Hundreds of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jews held a mass prayer in Jerusalem on Sunday in protest at a bill that would cut their community's military exemptions and end a tradition upheld since Israel's foundation. Ultra-Orthodox leaders had called on their men, women and children...

An al Qaeda splinter group in  Syria  has denied it was behind the killing of a prominent al Qaeda figure last week and appeared to reject an ultimatum from rival fighters to accept mediation or face all-out assault. The Islamic State in  Iraq  and the...

 Veteran Spanish journalist Marc Marginedas, kidnapped in Syria in early September last year, has been freed, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Sunday. "I am very happy...I spoke to him early today, he is in reasonable shape, he is happy," Rajoy told Radio 5, Spain's public...

Saudi Arabia has hit back at Russian criticism of its support for the oppressed Syrian people, saying it was Moscow's continuous military and political support for Damascus that was prolonging the conflict that has already killed more than 140,000 and displaced millions. A Foreign...