World
Middle East
Israel heads to polls for fifth time in three years
The previous four elections, focused on Netanyahu’s fitness to rule while on trial for corruption charges, ended in deadlock.
- by Ilan ben Zion
Latest
Tehran preparing enrichment escalation, says nuclear watchdog
Deep inside a mountain, Iran is using a “cascade set-up” that will make it easier to climb up its uranium enrichment levels,the IAEA report shows.
- by Francois Murphy
In Saudi LGBTQ crackdown, even rainbow toys aren’t safe
The kingdom’s Ministry of Commerce released a video of its agents confiscating brightly coloured toys for “indirectly promoting homosexuality”.
- by Annabelle Timsit and Sarah Dadouch
Aid group anger as Israel convicts Palestinian World Vision worker of supporting terrorists
A judge is set to rule on whether to dissolve the charity in Israel later this month.
- by Henriette Chacar
Opinion
Human rights
Guilty verdict against World Vision hero is a travesty of justice
The verdict overnight announces the demise of the rule of law in Israeli courts.
- by Tim Costello and Conny Lenneberg
Biden breaks Saudi ‘pariah’ pledge to talk oil with crown prince
The US president had vowed to make Saudi Arabia “pay the price, and make them, in fact, the pariah that they are” over the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
- by Jarrett Renshaw and Nandita Bose
Not a bird but a nation: Turkey wants to be known as ‘Türkiye’
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government has been pressing for the internationally recognised name Turkey to be changed to “Türkiye” (tur-key-YAY) as it is spelt and pronounced in Turkish.
Blasts rip through mosque, minivans in Afghanistan, killing at least a dozen
The explosion in the mosque in Kabul occurred just hours after deadly bombs hit passenger vehicles in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif.
- by Rahim Faiez
Vast sandstorms blanket Middle East in bleak sign of climate change
Iraq urged everyone to stay home and shelter from the 10th storm in two months, as cities from Riyadh to Tehran choked under orange skies.
- by Samya Kullab
Opinion
Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Sadness behind the smile: Shireen Abu Akleh, a voice for Palestine
It is fitting that Shireen was given a state memorial service. She was a role model for millions of women who grew up watching her on television.
- by Sherine Salama
Hezbollah, allies lose their majority in Lebanon parliament
Hezbollah’s most vocal opponents and more than a dozen independents have made gains, the results show.
- by Bassem Mroue