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UN: Air strikes hit hospitals, camps in northwest Syria, relief effort overwhelmed

Refugee wave largest since WWII; aid groups report children freezing to death in camps; reports of further military achievements for Assad en route to victory

Reuters , 17:27 , 02.18.20

Disgruntled Iranians say they'll boycott Parliamentary vote

Many Iranians suffer from the current economic situation, outraged at their government and fearing a military confrontation with the U.S.; they have lost confidence in politics; this Friday, with the Islamic Republic heading to the polls, they will remain at home

AFP , 22:02 , 02.17.20

Snubbed by Gulf, Lebanon's PM Diab hosts Iranian official

Experts say the Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah's role in helping Diab form a government could impede securing Western and Gulf aid to solve the country's financial woes

Reuters , 20:01 , 02.17.20

UAE issues licence for first Arab nuclear power plant

Barakah plant had been due to come online since 2017 but faced delays attributed to safety and regulatory requirements; experts fear plant will be vulnerable to attacks from rival Iran

AFP , 19:09 , 02.17.20

After gains in northern Syria, Assad predicts total victory

Address by the Syrian president comes amid ongoing military advance in northwestern Syria as government troops consolidate hold over Idlib, capturing over 30 villages and hamlets in a single day

Agencies , 19:05 , 02.17.20

Crisis puts Lebanon's survival at stake, Hezbollah warns

Hassan Nasrallah says supporting Diab's government, which the Iran-backed terror group heavily backs, is a 'national duty'; Hezbollah's support of new PM may hinder his efforts to secure financial aid from Western, Gulf countries

Reuters , 20:13 , 02.16.20

Hezbollah’s popularity seen waning as Lebanese protests continue

Analysis: As new Beirut government’s biggest supporter, Iran-backed group is facing possibility of losing its legitimacy as resistance movement; according to one expert, with so much poverty, few in Lebanon mention ‘resistance’ to Israel

The Media Line , 18:33 , 02.14.20

U.S. warship in Arabian Sea seizes suspected Iranian weapons

USS Normandy boarded dhow on Sunday, seizing anti-tank guided missiles, surface-to-air missiles; Senate moves to limit Trump's ability to wage war against Iran; Revolutionary Guard chief says ready to strike U.S., Israel if they give cause

Reuters , 22:03 , 02.13.20

Widowed, imprisoned, detained: remnants of Islamic State in limbo in Syria

Kurdish fighters bare the brunt of holding the former IS fighters, 10% of whom are European, in harsh and complicated conditions; many of the prisoners beg to be repatriated, but many of their home nations fear backlash for such a move

Reuters , 16:06 , 02.12.20

Lebanon government wins confidence vote as protests rock Beirut

Country's new Hezbollah-backed cabinet hopes financial rescue plan, forming basis of its confidence vote in parliament, can help pull country from deep financial crisis; hundreds hurt in unrest

Reuters , 21:02 , 02.11.20

Iranians rally on anniversary of 1979 Islamic Revolution

State media shows footage of rallies with protesters holding signs reading 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel;' rallies come days before parliamentary elections expected to test popularity of Rouhani and his so-called moderate, pro-reform camp

News Agencies , 12:48 , 02.11.20

Egypt moves toward toughening up draconian anti-terror law

Legislation originally created in 2015 to combat IS affiliates in Sinai; critics claim law used by Egyptian President Al-Sisi to silence political rivals and dissidents

Associated Press , 23:11 , 02.10.20

Iran to execute alleged spy who gave nuclear secrets to CIA

The state-run news agencies in the country report that Amir Rahimpour received money from the U.S. state agency to share the details; the Islamic Republic in the past has sentenced alleged American and Israeli spies to death

Associated Press , 11:30 , 02.04.20

Jews, Muslims, Christians meet at UAE interfaith event

The UAE and Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf states, have been expanding their outreach to Christian groups, like evangelicals, and Jewish organizations

Associated Press , 22:09 , 02.03.20

Report: Militants bomb gas pipeline between Israel, Egypt in northern Sinai

Al-Jazeera reports attack carried out on pipeline; Egyptian authorities confirm at least 6 militants involved in attack; energy ministry, pipeline's owners deny

