Middle-East
Turkish FM warns any remaining Syria Kurd forces
Beirut, Oct 23 (AP/UNB) — Turkey's foreign minister says Turkish forces will "neutralize" any remaining Syrian Kurdish fighter they come across in areas now under Turkish control in northeastern Syria.
US defense secretary in Iraq to discuss troops leaving Syria
Baghdad, Oct 23 (AP/UNB) — U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper arrived in Baghdad on Wednesday as chaos swirled along the Turkey-Syria border and Iraqi leaders chafed over reports that the U.S. may want to increase the number of troops based in Iraq, at least temporarily.
Egypt's options dwindle as Nile talks break down
Cairo, Oct 22 (AP/UNB) — The latest breakdown in talks with Ethiopia over its construction of a massive upstream Nile dam has left Egypt with dwindling options as it seeks to protect the main source of freshwater for its large and growing population.
Israel's Netanyahu gives up on forming new coalition
Jerusalem, Oct 22 (AP/UNB) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Monday that he had failed to form a majority government in parliament, marking a major setback for the embattled Israeli leader that plunges the country into a new period of political uncertainty.
Residents of northeast Syria city pelt departing US troops
Akcakale, Oct 21 (AP/UNB) — Angry over the U.S. withdrawal from Syria, residents of a Kurdish-dominated city pelted departing American military vehicles with potatoes Monday as they drove through.
Lebanon's government scrambles to respond to mass protests
Beirut, Oct 21 (AP/UNB) — Protesters closed major roads around Lebanon ahead of an emergency Cabinet meeting on Monday, as politicians scrambled to put together a rescue plan for the country's crumbling economy and stem five days of mass anti-government protests.
Egypt inaugurates largest subway station in Middle East
Cairo, Oct 21 (Xinhua/UNB) – Egypt inaugurated on Sunday the Middle East's largest metro station in the capital Cairo as part of the country's plans to renovate the city's fastest means of transportation.
Lebanese party leader asks ministers to resign from gov't
Beirut, Oct 20 (Xinhua/UNB) -- Samir Geagea, leader of the Lebanese Forces party, asked his four ministers on Sunday to resign from the government, the National News Agency reported.
Syria Kurds say they will withdraw from border
Beirut, Oct 20 (AP/UNB) — A senior Syrian Kurdish official says his forces will pull back from a border area in accordance with a U.S.-brokered deal after Turkey allows the evacuation of its remaining fighters and civilians from a besieged town there.
Turkey wants Syrian forces to leave border areas, aide says
Istanbul, Oct 20 (AP/UNB) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants Syrian government forces to move out of areas near the Turkish border so he can resettle up to 2 million refugees there, his spokesman told The Associated Press on Saturday. The request will top Erdogan's talks next week with Syria's ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin.