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Diary shows how quest for love landed U.S. Navy vet in Iran jail

Held on dubious allegations of 'collaborating with U.S. and disrespecting Islamic Republic's supreme leader', Michael White catalogs years of physical abuse from his jailers and taunts from fellow inmates

Associated Press , 22:55 , 01.17.21

Report: Beirut blast chemicals possibly linked to Syrian businessmen

Trading firm behind purchase of chemicals that devastated Lebanese capital shares London address with companies linked to Syrian-Russian nationals sanctioned by U.S. for supporting Assad's war effort

Reuters , 19:08 , 01.17.21

UN watchdog confirms another Iranian breach of nuclear deal

IAEA says Islamic Republic began installing equipment for production of uranium metal, which could be used for a nuclear bomb and is strictly prohibited under 2015 deal

Associated Press , 21:40 , 01.14.21

Iran works on uranium metal for reactor fuel in new breach of nuclear deal

Deal signed between Iran and 6 major powers specifically imposes a 15-year ban on producing or acquiring uranium metal, a sensitive material that can be used in the core of a nuclear bomb

Reuters , 21:15 , 01.13.21

Interpol issues notices over Lebanon's massive port blast

Red Notices were for the owner and captain of the Rhosus, the ship that carried the 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate to Lebanon in 2013, as well as a Portuguese nitrate trader who visited the port's warehouse in Beirut where material was stored

Associated Press , 19:16 , 01.12.21

In final swipe, Pompeo said set to accuse Iran of al-Qaeda links

Declassified intelligence expected to show Islamic Republic aided terror group, provided safe haven for its leaders including mastermind of U.S. embassy bombings reportedly killed in Tehran by Israeli operatives

Reuters , 09:25 , 01.12.21

IAEA chief says matter of weeks left to revive Iran nuclear diplomacy

Rafael Grossi says the Islamic Republic's progress on enrichment is 'quite rapid'; Tehran resumed 20% uranium enrichment at its underground plant earlier this month in protest over U.S. sanctions

Reuters , 15:28 , 01.11.21

Iraq court issues arrest warrant against Trump for Iranian general's death

Baghdad judge also issues order over the death of Iraqi Shi'ite militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, who together with Qassem Soleimani, was killed in a targeted American airstrike last January outside the capital's airport

Associated Press , 16:09 , 01.07.21

In Beirut, a bronze bust of Iran general sparks controversy

Critics calling the 3 meter high statue of slain Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, an act of cultural aggression perpetuated by the Iran Backed Hezbollah terror group while another critic of the statue says she received death threats for voicing her concerns;

Associated Press , 22:38 , 01.06.21

Saudi, Qatari leaders embrace ahead of Gulf detente summit

Experts say Riyadh pushing reluctant allies for resolution to row with Doha to show Biden that it is open to dialogue; U.S. president-elect has vowed to take harder line with kingdom over its human rights record, role in Yemen war

Reuters , 15:31 , 01.05.21

Saudi Arabia to lift Qatar embargo, open airspace and border

Step toward ending diplomatic crisis between U.S. allies, gripping the region since 2017, paves way for Qatari ruler to attend Saudi-hosted Gulf nations summit later this week

Associated Press , 22:08 , 01.04.21

PA grants bail for Palestinian DJ arrested over mosque party

Lawyer for Sama Abdulhadi, who was detained for organizing a dance event at Nabi Musa shrine in West Bank, says she is banned from leaving country and will be subjected to weekly investigations by Palestinian police

i24NEWS, AFP , 20:42 , 01.04.21

How close is Iran to producing a nuclear bomb?