Daniel Salami, Itamar Eichner , 23:21 , 02.02.20

Protesters outside U.S. Embassy in Lebanon decry Trump plan

Dozens showcase discontent with proposed peace deal, believed to heavily favor Israel; minor clashes between police forces and demonstrators

Associated Press , 17:46 , 02.02.20

Already crowded Egypt set to hit 100 million population

In Egypt, 97% live on just 8% of its territory, crowded along the Nile, as the population grows by 2.5 million each year while 1,400 people are packed into every square kilometer in some areas

Reuters , 14:53 , 02.02.20

Gulf Arabs back Trump's Mideast efforts, but not peace plan

Arab world watches eagerly for Saudi reaction to Trump's so-called Deal of the Century as Gulf states remain reluctant to officially endorse plan

Associated Press , 21:11 , 01.30.20

Iran lawmakers call for debate on quitting nuclear arms treaty

The fate of the 2015 nuclear pact has been in doubt since Trump pulled the United States out of it in 2018 and reimposed sanctions that have crippled the country's economy

Reuters , 16:03 , 01.28.20

Trump says U.S. will not lift sanctions to negotiate with Iran

The comments come in apparent response to Iranian foreign minister's remarks that Iran is willing to negotiate with the United States if the latter removes the crippling sanctions on the Islamic Republic

Reuters, Associated Press , 08:44 , 01.26.20

Lebanon forms government with backing of Hezbollah and allies

PM describes cabinet as technocratic 'rescue team' that would work to achieve goals of protesters; anti-Hezbollah Christian and Druze parties left out of coalition

Reuters , 23:28 , 01.21.20

New leader of Islamic State said confirmed by intel agencies

Amir Mohammed Abdul Rahman al-Mawli al-Salbi grew up in the ranks and received preferred status because of his scholarly background in Islamic studies, which he used to justify the enslavement of Yazidis

AFP , 15:49 , 01.21.20

New Revolutionary Guard commander said among planners of 1994 Argentine Jewish center bombing

Western intelligence sources say deputy head of Iran's Quds Force involved in planning attack at AMIA center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people, has avoided foreign travel ever since in order to dodge Interpol warrant

Smadar Perry , 12:32 , 01.21.20

Zarif: Iran will quit NPT if nuclear issue referred to UN

Despite threat, Tehran says it has not ruled out talks to end row over violations of 2015 international agreement after Britain, France, and Germany trigger a dispute mechanism, citing Iranian breaches; move starts a diplomatic process that could lead to United Nations sanctions being reimposed

Reuters , 12:29 , 01.20.20

Lebanese security forces, protesters clash for second night

Protesters reignite unrest in capital as deepening multi-faceted crisis grapples with financial strains that have sunk currency, pushed up prices and driven banks to impose capital controls

Reuters , 23:00 , 01.19.20

Khamenei: Trump is a 'clown' who will betray Iranians

Thousands attended the Friday sermon led by the Iranian leader, chanting 'death to America'; Ayatollah calls European powers 'servants' to the United States

Associated Press , 14:48 , 01.17.20

Iran: Europe yielding to 'high school bully' Trump in nuclear row

Britain, France and Germany triggered the accord's dispute mechanism this week but according to reports the U.S. threatened a 25% tariff on European automobile imports if they refrained from the move

Reuters , 20:45 , 01.16.20

Iran: uranium enrichment at higher level than before nuclear deal

Islamic republic continues to scale back commitments in nuclear deal amid European appeal to dispute resolution mechanism, looming UN sanctions

Reuters , 11:51 , 01.16.20

Egypt's push to be east Mediterranean gas hub

With a vast network of gas pipelines, advanced infrastructure and convenient locatio, the country hopes to become a vital link for energy trading between Mideast, Africa and Europe

Reuters , 19:00 , 01.15.20

Iran rejects idea of a new 'Trump deal' in nuclear row

Tehran says it wants to keep the agreement, but cannot do so if it receives none of the promised economic benefits; Rouhani says 'American soldiers are not secure in the region' as he repeats call for U.S. troops to leave region

