The energy minister for top OPEC exporter Saudi Arabia said Thursday he was optimistic about OPEC's deal to limit oil output and mentioned the lower end of a previously agreed production target, helping spur a rally in the price of crude. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting...

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi pardoned 82 prisoners, mostly university students jailed for protesting, state news agency MENA said on Thursday. Sisi had promised in October to amend a protest law that human rights groups say has severely restricts protest rights and hinted at...

A controversial Israeli bill to limit the volume of calls to prayer at mosques may be revived after it appeared to have been buried thanks to opposition from ultra-Orthodox Jews, reports said Thursday. Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, from the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, may...

(The Daily Star)- The General Security Thursday arrested a Lebanese man accused of links to militant groups. In a statement, the General Security identified the militant suspect by the initials Aa. M., saying he confessed to working with others in providing arms to an unnamed militant group....