A 30-year-old German-Syrian woman faces up to 10 years in prison for allegedly arranging marriages for ISIL. Germany has put a 30-year-old German-Syrian woman on trial for allegedly arranging marriages for the ISIL (ISIS) group. The defendant, identified as Lorin I due to Germany’s privacy law, on Friday admitted to the court in Celle, northern […]

Several of Israel’s staunchest allies have criticised its annexation plans as jeopardising the status quo. Israel’s annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank has been fiercely criticised by not only Palestinians but by the international community at large. The plan, which aims to annex all illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank – […]

JERUSALEM (AFP) – Thousands of Israelis protested on Saturday (July 25) in Jerusalem and other cities including Tel Aviv, demanding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s resignation over his government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. In Jerusalem they rallied outside Netanyahu’s residence holding up signs accusing him of corruption, a reference to the premier’s indictment in January […]

Turkish leader threatens new law to regulate ‘immoral’ social media over tweets directed at daughter and son-in-law. Turkey’s president has vowed to tighten government control over social media following alleged insults directed at his daughter and son-in-law when they announced the birth of their fourth child on Twitter. Addressing his party’s provincial leaders via a […]

ISTANBUL (REUTERS) – Thousands of Turks gathered near Hagia Sophia early on Friday (July 24) for the first prayers there since President Tayyip Erdogan declared the monument, revered by Christians and Muslims for almost 1,500 years, a mosque once again. Crowds formed at checkpoints surrounding the historic heart of Istanbul, where thousands of police maintained […]

RIYADH (REUTERS) – Saudi Arabia’s 84-year-old ruler, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, underwent a successful operation to remove his gallbladder, state news agency SPA reported on Thursday (July 23), after he was admitted to hospital this week. The king, who has ruled the world’s largest oil exporter and close US ally since 2015, will stay in […]

At Istanbul meeting, Russia and Turkey agree to push for a ceasefire but Ankara says eastern commander must retreat. Turkey and Russia agreed on Wednesday to press for a ceasefire in war-ravaged Libya, but Ankara said the leader of the eastern forces was illegitimate and must withdraw from key positions for a credible truce to […]

Women hit the streets and take to social media after ex-partner reportedly confesses to killing Pinar Gultekin, 27. The brutal murder of yet another Turkish woman has triggered widespread outrage in the country, with many taking to the streets and social media to express their anger. University student Pinar Gultekin, 27, was killed in the Aegean province of Mugla. […]

On Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s visit, his first trip since taking office in May, he pledged to protect Iran from attacks. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi said on a trip to Tehran on Tuesday that Iraq would not allow any aggression against Iran coming from its territory. Speaking at a news conference alongside Iranian President Hassan Rouhani […]

Hella Mewis runs arts programmes at the Bait Tarkib collective in the Iraqi capital. A German national has been kidnapped in central Baghdad, according to the Iraqi interior ministry. Hella Mewis has lived in the Iraqi capital for several years, where she worked on establishing the Bait Tarkib collective, which aims to promote the work […]