Accord's restrictions on Islamic Republic's atomic work has one objective: to extend 'breakout time' for Tehran to produce enough fissile material for a bomb, if it decides to make one, to at least a year from about two to three months

Reuters , 19:56 , 01.04.21

Video of Egypt virus patients’ ICU death stirs controversy

Authorities launch an investigation into incident seen in a video showing hospital staff apparently trying to revive patients lacking oxygen, with a voice heard saying 'everyone is dead in intensive care'

Associated Press , 23:02 , 01.03.21

Rally in Baghdad marks 1 year since Iran general’s killing

Roads closed off and security tightened as crowds gather in response to a call by powerful Iran-backed militias for a rally in Iraqi capital marking death of Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani in a U.S. airstrike, demanding the expulsion of U.S. troops from Iraq

Associated Press , 20:27 , 01.03.21

Lebanese PM slams 'diabolical' move to charge him over Beirut port blast

Diab describes being singled out and charged while others knew more, insists the investigating judge must go through parliament to question him further, now that he has been charged

Associated Press , 22:47 , 12.29.20

Months after Beirut blast, victims await answers

For some, the deadly explosion that killed 204 and left scores homeless as well as the state's handling of its aftermath, are an indictment of politicians who have led Lebanon as it lurches from crisis to crisis

Reuters , 12:04 , 12.24.20

Report: Saudi Arabia, UAE used NSO to target phones of Al-Jazeera reporters

Watchdog says reporters for Qatari state-owned media company were targeted in an attack attributed to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi using spyware belonging to Israeli technology firm

Associated Press , 23:32 , 12.20.20

Rocket barrage targets U.S. Embassy in Iraq

Iraqi officials say Green Zone's C-RAM air defense system downed the projectiles midair; incident comes ahead of anniversary of targeted killing of Iranian general Soleimani in Baghdad

Associated Press , 21:28 , 12.20.20

Saudi TV show shifts perception of Israel-Gulf normalization

Period drama showing co-existence of three faiths was seen by more than 140 million people throughout the Arab world, and hoped to show Jewish, Muslim, and Christian religious harmony in the Gulf of the 1940s

The Media Line , 09:08 , 12.18.20

Lebanon prosecutor pauses port probe amid legal challenges

Decision reportedly made to allow judge to answer accusations he violated constitutional procedures by summoning for questioning caretaker PM and three former ministers on suspicion of negligence that led to the deadly explosion

Associated Press , 22:27 , 12.17.20

Iran leaders: Biden arrival won't guarantee better relations

President Rouhani accuses the departing Trump of 'committing so many crimes,' calling him an 'assassin and a terrorist', while Supreme Leader Khamenei slams Obama and warns 'hostilities are not just for Trump’s America'

Associated Press , 18:15 , 12.16.20

What next for Western Sahara after Morocco-Israel deal?

Rabat controls 3 quarters of the former Spanish colony that has valuable resources, including potential oil reserves, with the rest being run by an Algerian-backed pro-independence group demanding UN referendum

AFP , 16:57 , 12.16.20

Islamic State steps up Sinai fight with bombs in civilian homes in Egypt

Egyptian army reports that since September it has killed 40 suspected jihadist militants in air and ground operations in the region and that seven of its own personnel have been either wounded or killed

AFP , 16:42 , 12.16.20

Lebanese judge charges caretaker PM in August port explosion

Court charges interim leader, along with other senior officials, with carelessness and negligence leading to death of hundreds in Aug. 4 explosion at Beirut's port

Associated Press , 19:53 , 12.10.20

U.S. Senate falls short of halting Trump's $23B arms sales to UAE

Senators argue the deal, formally authorized after Abu Dhabi normalized relations with Israel, is unfolding too quickly and the Emirates' track record in war-torn Yemen and Libya raises more questions than answers

Associated Press , 11:38 , 12.10.20

Lebanon's PM-designate Hariri gives president new government line-up

France, which has led foreign efforts to help Levantine nation, seeks to rally Lebanese leaders to tackle financial meltdown, but has grown frustrated as it got bogged down in fractious sectarian politics

Reuters , 18:33 , 12.09.20

Trump issues formal threat to veto effort to block massive UAE arms sales

White House says deal, which many believe was integral for normalization with Israel, supports policy and objective to enable Abu Dhabi to deter increasing Iranian threats to region

Reuters , 18:22 , 12.09.20

Hezbollah sues PM's brother over Beirut blast accusation

Al-Manar TV, belonging to the terror group, gives no further details about the case filed against Bahaa Hariri, the son of late Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and a harsh Hezbollah critic who lives in exile

Associated Press , 15:34 , 12.09.20

Iran’s president vows to continue supporting Syria

During meeting with Syrian FM, Rouhani calls for confronting 'Zionist occupiers and terrorism' and the 'liberation' of the Golan Heights from Israel

