All Middle East
- Over 450 hajj pilgrims killed during stampede near Mecca
Thursday's tragedy comes on the heels of a giant crane collapse earlier this month where more than 100 worshipers died.
- Russia in Syria: Did Putin just clip Israel's wings?
Netanyahu says he and Putin agreed on ways to avoid conflict between their forces in Syria. For years Israel has had a free hand to attack arms transfers to Hezbollah.
- In post-nuclear-deal Iran, a modest academic opening to the US
Iran has given permission for five Americans to study in a Tehran University masters program – a 'breakthrough,' the department head says. Others are enrolling in Persian language classes.
- Platinum prices for Iranian weddings poke at revolutionary norms
One in three marriages in Tehran now end in divorce. The luxury wedding industry is a window onto Iran's shifting social values and a challenge to official rhetoric in the Islamic Republic.
- Saudi-led coalition airstrikes in Yemen's capital kill 29
Airstrikes carried out by a Saudi-led coalition against Yemen's Shiite rebels and their allies have killed 29 people, including civilians, in the capital Sanaa.
- Egypt's president swears in new government amid corruption probe
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has sworn in a new government, just a week after the previous Cabinet had resigned amid an investigation involving over $1 million in bribes.
- Russia and Iran both propping up Assad. A balancing act?
While Russia's increased presence in Syria gives the regime another leg to stand on, some in Damascus say Moscow could also temper Iran's influence.
- Al Aqsa Mosque: Can Israel, Jordan prevent Jerusalem from catching fire?
The Temple Mount/Noble Sanctuary compound is once again the focus of religious strife as Jewish activists seek more access to the tightly regulated site.
- Syrian refugee crisis: Are wealthy Gulf states doing their part?
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and others say they've helped bankroll the humanitarian response and have taken in hundreds of thousands of Syrians.
- Syria's Assad blames refugee crisis on the West
In his first public comments on the mass migration, the Syrian president said that Europe should also expect the arrival of more refugees.
- Clashes at Jerusalem holy site for third day in a row
The director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Omar Kiswani, blamed Israeli police for the tensions.
- How Iran is keeping criticism of nuclear deal to a dull roar
Spearheaded by the supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran is delicately balancing official support for the nuclear deal with the revolution's anti-US stance.
- Tunisians march against corruption amnesty law
Hundreds of Tunisians marched Saturday through Tunis to protest a law that offers amnesty for people facing corruption charges.
- Egyptian Prime Minister Mehleb resigns amid corruption probe
Egypt's Prime Minister Ibrahim Mehleb and his Cabinet resigned Saturday in the face of the state-friendly media's harsh criticism, reflecting a growing discontent with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
- Saudi official blames high wind for toppling of Mecca crane
High winds caused a massive crane to fall and smash into Mecca's Grand Mosque, killing at least 107 people ahead of the start of the annual hajj pilgrimage, the head of Saudi Arabia's civil defense directorate said Saturday.
- At least 87 dead after crane collapses in Mecca
A crane crashed into the Grand Mosque in Mecca during a thunderstorm Friday, killing at least 87 people and injuring 184. Authorities did not provide details on the victims' nationalities, but it is likely the tragedy will touch several countries.
- Refugee crisis: Israelis invoke Holocaust as they debate how to respond
Israel is building a new fence along its border with Jordan amid widespread soul searching over whether it should allow Middle Eastern refugees to come in.
- Why did Russia delay a UN probe into gas attacks in Syria?
The United Nations announced Thursday it would begin an investigation to determine what groups have used chemical weapons in Syria, after a delay by Russia.
- In central Yemen, Saudi policy of 'checking' Iran is tested in battle
The battle for central Yemen, which the Saudis are billing as part of their bid to contain Iran, is for some of their allies their first real taste of war.
- Lebanese anti-government protests resume as leaders debate trash crisis
Thousands of anti-government protestors flooded the streets of Beirut while politicians came together in an attempt to avert a political crisis that started from the city's trash dilemma.