanli residents blame Turkish government for deadly bombs

There is no sign of anger against the government abating in southern…
Saudi Arabia - 13/05 12:05 CET

New coronavirus may be contagious from human to human

The World Health Organisation has said that there is increasing evidence…
Tel Aviv - 13/05 10:18 CET

Israel PM cancels $127,000 air-beds

Israel’s Prime Minister has said he will stop asking for a double…
Turkey - 13/05 02:35 CET

Turkey calls on world to act against Syria in wake of car bombs

Ankara is accusing a group with links to Syrian intelligence of carrying…
Turkey - 12/05 17:57 CET

Turkey arrests bomb attack suspects

Turkey believes fighters loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are to…
Turkey - 12/05 08:55 CET

Turkish government suspects Syrian involvement in bomb attacks

The Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, has said that Turkey…
Egypt - 12/05 00:16 CET

Mubarak back in court for retrial

Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has been back in court for a…
Turkey - 11/05 22:37 CET

Turkey accuses Syrian government of attacks on border town

Twin car bombs have rocked a Turkish town bordering Syria, killing at…
Syria - 11/05 19:45 CET

65 million euros more EU aid to Syrians affected by the conflict

For those who have escaped the violence in Syria, this is where over…
Turkey - 11/05 15:33 CET

Explosions rock Turkish border town

Several explosions believed to be car bombs have gone off in the Turkish…
Egypt - 11/05 12:45 CET

Former Egyptian president in court for retrial

Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has once again appeared in court…
Syria - 11/05 03:08 CET

Turkey claims wounded Syrians show signs of chemical attack

Syrian government forces appear to be continuing their shelling according…
Jordan - 11/05 00:45 CET

French medics offer vital pre-natal care for Syrian refugees

Zaatari refugee camp on the Syria, Jordan border….it’s where…
Syria - 10/05 19:55 CET

UK and Russia put their differences aside on Syria

At a meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, UK Prime Minister David…
Syria - 10/05 15:06 CET

Syria: living on the frontline

An eight-hour truce has been held in Damascus between a government-held…
Jerusalem - 10/05 13:47 CET

Women harrassed as they pray at Western Wall in Jerusalem

The Western Wall in Jerusalem has a new historical footnote, as Jewish…
Turkey - 10/05 12:12 CET

Turkey: Plot to murder Patriarch Bartolomeu

According to Turkish private broadcaster NTV, local authorities are…
Syria - 10/05 11:03 CET

Syria on chemical hair trigger

“Has Syria overstepped the red line? Have chemical weapons been…
Syria - 10/05 01:05 CET

Syria ready for UN to investigate chemical arms

Syria has agreed to receive a United Nations team to investigate claims…
Syria - 09/05 23:05 CET

Hezbollah says Syria will provide 'sophisticated weapons'

In a televised address to supporters, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah…
Syria - 09/05 16:56 CET

No Assad in Syria transition - US

The United States says Syria’s embattled president Bashar al-Assad…
Israel - 09/05 04:36 CET

America sees "short time span" to revive Middle East peace bid

US Secretary of State John Kerry has indicated that Washington is keen to…
Turkey - 09/05 00:55 CET

PKK fighters begin to withdraw from Turkey

Kurdish militants have started to leave Turkey, as part of a peace…
Israel - 08/05 22:17 CET

Tensions high on Jerusalem Day

On Jerusalem Day, a national holiday in Israel, there were scuffles…
Turkey - 08/05 18:02 CET

Kurdish fighters leaving Turkey

A historic pullout of Kurdish rebels from Turkey is under way. Six weeks…
Syria - 08/05 15:19 CET

Syria enters second day of internet blackout

Syria has entered a second day without any internet connection to the…
Israel - 08/05 15:05 CET

Jerusalem's Grand Mufti released without charge

Jerusalem’s leading Muslim cleric Sheikh Mohammed Hussein has been…
Cyprus - 08/05 13:54 CET

Rehn accuses Cyprus of ignoring warnings over its finances

Cyprus has been accused ignoring early warnings over its beleaguered…
Israel - 08/05 13:02 CET

New noise cancellation technology

Noise pollution is one of the banes of modern life. Chronic exposure to…
Turkey - 08/05 05:16 CET

Clashes in Turkey ahead of PKK pullout

Pro-Kurdish protesters have thrown petrol bombs and firecrackers at…
Syria - 07/05 19:29 CET

Israeli raids on Syria carry regional risks

Israeli air attacks near the Syrian capital Damascus have changed the…
Syria - 07/05 17:36 CET