Associated Press , 12:02 , 12.08.20

U.S. military pullouts in Mideast raise fears of Iranian attacks

Troop levels in Iraq will be reduced from about 3,000 to 2,500 and in Afghanistan from more than 4,500 to 2,500 by mid-January, as well as planned departure of aircraft carrier USS Nimitz from Persian Gulf

Associated Press , 09:21 , 12.08.20

U.S. Navy official says 'uneasy deterrence' reached with Iran

Top sailor says both sides maintain 'healthy respect' despite tense encounters with the Islamic Republic's naval forces in the Persian Gulf in recent months

Associated Press , 19:11 , 12.06.20

Lebanese crisis deepens Syrian refugee misery

Nearly a decade since Syria's civil war began, neighboring Lebanon still hosts some 1 million registered refugees for whom life has only become more difficult since an economic crisis erupted there last year

Reuters , 22:16 , 12.03.20

Iran ready to show goodwill if U.S., Europe abide by nuclear deal, Zarif says

Iranian FM says Tehran will fully comply with 2015 agreement if other signatories honor original commitments; Biden has said he will rejoin pact if Iran resumes strict compliance

Reuters , 21:12 , 12.03.20

Iran watchdog passes law on hardening nuclear stance, halting UN inspections

President Rouhani, architect of 2015 deal, criticizes move by parliament that would also see enrichment rise to 20%, as 'harmful to diplomatic efforts' aimed at easing U.S. sanctions

Reuters , 17:45 , 12.02.20

Revolutionary Guard Corps commander said killed in strike at Iraq-Syria border

The drone attack on the vehicle carrying weapons across the Iraqi border comes a day after the assassination of Iran's chief nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh near Tehran that was attributed to Israel's Mossad

Agencies, Ynet , 07:48 , 12.01.20

Senior Iranian nuclear scientist assassinated near Tehran

Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who Prime Minister Netanyahu exposed in 2018 as a key figure in the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and was dubbed the 'father of the Iranian bomb', was killed in a shooting at his vehicle

Daniel Salami , 17:21 , 11.27.20

UAE eases limits on foreign ownership to attract investors

Overhaul signals yet another startling change for the federation after it announced a series of reforms to its Islamic legal code, allowing unmarried couples to cohabitate, improving protections for women and loosening restrictions on alcohol consumption

Associated Press , 17:54 , 11.23.20

Iran candidate tells AP: US attack risks 'full-fledged war'

Dehghan, a candidate for the Iranian presidency says his country not interested in war but equally uninterested in negotiations for negotiations' sake and must never include Iran's missile program which he calls a deterrent to the Islamic Republic's adversaries

Associated Press , 19:07 , 11.19.20

Virus threat 'a new terror' in Syria’s scarred Idlib region

At one of two coronavirus hospitals in the war-ravaged province, overwhelmed doctors tend to patients drifting in and out of consciousness, as daily cases climb to over 500, so does demand for beds in ICUs

Associated Press , 15:40 , 11.19.20

U.S. senators seek to stop Trump's $23 billion in arms sales to UAE

Lawmakers say Trump administration circumvented the normal review process, worry deal seen as linked to Abu Dhabi's normalization pact with Israel could start dangerous arms race in the region

Reuters , 09:12 , 11.19.20

U.S. imposes fresh Iran sanctions, targets Khamenei-linked foundation

U.S. Treasury Department says sanctions part of 'maximum pressure' campaign against key patronage network for Iran's Supreme Leader, as well as on dozens of Iranian bigwigs, including the country's intel chief

Reuters , 18:04 , 11.18.20

UN: Iran feeds uranium gas into advanced centrifuges underground

Report by International Atomic Energy Agency also says Tehran had installed a cascade, an interlinked cluster, of advanced IR-2m machines underground at its main nuclear site Natanz

Reuters , 16:31 , 11.18.20

Crisis-weary Beirut residents defy new lockdown despite COVID surge

As daily infections rise above 1,000 and with over 100,000 cases since start of pandemic, Lebanese government orders two-week shutdown, including a 5pm to 5am curfew on Sundays

