In 30 October, Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement expressing its deep pain and regret for the dozens of deaths and injuries in Izmir following an earthquake in western Turkey. Most observers paid little attention to the statement and considered it a customary...

On 20 October, without much media hype, Turkish forces stationed in the Syrian city of Morek began withdrawing from their base.  Morek is the most important Turkish post north of the Syrian regime-held city of Hama and borders the rebel-controlled northwestern part of the...

About 300 British troops have arrived in the troubled West African state of Mali at a time when the epicentre of the Islamic State group (IS) appears to have moved from the Middle East to Africa. In a three-year mission named Operation Newcombe they are joining a force of around 15,000 UN...

This month, the BBC has launched a major new series on Radio 4 called Mayday, the result of a year-long investigation into the mysterious death in Istanbul last November of James Le Mesurier, co-founder of the White Helmets. Each of the episodes takes the listener on a labyrinthine...