Jonathan Rugman
It has been a bad week for the American-led “strategy” against militants from so-called Islamic State – a strategy with the US president himself views with great qualms and some reluctance.
Alex Thomson
The plight of the Al-Jazeera three has focused the spotlight on the dark side of the Egyptian regime, including the case of Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa.
Jonathan Rugman
The truth about the killings of Armenians, condemned as genocide by Pope Francis, exposes a fragility at the heart of modern Turkey, dating back to the era of Ataturk, the country’s founder.
Jonathan Rugman
If Tony Blair was ever considered an honest broker as Middle East envoy, it is a title he may well have lost – even if most of what has gone wrong is not his fault.
A day of bloodshed on Israel’s border with Lebanon and Syria leaves two Israeli soldiers and one UN peacekeeper dead and raises fears of a conflict between the IDF and Hezbollah.
Three journalists, including one Australian, will face a retrial after serving one year of a sentence under controversial charges. The families of the men say there is still “a long road ahead”.
Alex Thomson
Three Al Jazeera journalists including one Briton have been in prison for a year today. As the world seems to get ever more dangerous for journalists, there are hopes of an appeal in the courts.
Alex Thomson
Expect Gen Dempsey and many other voices to grow louder in the coming weeks that more must be done with ground forces if IS is to be dislodged.
Alex Thomson
Most people don’t know what “rendition” means – but they do understand the word kidnapping. The same applies for “enhanced interrogation”. Such words convey a false reality.
The most influential pro-Islamic State Twitter account to be followed by foreign jihadis – Shami Witness – is shut down after a Channel 4 News investigation uncovers the identity of the man behind it
Palestinian authorities declare three days of national mourning after the death of minister Ziad Abu Ein shortly after a scuffle with Israeli troops during a protest in the occupied West Bank.
Alex Thomson
Why did the UK government ever think that the vetting of participants in a scheme to train Libyan soldiers in the UK could be left to the Libyans, when that country was in a state of collapse?
Alex Thomson
The need for proper investigation of Serena’s death is obvious and pressing and should happen at once. Conclusions without evidence are wrong, stupid and distasteful.
David Cameron met the Emir of Qatar on Wednesday – a country that’s invested tens of billions of pounds in London – but a country that’s also accused of funding extremist groups in Iraq and Syria.
It’s not surprising that Mosab Hassan Yousef’s life has been turned into a film. He is the son of a Hamas founder who became a key informer for the Israelis and later converted to Christianity.