Middle East

Hezbollah confirms involvement in Syria conflict for the first time

25/05 23:35 CET

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is fighting alongside the government troops in Syria. Hezbollah is a Shi’ite Muslim group and it is backing Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad who is from the minority Alawite sect – an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam…

Turkey - 24/05 17:00 CET

Turkey: bridging cultures

Reflecting a wider debate about Turkey’s identity and the role that…
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…

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