BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon’s parliament approved contentious taxes needed to finance a public sector pay rise on Monday and Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri warned the alternative was a collapse of the Lebanese pound in six months. “Without taxes it would have been better in popular...

German Chancellor Angela Merkel lobbied party members Saturday to stand behind efforts to build a new coalition with the Free Democratic Party and Greens, saying it's the best suited to govern the country. Speaking in Dresden to her party's youth wing, Merkel said she will hold talks...

(The  Independent)- The Russian air force arrived in Syria two years ago this week to save President Bashar al-Assad and his army. They succeeded. The Syrian army held out, albeit at the cost of (then) 56,000 of its soldiers.  “We’re not going to have another Afghanistan...

Frequent breakdowns of advanced uranium enrichment devices have inadvertently helped Iran comply with restrictions in the international agreement curbing its nuclear program, according to a new report by a Washington-based think tank. Iranian compliance also is due to tougher policing...