Syrian official rules out Assad departure ahead of talks
By ZEINA KARAM and ALBERT AJI A top Syrian official urged the opposition to let go of its dream of easing President Bashar Assad out of power in a transitional…
Middle East
Syrian government launches offensive south of city of Aleppo
By PHILIP ISSA and ZEINA KARAM Syrian troops and their allies launched an offensive Tuesday to retake an important hilltop village south of the city of Aleppo from militants, including…
Kerry backs Iraqi leader, no planned increase in US troops
By BRADLEY KLAPPER and SUSANNAH GEORGE U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry backed Iraq’s prime minister on Friday in his efforts to resolve a mounting political crisis, underlining the importance…
EU begins shipping migrants in Greece back to Turkey
By MEHMET GUZEL and DEREK GATOPOULOS A controversial European Union plan to curb migration and smash smuggling rings in Turkey began Monday as 202 migrants from two Greek islands were…
Egypt’s abuses, crackdown on critics draw world attention
By HAMZA HENDAWI Nearly three years into a crackdown overseen by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, allegations of human rights abuses including killings, torture and secret detentions are starting to bring an…
US senator tells Arab world: US hasn’t changed despite Trump
By MARAM MAZEN Residents of the Middle East should not be too alarmed at the prospect of Donald Trump becoming president, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters in Cairo on…
Foreign fighters are evading Europe’s security net
By LORNE COOK and DOMINIQUE SOGUEL When Ibrahim El Bakraoui blew himself up in the Brussels Airport check-in area, killing and maiming scores of travelers, it was at least the…
Obama hails Iran deal as a model for nuclear diplomacy
By JOSH LEDERMAN President Barack Obama hailed the nuclear deal with Iran on Friday as a “substantial success” and a model for future diplomacy, as world leaders took stock of…