Associated Press , 13:19 , 01.15.20

Iran warns Europe as diplomat says officials 'lied' on crash

Comments by Zarif represent first time Iranian official refers to Islamic Republic's earlier claim that technical malfunction downed Ukraine International Airlines flight as a lie

Associated Press , 12:58 , 01.15.20

Lebanon protests turn violent outside central bank

Demonstrations resume after relative calm following designated caretaker PM Diab failed to form emergency government to address economic crisis

Associated Press , 23:12 , 01.14.20

Europeans trigger dispute mechanism in Iran nuclear deal

France, Britain and Germany say they've taken the step, which formally accuses Iran of violating the terms of the 2015 agreement, to avoid another crisis on top of already escalating Mideast tension

Reuters , 15:00 , 01.14.20

Iran announces arrests over downing of passenger jet that killed 176

Announcement comes amid upsurge of anger and protests by Iranians in recent days over the downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, which was hit by an Iranian missile shortly after takeoff in Tehran last Wednesday, and apparent attempts by senior regime officials to cover up cause of crash

Associated Press , 14:44 , 01.14.20

UK PM: New 'Trump deal' can replace the Iran nuclear pact

Boris Johnson says the 2015 nuclear agreement with Tehran, brokered by Obama, was 'flawed' from an American perspective and should be scrapped in favor of a deal renegotiated by the current U.S. administration

Reuters , 11:02 , 01.14.20

Iran's only female Olympic medalist says she has defected

Taekwondo champion Kimia Alizadeh hints on her social media she has moved to Europe, saying she could no longer be part of 'lies and injustice'; Iranian deputy sports minister claims she went abroad to study physiotherapy

Reuters , 12:05 , 01.13.20

Iran police open fire at protest over plane downing

Videos circulating on social media appears to show Iranian demonstrators running away from tear gas and shouting 'Death to the dictator'; another video shows a woman who appears to be shot, bleeding from the leg

Associated Press , 11:01 , 01.13.20

Four Iraqi servicemen wounded by rocket attack on airbase

Iraqi officials confirm attack, though some details remain vague; no group yet to claim responsibility for attack on base which hosts American military personnel

Associated Press , 23:37 , 01.12.20

Hezbollah says payback for U.S. strike has just begun

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has provided training for Hezbollah, which fought in the war in Syria alongside Iran-backed militias that Soleimani directed

Associated Press , 21:09 , 01.12.20

Protests erupt again in Iran after admission of Ukraine plane strike

'They are lying that our enemy is America, our enemy is right here,' chant the demonstrators who gather in Tehran and other cities for a second day in a row to express their anger over the regime's attempt to cover-up the tragic incident

Reuters , 15:21 , 01.12.20

Iranians protest regimes attempted overup of downing of Ukraine airliner

Protesters called for the resignation of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei chantin 'death to the dictator' over what experts claim they saw as an attempted coverup in order to protect the Revolutionary Guard Corp.

Daniel Salami , 18:32 , 01.11.20

Ukraine president expects full investigation, compensation from Iran on plane crash

An Iranian military statement carried by state media said the plane was mistaken for a 'hostile target' after it turned toward a 'sensitive military center' of the Revolutionary Guard and Iranian foreign minister Zarif blamed the U.S. saying on Twitter 'Human error at the time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster'

Reuters , 13:49 , 01.11.20

Egypt Restores Historic Synagogue, but Few Jews Remain

Magda Haroun, the head of Cairo's Jewish community says he is very proud of what his country has done 'it symbolizes living together there is no difference between Egyptian Muslim, Christian and Egyptian Jew'

Associated Press , 13:34 , 01.11.20

Iran says its military unintentionally shot down Ukrainian plane

President Hassan Rouhani blamed the tragedy on 'threats and bullying' by the United States after the killing of Soleimani, expressing condolences to families of the victims, and calling for a 'full investigation' and the prosecution of those responsible

Associated Press , 11:48 , 01.11.20

Iran denies missile brought down plane, wants black box data

Tehran says it could take one or two months to extract information from voice and flight recorders from Ukraine International Airlines flight to Kiev that crashed shortly after takeoff from Iranian capital, while Iran on alert for U.S. military response to strike on American targets in Iraq

Reuters , 13:20 , 01.10.20

Iran probe says Ukrainian jet was on fire before crash

Security sources suggest evidence one of jet's engines had overheated; western intelligence agencies rule out rocket fire as cause of crash

Reuters , 11:28 , 01.09.20

U.S. justifies killing Iranian general as self-defense at U.N.

