On Wednesday, US Secretary of State John Kerry met for two hours with Palestinian negotiators for “constructive” talks on the future relationship between the Palestinians and the Israelis. The talks come only days after Israel announced its largest expropriation of Palestinian territory since the 80s, as a new showdown hovers at the UN, with the frustrated Palestinians looking to push …

On Thursday, Yemeni tribesmen marched outside capital city Sana’a and protested against Shi’ite rebels, whose anti-government campaign is threatening to intensify the country’s political crisis. Carrying shoulder-held rocket launchers and assault rifles on them, member of the Harith tribe had taken to the streets just outside Sana’a, voicing their support for President Abdrabuh Mansur Hadi. Increasingly facing pressure from Zaidi …

Hopes of a ceasefire between Ukraine and pro-Russia separatists increased on Thursday after Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko discussed the issue with key western leaders at a NATO summit in Newport, UK. Poroshenko said that he expected a ceasefire deal to be signed on Friday “for the gradual introduction of the Ukrainian peace plan”. Pro-Moscow rebels have also agreed to issue …

On Thursday, the Israeli army said that it had struck a Syrian military position after presumed “errant fire” had struck the Israeli-occupied part of Golan Heights. In a statement, the Israeli army said that “at least one projectile hit the northern Golan Heights”. A spokeswoman for the Israeli military said that it hit an open field, and did not cause …

The United States on Thursday expressed its concern that undeclared chemical weapons in Syria could be seized by extremist group Islamic State (IS). The concerns were raised by US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power, as a joint UN and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons mission is about to end its drive to get rid of Syria’s chemical …

An Israeli military bulldozer pulling out a Merkava tank out of the Gaza Strip, on Wednesday. At least 15 Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers were killed overnight 23 July in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian death toll on the 16th day of the Israeli offensive surpassed 640, Gaza Health Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra said. More than 4,000 people have been …

Iraqi soldiers regained control of part of an important highway connecting Baghdad to the northern part of the country, where human rights organization Amnesty International said extremists have been carrying out ethnic cleansing. Iraqi soldiers backed by militia have been on a push north after ending an extremist siege by fighters from the Islamic State (IS) in the Shi’ite Turkmen …

The head of the UN agency mandated to defend press freedom today expressed shock at the killing of American journalist Steven Sotloff and called for the immediate release of all civilian hostages held by militant groups in Syria. “I condemn deeply the execution of Steven Sotloff,” said UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova in a statement to the press in which she also expressed …

On Tuesday, Russia declared NATO to be a “threat” to its security after the Western military alliance earlier announced plans to reinforce defenses in Eastern Europe due to Russia’s alleged involvement in Ukraine. Russia’s surprise declaration came just ahead of a NATO summit to be held on Thursday in Wales, where Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko is expected to lobby US …

Militants from the Islamic State (IS) on Tuesday released a video of a masked militant beheading an American journalist and threatened to kill a British national they have captive. The footage, found on private terrorism monitor SITE, shows 31-year-old freelance journalist Steven Sotloff clothed in orange and kneeling on his knees against the desert backdrop. Miami-born Sotloff had written for …