Baghdad, Erbil-As a series of explosions hit Iraq, French President Francois Hollande set foot in Baghdad where he met with Iraqi President Fouad Masoum, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and Speaker Salim al-Jabouri. The French president then headed on Monday to Erbil where he and President of Iraqi K
Rabat- On December 28, 2016, the Iraqi Forces kicked off the second phase of Mosul’s liberation after it was postponed many times for logistic and climate reasons. This extended operation came in coincidence with the joining of the Sultanate of Oman to the Saudi-led Arab-Islamic Coalition to combat
A deputy leader of Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) announced his resignation on Monday, saying the U.N.-backed administration had failed to tackle urgent problems arising from years of conflict and political disarray. The resignation of Musa al-Koni casts doubt on the future of the
Israel Police investigators officially began interrogating Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his official residence in Jerusalem on Monday on suspicion of receiving gifts from businessmen in breach of his role as a public servant, Israeli media said. Netanyahu told his ruling Likud faction in par
A Syrian immigrant who arrived in Germany two years ago has been arrested under suspicions of attempting to secure funds for the terror group ISIS to drive truck bombs into a crowd, a German state prosecutor’s office said on Monday. The man has admitted to contacting ISIS, but denied he had an
A suicide bomber driving a pickup loaded with explosives struck a sprawling market in Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 36 people in an attack claimed by the ISIS group hours after French President Francois Hollande arrived in the Iraqi capital. The bomb went off in a fruit and vegetable market th
After almost two hours being interrogated on everything from the details of Sam Allardyce’s contract to homophobia at October’s culture, media and sport select committee inquiry, question 90 was the curveball the Football Association chairman Greg Clarke certainly wasn’t expecting. Switching his att
The ISIS terrorist group claimed responsibility on Monday for the New Year’s attack at a packed Istanbul nightclub that killed 39 people and wounded scores of others, including many foreigners as well as Turks. Turkey’s anti-terrorism squads meanwhile detained eight people in connection to the
Moscow- Russia has relentlessly been seeking ways to counter the economic drawback caused by sanctions imposed by the West as a result of Crimea’s annexation, and a vicious standoff with Ukraine. Russia’s economy, highly dependent on the oil market suffered as the barrel of oil plunged to all-time-l
Two attacks have shaken Turkey in the last twelve days. The first was when a police officer who was affiliated to the wolves of ISIS killed Russia’s ambassador at an art gallery in Ankara, and the second took place on New Year’s Eve when a terrorist disguised as Santa Claus attacked a ni
Riyadh – Saudi interior ministry announced on Sunday that it was able to identify the identities of the kidnappers of Sheikh Mohammad al-Jirani, a judge at the Endowments and Inheritance Department in the Qatif court. Jirani was kidnapped by masked men in front of his house in Al Qatif in the Easter
Cairo- An Egypt military court sentenced 175 members of the Muslim Brotherhood to life in prison. The verdict was issued on Sunday in abstentia. At least 10 were acquitted on charges of committing violence and storming the Malawy museum in Minya in 2013. More so, a Giza criminal court referred to Eg
Amman- Jordan witnessed in 2016 unprecedented political and security events along with many terrorist acts. As per the important political incidents, during 2016, His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan accepted the resignation of the government led by Abdullah Ensour and appointed Hani al-Malki to c
Cairo – Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi revealed preparing for a tristate summit that includes Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia to resolve the Libyan crisis – meanwhile al-Wefaq government appointed a member of the parliament as the head of intelligence body in Tripoli. Essebsi announced
Tal Aviv- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the conflict in Syria and “continued security cooperation”, his office said. “The two leaders discussed developments in the region, with emphasis on Syria and con
For America, 2016 was a dark year. The country was still at war. Our election was a brutal grudge match that left us more polarized than ever. Our closest allies were rocked by terrorism and turmoil. Adversaries toyed with our politics. Even the basic facts about life and science seemed to be in dis
Baghdad, London – Two days after Shi’ite Supreme Religious Authority Ali Sistani refused to receive the National Iraqi Alliance delegation, Sadrist Movement Leader Muqtada al-Sadr said this was a “public rejection” for the current alliance. Sadr issued a statement saying that coalition should
Cairo – Saudi Arabia’s Embassy in Cairo issued a statement on Sunday, in which it stressed the Kingdom’s support to Yemen’s legitimate government and its keenness to protect human lives since the early beginning of the Yemeni conflict. The statement noted that Saudi Arabia has always abided by
London- Libya wanted to give $50 million to murder former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, according to newly released Irish documents. Libya’s Chief of Protocol Saad Muzber informed Irish ambassador to Rome Eamon Kennedy that Libya was eager to fund the Irish Republican Army (IRA) in a bid to wipe
Najaf – Ultra-hardline terror group ISIS staged a fierce attack against a police checkpoint near the southern Iraqi city of Najaf on Sunday, killing seven policemen. The horrific attack was seen as retaliation to government forces making sweeping advances against militants in Mosul, their last
