ISTANBUL (NEW YORK TIMES, REUTERS) – Turkey said it was launching a major counteroffensive against the Syrian government, for the first time openly declaring war on the government of Bashar Assad and steeply escalating Istanbul’s involvement in Syria’s nine-year war. The announcement on Sunday (March 1) came three days after Turkey suffered its worst military […]

Israelis are voting in an unprecedented third general election in less than a year, with the prime minister fighting for his political survival. Neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger, Benny Gantz, were able to put together majority coalitions following the last two elections. The final opinion polls suggested the latest round is too close […]

JERUSALEM (REUTERS) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks re-election on Monday (March 2) under the weight of an imminent corruption trial, with the country’s third ballot in less than a year predicted to end in another deadlock. The election follows two inconclusive votes in April and September that dimmed an aura of political invincibility […]

KABUL (AFP) – As US troops prepare to leave Afghanistan, opening the door for a potential Taleban comeback, women across the war-torn country are nervous about losing their hard-won freedoms in the pursuit of peace. The militants were in power for around five years until the US invasion of 2001. They ruled Afghanistan with an […]

Security Council to decide whether to designate Masood Azhar as ‘terrorist’ following suicide bombing in Kashmir. Islamabad, Pakistan – The UN Security Council is set to take up a proposal to sanction Masood Azhar, chief of the Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) armed group, as a designated “terrorist”. The Security Council vote on Wednesday will be closely watched to see if […]

Algerian president’s campaign manager files official papers but says he will call a fresh vote if reelected in April. Algiers, Algeria – The campaign manager of Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has been facing nearly two weeks of protests against his bid for a fifth term, says the ailing leader will call for early polls if he […]

Al Jazeera explains the major groups that are involved in the armed movement for Kashmiri self-determination. Islamabad/Srinagar – Kashmiris have been demanding a solution to the unresolved dispute over whether the territory should be independent, or a part of India or Pakistan since the subcontinent gained independence from the British in 1947. In 1988, after years […]

‘UK’s decision is an insult to the feelings, sympathies and will of the Lebanese people,’ Hezbollah said. Beirut, Lebanon – Hezbollah has said Britain is acting as “a subordinate that serves the American master” after London decided to ban the group in its entirety last week. Hezbollah’s military wing was outlawed by the United Kingdom in […]

As polls for Israel premiership loom, two top Israeli politicians to address AIPAC – an influential Jewish lobby in Washington. The top contenders for Israel’s prime ministership are both in the United States before elections in April. Military veteran Benny Gantz is a serious challenger to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and will want to make a strong […]

For first time since 2014, some 800 Palestinians are permitted to leave for Umrah pilgrimage via the Rafah crossing. For the first time in five years, Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip have been allowed to cross over into Egypt via the Rafah border crossing to begin their initial stage of a pilgrimage to Mecca, known […]