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Gaza running low on cooking gas after vandals trash crossing

A leading businessman says blockaded Gaza is rapidly running out of cooking gas after a large crowd destroyed parts of the only cargo crossing through which fuel and gas can enter the territory from Israel. Samir Hamada, head of the association of cooking gas vendors, said Sunday that...

Kurdish women fighters film sparks furious Cannes row

A stirring film about Kurdish women fighters taking on Daesh (ISIS) militants sparked a furious row between critics at the Cannes film festival Sunday, with some being accused of misogyny. "Girls of the Sun", which follows a platoon of Yazidi women battling the extremists who had...

Israel approves controversial Jerusalem cable car project

Israel's government on Sunday gave the green light to a controversial cable car project planned to run between West Jerusalem and the Old City in annexed east Jerusalem. The decision came on the eve of the US moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to the disputed city of Jerusalem....

Iraq PM says to impose security in Kirkuk after riots

Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi on Sunday ordered Iraqi forces to enforce security in northern Iraq’s Kurdish region, following violent protests in the wake of the country’s parliamentary polls. In a statement issued by his office, al-Abadi said he ordered security forces in Kirkuk...

Abadi’s coalition leads Iraq polls: Spokesman

Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi’s coalition is leading in the country’s parliamentary election, a coalition spokesman told Anadolu Agency. “Preliminary results show that the Victory Coalition is leading the polls,” Hussein al-Adli said on Sunday. On Saturday, Iraqis...

Iran may remain part of nuclear accord: Rouhani

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani reiterated on Sunday that Tehran would remain committed to its 2015 nuclear deal if its interests can be protected and said the U.S. withdrawal from the accord was a "violation of morals". "The U.S. withdrawal ... is a violation of morals, the correct...

'Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood ready for dialogue'

The international relations representative of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, known as Ikhwan, on Saturday said the brotherhood is ready for dialogue with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to find a political solution in the wake of the 2013 military coup. "We are ready and open to...

Iraqi parliament speaker objects to poll violations

Iraq’s parliament speaker on Saturday objected to what he said were electoral violations seen during the weekend general elections. Speaking at a press conference, Salim al-Jabouri, who leads the Civil Society for Reform Party, urged the Independent High Electoral Commission to...

Lawmakers sign Jerusalem Oath in defense of sacred city

We would rather die than forsake Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque, Nureddin Nebati, a ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's deputy and head of the Interparliamentary Jerusalem Platform, told Anadolu Agency on Saturday. Nebati made the remarks on the sidelines of a symbolic "Jerusalem...

Egypt denounces Russia Today poll on disputed territory

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt has protested to Moscow after a Russian state-affiliated broadcaster organized a survey over ownership of a disputed Red sea border triangle claimed by Sudan. The protest came ahead of a meeting in Moscow between the foreign and defense ministers of Russia and...

Iraq reopens airspace as elections proceed without incident

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered the reopening of the nation's airspace and resumption of air traffic on Saturday, state television reported. The shutdown had come into effect at midnight on Friday as a security measure ahead of the voting which started on Saturday morning....

Daesh attacks kill 6 in Iraq’s Kirkuk

At least six people were killed in militant attacks on a number of security checkpoints in the northern Kirkuk province on Saturday, according to an Iraqi security officer. Daesh militants attacked security checkpoints manned by Iraqi police and pro-government Hashd al-Shaabi fighters...

Iran minister on diplomatic tour to save nuclear deal

Iran's foreign minister was due to leave Saturday for a whirlwind diplomatic tour as world leaders scramble to salvage something from the wreckage of a key nuclear deal after Washington withdrew. Mohammad Javad Zarif's tour starts two days after unprecedented Israeli strikes in Syria...

Iraqi polls open in first elections since victory over Daesh

Polls opened across Iraq on Saturday in the first national election since the declaration of victory over Daesh (ISIS). After weeks of official campaigning, no clear front-runner has emerged as Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi faces stiff competition from political parties with closer...

Defeated Malaysian leader, wife barred from leaving country

Malaysia's Immigration Department said Saturday that former scandal-ridden Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife are barred from leaving the country, shortly after he announced plans for a short holiday. A leaked flight manifesto shows Najib and his wife Rosmah Mansor were due...

Feel-good Egyptian leper film charms Cannes

Freshman director A.B. Shawky said piecing together financing for a feel-good road movie about an Egyptian leper and his orphan friend was the least of his troubles getting his film to Cannes. The newcomer’s debut feature “Yomeddine” is going toe-to-toe with his ex-professor Spike Lee and...

US Ambassador gives first glimpse of new Jerusalem embassy compound

Viewers were given a sneak preview of the compound housing what will be the new American Embassy in Jerusalem Friday, when the U.S. Ambassador to Israel posted footage of preparations for the opening ceremony. Ambassador David Friedman put on the 'U.S. Embassy Jerusalem' Facebook page a...

Israeli fire kills Palestinian, wounds 170 in border protest: Gaza medic

Israeli troops killed one Palestinian and wounded at least 170 protesters in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical workers said, bringing to 44 the number killed during a six-week protest at the Gaza-Israel border. The man killed was protesting east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, medics...