Palestinian citizens of Israel are calling for a general strike Wednesday after the Israeli authorities destroyed 11 buildings in the Arab city of Qalansawe in central Israel. The High Follow-Up Committee for Arab Citizens, which represents Palestinians living in Israel, called for the...

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said Saudi Arabia had arrested two rights activists in the first ten days of this year and accused Riyadh of a crackdown on dissent. The organisations said in press releases that Essam Koshak in Mecca and Ahmed al-Mushaikhass in the eastern city...

 Iraqi forces have retaken at least 80 percent of east Mosul from ISIS, the spokesman of the special forces spearheading the campaign said Wednesday. "I think you can say that we have retaken 80 to 85 percent" of the eastern side of Mosul, Sabah al-Noman, spokesman for the...

A top Iraqi commander says the operation to retake the city of Mosul from ISIS could be complete in three months or less. Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati said in an interview with the AP Tuesday evening that "It's possible" Mosul will be liberated in three months or less. But he warned it is...