Category: Middle East

3 Dead and Hundreds Injured in Southern Egypt After Heavy Rains Bring Scorpion Swarm

Three people have died and hundreds more have been injured after heavy storms brought scorpions into the streets and homes of a city in southern Egypt, state-run media reported. Heavy rainfall, thunder, dust storms, and snowfall in the southern city of Aswan last week caused both scorpions and snakes to come out of their hiding places, Al-Ahram, a government-run Egyptian newspaper, reported….


Taliban Holds Military Parade in Kabul With Weapons Left Behind in US Withdrawal

KABUL, Afghanistan—Taliban forces held a military parade in Kabul on Sunday using captured American armoured vehicles and Russian helicopters as they continue to seek international recognition of their leadership. The Taliban operated as insurgent fighters for two decades, but have used the large stock of weapons and equipment left behind when the former Western-backed government…


Polish Police Find Body of Young Syrian Near Belarus Border

WARSAW, Poland—Polish police said Saturday that the body of a young Syrian man was found in the woods near the border with Belarus, the latest victim in a political standoff at the European Union’s eastern border. The regime in Minsk has for months been encouraging illegal migration across its border into the EU nations of…


Husband of Woman Detained in Iran Ends Three-Week Hunger Strike

The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has criticised Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he ended his hunger strike in central London after almost three weeks. Richard Ratcliffe spent 21 days camped outside the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) without food. He began his demonstration on Oct. after his wife lost her latest appeal in Iran,…


Israeli Couple Arrested in Turkey on Espionage Charges

ISTANBUL—An Israeli married couple were arrested for espionage late Friday after taking photographs of the Turkish president’s residence in Istanbul, Turkey’s official news agency said. Anadolu Agency said a Turkish national was also arrested. Police detained them after a tip off from an employee working in the Camlica radio and television tower on the Asian…


Houthi Rebels Breach Compound in Yemen, Detain US Embassy Workers: State Department

Houthi rebels hold Yemeni employees of the U.S. government hostage after breaching the former embassy’s compound, the State Department confirmed. A spokesperson for the agency confirmed to multiple news outlets on Thursday that the Biden administration is seeking the immediate release of Yemeni staff who worked for the U.S. diplomatic mission in Sanaa and were…


European Shares Hit New Highs, Firm Dollar Dents Oil

LONDON—European shares chalked up new highs on Friday as shock from unexpectedly strong U.S. inflation data earlier in the week eased, though investors kept a wary eye on rising yields as the dollar hit a 16-month high. The STOXX index of 600 companies was up 0.09 percent, enough to eke out a new record high…


World Shares Advance After Modest Gains on Wall Street

Shares advanced in Europe and Asia on Friday after Wall Street benchmarks managed to close mostly higher. The latest round of mostly solid corporate earnings is winding down after helping markets rise for weeks, reaching a series of records. However, inflation concerns are rattling investors. Germany’s DAX gained 0.1 percent to 16,108.70, while the CAC…


Canadian Veteran Helps Afghan Interpreter and His Family Escape Taliban Rule

This Remembrance Day, the first since Afghanistan fell to Taliban forces in the summer, will be difficult for Canadians who fought in the Middle Eastern country, says a veteran who served two missions there. Stephen Peddle, a Canadian Forces retired major, has been working to get some families of Afghan interpreters to safety. “Afghanistan and…


‘Dozens’ of Family Members of US Troops Still in Afghanistan, Pentagon Says

The Pentagon on Wednesday said that “dozens” of family members of U.S. troops still remain in Afghanistan, nearly three months after the Taliban takeover of Kabul and after President Joe Biden withdrew all soldiers from the country. Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby made the remarks during a press briefing when pressed by a reporter about the…