More Filipino UN peacekeepers 'held by Syrian rebels'

A group of Syrian rebels have used their Facebook page to announce that…
Israel - 07/05 17:32 CET

Fill The Void looks at Israel's Orthodox community

Director Rama Burshtein has made her debut film about a subject close to…
West Bank - 07/05 12:45 CET

Israel PM Netanyahu 'orders brief freeze' on Jewish settlements

Israeli media reports say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is…
Syria - 07/05 04:46 CET

Syrian group criticises Israel over air strikes

A Syrian group of political parties and independent activists has…
Syria - 07/05 00:55 CET

UN expresses doubt about chemical weapons use in Syria

The United Nations is now saying it has no conclusive evidence of…
Egypt - 07/05 00:46 CET

Egyptians celebrate spring holiday

After a year of political turmoil, Egyptians have been taking some time…
Syria - 06/05 20:19 CET

Iran's EU envoy slams 'Israeli' airstrikes

A top Iranian official has slammed Israel’s reported airstrikes in…
Gaza - 06/05 20:06 CET

Google's Palestine polarises opinion on statehood impact

Google’s decision last week to put the name “Palestine”…
Cyprus - 06/05 17:07 CET

Cyprus gets longer to repay Russian loan

Russia has agreed to push back the pay-back date on a 2.5 billion euro…
Syria - 06/05 15:06 CET

Tensions high at Israel-Syria border

Israel is on high alert after carrying out air strikes on military…
Syria - 06/05 11:06 CET

UN: 'Strong suspicions' that Syrian rebels have used sarin nerve…

UN human rights investigators say they have strong suspicions but not…
Syria - 05/05 19:05 CET

Anger in Middle East over Israeli airstrike on Syria

Israel’s second airstrike in Syria in days against what it calls…
Syria - 05/05 17:45 CET

Israeli action heightens tension in the region

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a cabinet meeting…
Syria - 05/05 11:35 CET

Israeli official confirms second air strike at Syria

A series of explosions rocked the outskirts of the Syrian capital…
Syria - 05/05 04:09 CET

Syrian media accuses Israel of air strike on Damascus

Massive explosions rocked the Syrian capital on Sunday morning as state…
Israel - 04/05 18:05 CET

'Holy Fire' ceremony in Jerusalem ushers in Orthodox Easter

Tens of thousands of pilgrims have visited the Old City of Jerusalem…
Syria - 04/05 13:45 CET

Israeli officials confirm air strike on Syrian target

Israel has confirmed its warplanes have carried out an air strike into…
Syria - 04/05 07:04 CET

Israeli official confirms airstrike on Syria

Israeli officials have confirmed the country has carried out a strike…
Turkey - 03/05 21:11 CET

Olympic champion faces lifetime ban for doping

Olympic 1,500 metres champion Asli Cakir Alptekin is facing a lifetime…
Saudi Arabia - 03/05 19:48 CET

Jeddah Sculptures Restoration

The city of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia has one of the largest collections of…
Syria - 03/05 16:37 CET

US Syria position spells 'tens of thousands' more deaths

Washington is wrestling with a moral-political-military equation over…
Turkey - 02/05 20:05 CET

Turkish Airlines embroiled in row over red lipstick

A row has erupted amid a long-running industrial dispute at Turkish…
Turkey - 02/05 16:45 CET

Syria chemical weapons concerns spill into Turkey

The possibility of chemical weapons being used in Syria’s conflict…
Syria - 01/05 22:35 CET

Defiant Assad visits Damascus power plant

Syria’s President Bashar al Assad has made a rare public…
Istanbul - 01/05 10:25 CET

Clashes mar International Workers' Day in Turkey

Several people have been injured in clashes between police and protesters…
Syria - 01/05 00:15 CET

Hezbollah says Syrian rebels will never oust Assad by force

The leader of the Lebanese-based militant group, Hezbollah has warned…
Gaza - 30/04 21:05 CET

Israel kills military jihadist in Gaza air strike

Israel launched it’s first targeted air strike on a militant in…
Cyprus - 30/04 19:28 CET

Cyprus approves bailout - just

Cyprus’s parliament has approved an EU bailout which includes…
Syria - 30/04 12:06 CET

Syria: Damascus rocked by deadly bomb

Central Damascus has been rocked by a bomb. At least 13 people have been…
United Arab Emirates - 29/04 19:17 CET

Three Britons jailed on drugs charges by Dubai court

A Dubai court has jailed three Britons for four years on possession of…

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