Newly Displaced Syrians Head For Turkish Border
Refugee numbers are swelling again in southern Turkey due to a heavy Syrian army offensive in central Syria. Humanitarian aid groups are becoming overwhelmed.
Middle East
Clashes Mark Bahrain's 2nd Anniversary Of Uprising
Thursday is the second anniversary of the uprising in Bahrain where tens of thousands took to the streets to demand political changes and greater equality for the island kingdom's Shiite majority. The uprising was put down by security forces aided by troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The government and opposition leaders have begun a dialogue but violence continue, especially in the Shiite towns and cities outside the capital, Manama.
Bulgaria Links Hezbollah To Deadly Attack On Israelis
The attack at a Black Sea resort town last July killed five Israeli tourists and one Bulgarian citizen. In response, the White House called Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, a "real and growing threat not only to Europe, but to the rest of the world."
The CIA And The Hazards Of Middle East Forecasting
As Arab-Israeli tensions grew in the fall of 1973, the CIA offered its analysis to President Nixon's administration: War was highly unlikely. The agency kept making that case right up to the time the war began.
Syrian Opposition Leader Holds Talks With Russia, Iran
Over the weekend, one of the main Syrian opposition leaders held informal talks with the regime's main backers — Russia and Iran. The talks were held on the sidelines of a security conference in Germany. It's unclear whether this creates an opening to a political settlement that could end the bloodshed in Syria.
Blocking Iran With A Global Game Of Nuclear 'Keep Away'
Obtaining the materials to make weapons-grade uranium or separated plutonium is harder than making a nuclear weapon, experts say. That's why the U.S. is engaged in a global effort to try to keep the specialized products out of hands it deems dangerous, like Iran.
Tracking Rape In Syria Through Social Media
Researchers are using data from Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social media sites. There are, however, questions about the accuracy of the reports coming from Syria.
For The First Time In Decades, Iran's President Visits Egypt
The hostility between Iran and Egypt dates to the 1970s, and the Muslim nations remain wary of one another. However, tensions have thawed in recent months.
In Syrian Conflict, Real-Time Evidence Of Violations
There are growing calls for Syria's leaders to face war crimes charges for the assaults against rebel targets and civilian areas. If that happens, veterans of past war crimes prosecutions say, Syrians will have one big advantage: the widespread gathering of evidence across the country.
Lessons Learned Two Years After The Arab Spring
From Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Cairo, to the ongoing violence in Syria, Rami Khouri, columnist for Beirut's Daily Star recaps developments in the Middle East and reflects on lessons learned two years after the Arab Spring.