Middle East
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Qatar condemns Saudi refusal to negotiate over demands
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Battle for Mosul: IS 'blows up' al-Nuri mosque
So-called Islamic State (IS) has blown up the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul, Iraqi forces say.
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Saudi Arabia’s King Salman names son Mohammed bin Salman crown prince
SAUDI Arabia’s King Salman on Wednesday appointed his 31-year-old son Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince, placing him firmly as first-in-line to the throne and removing the country’s counter-terrorism czar and a figure well-known to Washington from the royal line of succession.
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Australia halts air missions over Syria after Russia labels coalition aircraft are a ‘threat’
THE RAAF has halted all air missions over Syria after Russia warned it now considers Australian military jets a “target” and could shoot them down.
Latest Middle East
Syria conflict: US jet 'downs Iran-made drone'
A US jet has shot down an Iranian-made drone operated by forces backing the Syrian government in the south of the country, American officials say.
Russian military halts Syria sky incident prevention interactions with US as of June 19 – Moscow
Downing the military jet within Syrian airspace “cynically” violates the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic, Russian military said.
US-led coalition downs Syrian army plane in southern Raqqa
The US-led coalition has downed a government warplane in southern Syria, the Syrian army and coalition have announced in separate statements. The Syrian military added that the plane’s pilot is now missing.
Qatar vows 'no surrender' in row with Arab states
Qatar has vowed it will "not surrender" its foreign policy in a row with other Arab states over its alleged connections to extremism.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and United Arab Emirates cut ties with Qatar
EMIRATES and Etihad Airlines have suspended all flights to and from Qatar as Arab nations sever diplomatic ties to the country and give citizens 14 days to leave.
Kabul bomb: Afghan leader condemns 'cowardly' attack
President Ashraf Ghani of Afghanistan has condemned a massive bomb attack in the capital Kabul, which killed at least 90 people, as "cowardly".
Gunmen attack bus carrying Coptic Christians south of Cairo in Egypt
Gunmen opened fire Friday on a bus carrying Coptic Christians south of Cairo in Egypt killing 26 people and wounding 25, according to officials.
Trump: 'I never mentioned' Israel to Russian officials in Oval Office meeting
I never mentioned the word or the name Israel
Trump Pushes Israel to Make Palestinian Deal a Priority
The president’s message was all the more striking given how little Mr. Netanyahu’s coalition government supports any major initiative with the Palestinians, particularly one that would involve two states, one for Israelis, one for Palestinians.
Trump Arrives in Israel
President Donald Trump has arrived in Israel, a visit aimed at testing the waters for jumpstarting the region's dormant peace process. "We have before us a rare opportunity to bring security and stability and peace to this region and to its people," Trump said
'Drive Them Out'
President Donald Trump delivered a plea for Muslims around the world to rid their communities of the “evil” of terrorism, in a landmark address in Saudi Arabia on Sunday that marked a stark departure from past, confrontational rhetoric about the Muslim world
Syria using crematorium to hide executions, State Department says
During last week’s meeting in Washington with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Jones said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that “Russia must now, with great urgency, exercise its great influence over the Syrian regime.”
U.S. to arm Kurds in fight for Raqqa, the Syrian capital of ISIS
Kurdish YPG fighters, who will be receiving the weapons, are considered by Turkey to be terrorists.
Trump is puppet of US ‘deep state,’ has no ‘own’ foreign policy – Assad
Despite his criticism, Assad once again confirmed the readiness of the Syrian government to cooperate with the US if it could change its attitude towards respecting other countries’ sovereignty and that of Syria in particular.
Afghan official: Massive US bomb death toll rises to 94
The U.S. has more than 8,000 US troops in Afghanistan, training local forces and conducting counterterrorism operations.
US drops largest non-nuclear bomb on Afghanistan, first time used in combat
The US military has used its GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb (MOAB), nicknamed “the mother of all bombs,” for the first time in combat. The US Air Force used it in Afghanistan to target Islamic State tunnels and personnel.
