The Taliban on Tuesday denounced as a sham a presidential election due next month, saying their fighters would do everything they could to block it, while urging people to stay away from rallies that could be attacked. The warning came as both the United States and the Taliban reported...

Saudi Arabia and Formula One are discussing the possibility of holding a race in the country, and team bosses have been asked for an opinion, sources said on Tuesday. The Times newspaper reported that Formula One and the 10 teams would seek reassurance on issues including human rights,...

China might escort Chinese commercial vessels in Gulf waters under a U.S. proposal for a maritime coalition to secure oil shipping lanes following attacks on tankers, its envoy to the United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday. “If there happens to be a very unsafe situation we will consider...

Saudi Arabia has deposited $250 million into the central bank of Sudan to support its financial position, the Saudi Finance Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. The deposit is part of a package with the United Arab Emirates worth $500 million announced in April. Both countries pledged...

Israel has advanced plans for more than 2,300 settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, the latest in a surge of such approvals since US President Donald Trump took office, an NGO said Tuesday. A defence ministry planning committee issued the approvals while meeting over the past couple...

Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, a pioneer and giant of modern literature whose imaginative power in “Beloved,” “Song of Solomon” and other works transformed American letters, has died at age 88. Publisher Alfred A. Knopf announced that Morrison died Monday night at Montefiore Medical Center...

The UN's human rights office on Tuesday accused southern Yemeni security forces of perpetrating "retaliatory attacks" against citizens from the country's north. "We have received information from multiple sources about arbitrary arrests and detention, forced displacement, physical assaults...

After 18 months of threats, Turkey's president warned Tuesday that his troops could attack Kurdish-held areas of northeast Syria "very soon". Why would Turkey lead such a cross-border incursion, what do Syria's Kurds want, and how is the United States -- an ally of both sides -- trying to...

English football club Crystal Palace confirmed the signing of former Chelsea defender Gary Cahill on late Monday. Cahill signed a two-year contract, the club said in a tweet. "Looking forward to the new adventure and challenge. I can’t wait to get started!" Cahill tweeted. “I’m...

Four civilians were killed in regime attacks in Idlib province in northwestern Syria, according to the White Helmets civil defense group on Tuesday.  The attacks targeted the towns of Khan Sheikhoun and Maarat Al-Numan in Idlib’s de-escalation zone, and Hama province's towns of Kafr...

Two people were killed in two car bombings late Monday in the opposition-controlled city of Jarabulus in northern Syria, according to local sources.  The first explosion targeted a car belonging to a local councilor, while the second blast targeted a vehicle belonging to the Free...

Turkey will pay a higher price later if it does not do what is necessary in northern Syria today, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday after vowing at the weekend to carry out a military operation in a Kurdish-controlled area east of the Euphrates. Turkey has undertaken two previous...

 Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar said they launched air strikes early Tuesday against an airbase in third city Misrata held by government loyalists. "Our air force carried out several raids against the Misrata airbase, targeting anti-air defences as well as a Turkish...

 Aid groups have slammed the Arab coalition for its closure of the airport in Yemen's capital, saying it's prevented thousands of sick civilians from traveling abroad for urgent medical treatment. The Norwegian Refugee Council and CARE say the Sanaa airport's three-year closure has...

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says he's absolutely convinced the U.S. will remain in the military alliance and it has made no preparations for an unlikely U.S. withdrawal because doing so would send a signal that it could happen. Stoltenberg made the comments in an interview while...

Iran unveiled three precision-guided missiles Tuesday, with the defense minister saying they show the country is ready to defend itself in the face of U.S. "viciousness and conspiracies." The new line-up of air-to-air missiles dubbed the "Yasin", "Balaban" and a new series of the "Ghaem"...

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Tuesday any Turkish operation into northern Syria would be "unacceptable" and the United States would prevent unilateral incursions, as tensions between Washington and Ankara simmer. On Sunday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey, which already...

China warned Hong Kong protesters Tuesday that "those who play with fire will perish by it," adding the immense strength of the central government should not be underestimated. The comments represent one of the strongest-worded warnings yet from China's central government over protests in...

Forces of the eastern Libyan National Army (LNA) loyal to Khalifa Haftar struck Misrata’s air college early on Tuesday, a military source and resident said. Misrata is a coastal city that lies to the west of the capital Tripoli and is regarded the main base of the Western Libya forces loyal...

China’s Ministry of Commerce confirmed Monday that Chinese companies have stopped purchasing U.S. agricultural products after President Donald Trump threatened to impose new tariffs. The move comes after Trump threatened to slap 10% tariffs on $300 billion worth of Chinese imports from...