MORE ON MIDDLE EAST Yemen FM faces backlash for smiling, sitting next to Netanyahutoday Working towards food sovereignty in Palestinetoday UK schoolgirl who joined ISIL ‘could be prevented’ from returningtoday Dubai airport disrupted after reported drone sightingstoday Ramallah, occupied West Bank – The Om Sleiman farm in the village of Bil’in is part of a burgeoning movement of agroecology and community supported… Read more »
Germany says it has arrested two former Syrian intelligence officers alleged to have been involved in torturing critics of President Bashar al-Assad. Both men seem to have sought asylum in Germany after leaving Syria a few years before the migrant influx in 2015. One them, Anwar R, is suspected of committing crimes against humanity. He was allegedly in charge of… Read more »
Iran’s president has warned its neighbours not to let “terrorists abuse their territory” after a suicide car bombing killed 27 Revolutionary Guards. Hassan Rouhani blamed the United States and Israel for Wednesday’s attack in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, near the Pakistan border. But he said Iran reserved the right to take action if other countries in the region failed… Read more »
Iran’s president has warned its neighbours not to let “terrorists abuse their territory” after a suicide car bombing killed 27 Revolutionary Guards. Hassan Rouhani blamed the United States and Israel for Wednesday’s attack in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, near the Pakistan border. But he said Iran reserved the right to take action if other countries in the region failed… Read more »
US-backed Syrian fighters are clearing Islamic State (IS) militants from the last two villages the jihadist group controls, military officials say. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance launched an assault at the weekend on Shajalah and Baghuz, near Syria’s border with Iraq. The last militants remaining there are reportedly retreating and hiding among the local population. Some have sought… Read more »
US-backed Syrian fighters are clearing Islamic State (IS) militants from the last two villages the jihadist group controls, military officials say. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance launched an assault at the weekend on Shajalah and Baghuz, near Syria’s border with Iraq. The last militants remaining there are reportedly retreating and hiding among the local population. Some have sought… Read more »
Egypt’s parliament has overwhelmingly voted to approve draft constitutional changes that could extend President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi’s time in office by another 12 years. Mr Sisi is due to stand down in 2022 when his second four-year term ends. But 485 of the country’s 596 lawmakers voted on Thursday to lengthen presidential terms to six years and let Mr al-Sisi… Read more »
A British woman who fled to Syria as a schoolgirl to join the Islamic State group could be prevented from returning to the UK, the home secretary has said. “My message is clear,” Sajid Javid told the Times: “If you have supported terrorist organisations abroad I will not hesitate to prevent your return.” He added that if Shamima Begum, 19, did… Read more »
DUBAI: Corruption, poor governance and a lack of transparency are the key challenges facing Middle East economies, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde has warned in a hard-hitting analysis of the region’s economic prospects. Speaking ahead of the opening day of the World Government Summit in Dubai, Lagarde also warned of the impact for regional economies if further measures to… Read more »
On January 7, the members of the African Union met to address the issue of refugees. The top 10 countries who take in the most refugees are all found within Africa and the Middle East, and together they host more than 21 million refugees. Sudan and Ethiopia have some of the highest number of refugees, which has been causing problems… Read more »