An American company that was paid nearly $700 million to secure an Iraqi base for F-16 fighter jets turned a blind eye to alcohol smuggling, theft, security violations, and allegations of sex trafficking - then terminated investigators who uncovered wrongdoing, an Associated Press investigation...

( The Guardian )- Saudi Arabia’s deputy crown prince has said there is no space for dialogue with the Iran due to its ambitions “to control the Islamic world”. The rare and wide-ranging interview, which aired on multiple Saudi TV channels, offered a glimpse into how Mohammed bin Salman...

 North Korea Wednesday confirmed the arrest of a U.S. citizen who was lecturing in Pyongyang -- the third American held in the country amid growing tensions with Washington. Kim Sang-Duk, or Tony Kim, was detained at the capital's airport on April 22, as he tried to leave the country...

Iran's reformist former president Mohammad Khatami has skirted a media ban to endorse moderate incumbent Hassan Rouhani for a second term over conservative challengers in a tight May 19 election. Khatami, who during his 1997-2005 presidency oversaw a rapprochement with the West, has been...