Reuters , 18:44 , 11.17.20

Lebanese artist turns blast debris into symbol of hope

Following the explosion at Beirut's port, social activist Hayat Nazer joins debris clearing efforts in the city, strolling the streets for weeks, collecting rubble and materials to use in her sculptures and art

Reuters , 17:58 , 11.16.20

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem dies at 79

Career diplomat who served as ambassador to Washington for nine years, starting in 1990 during Syria’s on-and-off peace talks with Israel, was close confidant of Assad known for loyalty, hardline position against opposition

Associated Press , 08:35 , 11.16.20

Egypt finds treasure trove of over 100 sarcophagi

Adorned sealed wooden coffins found in underground shafts at the sweeping Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo - a vast burial site belonging to the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis

AFP , 22:49 , 11.15.20

UN: Iran uranium stockpile violates atomic deal

IAEA reports Iran has continuing to enrich uranium to a purity of up to 4.5%, higher than the 3.67% allowed under the JCPOA after it announced all violations in advance after U.S. pulled out of nuclear deal

Associated Press , 22:54 , 11.11.20

Assad blames West for hindering return of refugees to Syria

Comments by Syrian president came after Russia-organized summit boycotted by Arab and Western countries and criticized by the UN and U.S., who insist first priority be making war-torn country safe for return

Associated Press , 21:56 , 11.11.20

Bahrain's long-serving prime minister dies at age 84

State-run news agency announces the death without elaborating on the cause; official mourning has been declared for a week and funeral will be limited to a specific number of relatives

Associated Press, Reuters , 10:45 , 11.11.20

U.S. imposes Iran-related sanctions on individuals, companies

Treasury Department accuses entities of facilitating procurement of sensitive goods for Iran Communication Industries - an Iranian military firm blacklisted by Washington and the EU

Reuters , 21:01 , 11.10.20

Iran, Lebanon to impose lockdowns, curfews as virus surges

Tehran to impose national nightly curfew on businesses, while Lebanon heads into a two-week, nationwide closure later this week as both countries battle a major surge in infections

Associated Press , 18:02 , 11.10.20

Shifting militant tactics curb development in Egypt's North Sinai

Pockets of instability persist despite intensified military campaign against a militant group loyal to Islamic State, supported by local Bedouins complaining of marginalization by Cairo

Reuters , 12:27 , 11.09.20

Iraq's pro-Iran factions see smoother sailing with Biden at helm

Iraqi factions supported by Tehran are hoping the President-elect could roll back Trump's policies, which included bombing hardline groups and slapping sanctions on pro-Iran figures

AFP , 09:41 , 11.09.20

Iran says Biden should make up for Trump's mistakes

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani calls on president-elect, who vowed to rejoin 2015 nuclear accord, to reverse Trump's 'damaging policies' that include sanctions that have crippled Iran's economy

Reuters , 17:43 , 11.08.20

Mideast heads for policy revamp under Biden

Experts say America's president-elect may reverse some of Trump's unconventional decisions, which include withdrawing from Iran nuclear deal and moving the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem

AFP , 16:36 , 11.08.20

Turkey condemns French caricature featuring Erdogan

Anger at the caricature added fuel to a row between Turkey and France about cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, which flared after a teacher who had shown pupils the cartoons in a lesson on freedom of speech was beheaded in France this month

Reuters , 11:56 , 10.28.20

Satellite photos show construction at Iran nuclear site

Images by San Francisco-based Planet Labs show Islamic Republic is beginning a possible reconstruction of the damaged enrichment facility in Natanz facility

Associated Press , 09:38 , 10.28.20

Hariri named as Lebanon's new prime minister

Nine months after his resignation, Lebanon's President Aoun taps Sunni Muslim politician once more to form a new government to tackle the country's worst crisis since the 1975-1990 civil war

Reuters , 17:58 , 10.22.20

IMF: Nearly all Mideast economies hit by pandemic recession

International financial body warns global economy will shrink by 4.4% in 2020, the worst annual plunge since the Great Depression, projects Israel's GDP will shrink by 5.8%, more than any other developed economy

Associated Press , 13:55 , 10.19.20