Why are foreign mobsters, drug gangs attracted to Turkey? A wave of foreign mobster violence in Turkey has raised alarm that the country has become a safe haven for criminal kingpins from the region and beyond. Turkey
Israel, Gaza trade overnight fire after West Bank deadly clashes Palestinian factions fired rockets toward Israel after Thursday's West Bank raid that killed 9, in latest escalation and ahead of US secretary of state’s visit to the region. Palestine
Breaking | Last Updated: January 27, 2023, 12:35 pm Senior Islamic State leader killed in US raid in Somalia Bilal al-Sudani, "a key operator and global facilitator for IS’ global network," died along with 10 companions in a firefight with US forces in a cave complex last night, Biden administration officials said. The Horn of Africa
Clean air funding halved in Iran’s budget as pollution chokes much of country As much of Iran grapples with record levels of air pollution during the cold season each year, the government has halved the resources allocated to tackling the pressing issue despite an overall increase in the budget cap. Iran
Jordan's first female F-16 pilot celebrated as 'hero' Jordanian women are playing an increasingly prominent role in the country’s military, though challenges remain. There have been notable female air force pilots in other countries throughout the Middle East as well. Jordan
Turkey's pro-Kurdish party HDP faces threat of closure after top court ruling The decision, which comes less than four months before the country’s fateful elections, raises the prospect of the pro-Kurdish party's running on other parties' tickets or as independent candidates. Turkey
Saudi Arabia leads Middle East's luxury property buyers in London The Middle East made up some of the top buyers of London luxury real estate in late 2022, only falling behind European and UK buyers. By Salim A. Essaid
US sanctions UAE-based aviation firm with ties to Russia’s Wagner Washington says UAE-based Kratol Aviation helped Wagner operations ship personnel and weapons to Libya, the Central African Republic and Mali. Gulf
Ankara fumes over Turkey comments in Pompeo’s new book Top Turkish top officials have lashed out at former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, accusing him of misinformation and hypocrisy in his memoirs. Turkey
Iran accuses France of 'meddling' as ties strain over unrest In a tense exchange, Iran's top diplomat has accused Paris of being intentionally confrontational while his French counterpart piled pressure on Iran over the detention of French nationals. Iran
Qatar's energy giant joins Lebanon gas exploration group France’s TotalEnergies, which is also part of the consortium, said they hope to start drilling in Lebanese waters for oil and gas in 2023. Lebanon
Overhaul plan for Giza Zoo stirs controversy in Egypt The historic zoo is in need of renovation, but critics fear that the government's announced plan may make things worse. Egypt