American ambassador says 'U.S. ready to engage without preconditions in serious negotiations with Iran to prevent further endangerment of international peace'

Reuters , 10:38 , 01.09.20

Trump says no U.S. casualties, Iran appears to be standing down

The president also announces new 'powerful' sanctions on the Islamic Republic after the country fires 18 ballistic missiles at two military bases in Iraq housing U.S. troops in retaliation for Washington's killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani

Associated Press, Reuters , 19:06 , 01.08.20

Global airlines rush to avoid Iraqi, Iranian airspace after missile strike

The International Air Transport Association issued a statement reminding countries of their obligation to communicate potential risks to civil aviation

Reuters , 16:07 , 01.08.20

Iran's supreme leader: missile attack on U.S. forces 'slap across America's face'

Revolutionary Guards Corps say they would not hesitate to strike American bases elsewhere in region, adding that 'Zionist entity' not removed from U.S. in crime committed against Tehran

Agencies, Ynet , 11:04 , 01.08.20

Iran strikes back at U.S. with missile attack on bases in Iraq

Iran claimed it had fired 18 ballistic missiles at U.S. forces but added it “concluded” its attacks on American forces as Iranian Foreign Minister said his country did 'not seek escalation or war

Associated Press , 09:08 , 01.08.20

Iran TV: 40 killed as stampede erupts at procession for slain general

State media outlet reports at least 213 people had also been injured during the funeral of Qassem Soleimani, held in the general's hometown, where thousands gathered to pay their respects and call for revenge on U.S.

Associated Press , 11:37 , 01.07.20

U.S.-led coalition says it will withdraw from Iraq

Iraq's parliament passed on Sunday a resolution telling the government to end the presence of foreign troops in Iraq

Reuters , 22:19 , 01.06.20

Weeping, Iran supreme leader prays over general slain by U.S.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other top leaders in the Islamic Republic, wails at Soleimani's second funeral in Tehran; the assassinated general's daughter says families of U.S. troops in the Mideast will 'spend their days waiting for death of their children'

Associated Press , 09:01 , 01.06.20

Iran abandons nuclear deal limits after US kills general

The announcement Sunday represents the clearest nuclear proliferation threat yet made by Iran since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the accord in May 2018

Associated Press , 21:31 , 01.05.20

Iraq parliament votes to expel U.S. military

The vote was another sign of the blowback from the U.S. airstrike Friday that killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and a number of top Iraqi officials at the Baghdad airport

Reuters , 18:33 , 01.05.20

Hezbollah chief: Soleimani killing puts Mideast in 'completely new phase'

Hassan Nasrallah calls assassination of top Iranian general by U.S. 'blatant crime' that is not just Iranian matter but one for Iran-backed 'resistance axis'; Soleimani's daughter says she knows Hezbollah will avenge her father

Associated Press , 16:43 , 01.05.20

Soleimani's body arrives in Iran as Trump issues new threats

The president says the Americans have identified at least important '52 Iranian sites' which will be hit 'very fast and very hard' if the Islamic Republic makes good on a promise to attack 35 U.S. sites in the region

Associated Press , 08:39 , 01.05.20

Thousands in Baghdad mourn Iranian general killed by U.S.

In the meantime, reports emerge that an airstrike was carried out on a convoy of Iran-backed militiamen north of Baghdad, killing 5

Associated Press , 10:23 , 01.04.20

Trump declares Iranian general's 'reign of terror' over

Qassem Soleimani 'made the death of innocent people his sick passion,' president says from Florida, adding 'a lot of lives would have been saved' if he'd been hunted down years ago; Pompeo defends strike as 'wholly lawful' as Quds Force commander posed 'imminent' threat

Associated Press , 23:32 , 01.03.20