Middle East

Iraqi forces push deeper into western Mosul as civilians flee

US-backed Iraqi forces have pushed deeper into western Mosul on Saturday, after retaking the city’s airport from the self-styled Islamic State. Troops have also advanced into several populated built-up southern districts in the so-called Islamic State’s last major stronghold in the country. An alliance of government-sanctioned Shi’ite militias have been launching their own push west […]

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Middle East

New Islamic State group call to violence sparks panic among Copts

An IS group video directed at Coptic Christians, the discovery of a shoulder-fired missile launcher near Cairo airport and recent killings have raised fears of increased terrorist activity in Egypt and resulted in Sinai Copts fleeing their homes. The Islamic State group released a video on Sunday declaring it would specifically target Christians in Egypt.

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Middle East

Coordinated suicide attacks kill over 40 in Syria’s Homs

Damascus (dpa) – Forty-two security personnel were killed Saturday in synchronized attacks targeting government security facilities in the Syrian city of Homs, a monitoring group said, with up to six suicide bombers reported to be involved. The dead included the chief of a branch of the military intelligence service, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights

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Middle East

Trump Administration Won’t Call Extremist Group ‘ISIL’ Like Obama Did

The Islamic State group will be called ISIS under President Donald Trump’s administration, rejecting former President Barack Obama’s preference for referring to the militants as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in a Feb. 12 memo that using the term ISIS to refer to the terrorist

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Middle East, USA

Hollywood stars condemn Trump at pre-Oscars rally

Hundreds of people including Hollywood stars have held a rally in Beverly Hills ahead of the Oscars on Sunday to denounce President Trump’s immigration policies. It was organised by the United Talent Agency, one of Hollywood’s biggest agencies, replacing its annual Oscar party with what it said was a show of support for freedom of

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International, Middle East, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, USA

Student who called to ‘punch a Zionist’ resigns

A student politician at McGill University in Montreal who tweeted a call to “punch a Zionist” has resigned his position with the Students” Society of the university, the Montreal Gazette reported Friday. Igor Sadikov, an elected representative of students in McGill”s faculty of arts, has faced calls for his resignation over the past week after

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International, Middle East

Pentagon prepares to give White House stepped-up battle plan against Islamic State

WASHINGTON — Pentagon strategists are putting final touches on a stepped-up battle plan against Islamic State and are due to offer President Donald Trump options as early as Monday to accelerate the war against the militants in Iraq and Syria, officials said. The monthlong strategic review, which Trump requested Jan. 28, is expected to include

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Middle East, USA

Rep. Peters asks Trump to pick another envoy to Israel

SAN DIEGO (Press Release) – U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) urged President Trump on Friday to reconsider his nomination of David Friedman to be the U.S. Ambassador to Israel after CNN reported on a video of Friedman bragging about undermining support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine peace process and criticizing the Anti-Defamation League. Rep.

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Middle East, USA

Palestinian Rage over Netanyahu’s Autonomy Remarks

Ramallah, Tel Aviv- The Palestinian authority rejected statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Australia on Thursday on granting autonomy to the Palestinians. “Neither autonomy nor canton. Those two options are a bygone—without a Palestinian state with Jerusalem for a capital and stretching across national territory, there will be no peace,” Palestine Liberation

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International, Middle East

Israeli leader: ‘I’ve never encountered right-wing anti-Semitism’

WASHINGTON – Don’t blame Donald Trump or the right for surging anti-Semitism in America, says Michael Oren, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Instead, he told the Times of Israel, look left and to growing Jew hatred on America’s college campuses. “Obviously there is problem with anti-Semitism and…

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Middle East, USA

Israel to deny visas to anti-Israel NGO ‘Human Rights Watch’

Israel will stop issuing work visas to Human Rights Watch staff, the NGO said Friday, with the Jewish State accusing the group of being “fundamentally biased” against it. The New York-based organization, which has written critical reports accusing Israel of “severe and discriminatory restrictions on Palestinians” human rights,” applied months ago for a visa for

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Middle East, USA

Adelson: Trump Will Be Best-Ever President for Israel

Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson told a private crowd of Republican donors Thursday evening that President Donald Trump will be the “best president for Israel ever,” in a significant show of backing from one of the most influential Republican contributors. Adelson made the comments at the event, held at Adelson’s Venetian Hotel in Las

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Middle East, USA

Australia PM Slams U.N. Resolution on Settlement, Netanyahu Hails his Stance

London, Sydney- Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull attacked on Wednesday the United Nations resolution that denounced Israeli settlement on occupied Palestinian territories, as he welcomed Benjamin Netanyahu on his first official visit to the country. The two countries share solid relations since 1949 but no Israeli prime minister ever carried out visits to Australia before.

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International, Middle East