Middle East

Ignore Trump, Iran has something to celebrate

President Hassan Rouhani’s election victory heralds renewed engagement with the world<p>As President Donald Trump rocked from foot to foot at the edge of a sedate, highly choreographed sword ceremony in Riyadh last week, 800 miles away, thousands of young people were streaming into the streets of …

Alternately charming and boorish, Trump plays the role of a lifetime overseas

TAORMINA, Italy — Little matters more to Donald Trump, the brander-turned-American president, than imagery. Trump staffed his government out of central casting, and this past week it was time for him to audition for his role: Leader of the free world.<p>In Washington, Trump is mostly seen only when he …

Iran's Khamenei says Saudis will fall, Rouhani calls for better ties

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's hardline Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Saturday Saudi Arabia's rulers faced "certain downfall" for aligning themselves with the United States, hours after the country's pragmatist president called for improved ties with Gulf states.<p>"They (Saudi leaders) act …

President Trump left TripAdvisor reviews for the Middle East and just, wow

President Trump wants to voice his opinions on the Middle East and no, not through some archaic Washington-insider liberal elitist speech.<p>The man wants to communicate his worldview the best way he knows how — by yelling on the internet. Returning from his trip in the Middle East, the president has …

Zakaria: How Saudi Arabia played Donald Trump

<b>(CNN) —</b> The United States has now signed up for Saudi Arabia's foreign policy — a relentless series of battles against Shiites and their allies throughout the Middle East. That will enmesh Washington in a never-ending sectarian struggle, fuel regional instability and complicate its ties with …

Report: Carry-on laptop & tablet ban may be expanded to flights departing the U.S.

Earlier this year, the United States government enacted a new policy that prevents tablets and laptops from being carried in carry-on baggage on flights to the United States from eight countries. Now, The Department of Homeland Security is reportedly considering expanding the ban to include flights …

The guidebooks and selfie-sticks arrive as Rouhani’s Iran declares itself open to all

With visitor numbers rising and hotel chains circling, Iran is reinventing itself – but the change is too fast for some<p>Standing in the blue-tiled shadows of one of Iran’s greatest mosques, armed with a dish of sesame caramel snacks, Mohammed Reza Zamani is a cleric on a mission to repair the …

Trump said he would ‘take out’ the families of ISIS fighters. Did an airstrike in Syria do just that?

Back when he was still a candidate and not president of the United States, Donald Trump had a suggestion for winning the battle against the Islamic State: “Take out their families.”<p>“The other thing with the terrorists is you have to take out their families, when you get these terrorists, you have …

From the shove to the orb, no single moment Trump stands out. There are too many

Many presidential trips, both within the U.S. and abroad, have provided standout moments.<p>Sometimes they’ve been of historic significance: John F. Kennedy andRonald Reagan at the Berlin Wall, Richard M. Nixon at China’s Great Wall.<p>Occasionally they’ve been embarrassing: George H.W. Bush getting sick …

Here are the 6 best memes from Trump's first trip abroad

President Trump made lots of headlines in his first international trip as president. He also inspired lots of memes. From the mysterious orb in Saudi Arabia to the NATO "shove" seen around the world, here's a look at some of the ways people online reacted to some memorable moments of the</b> …

Saudi Arabia to execute disabled man 'for taking part in protest'

A court in Saudi Arabia has upheld a death sentence for a disabled man who was arrested after he attended a protest, campaigners have said.<p>Munir …

Washington Post didn’t disclose that writer who penned positive piece about Trump’s Saudi trip is paid by Saudi government

Why does the Post embarrass itself by publishing lobbyist Ed Rogers?<p>The Washington Post allowed contributor Ed Rogers to praise Donald Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia without disclosing that he’s a lobbyist for the Saudi Royal Court. The <i>Post</i> has repeatedly allowed Rogers to promote his lobbying …

The Cynical Conspiracy War on Egypt’s Christians

The Muslim Brotherhood isn’t behind the callous mass murder of Copts, but it’s certainly fanning the flames of hatred.<p>When news broke of Friday’s …

Turkish president Erdogan orders teams to remove ‘arena’ from stadium names

Turkish power Galatasaray has become the first team in that country to remove the word “arena” from its stadium’s name, following an order from …

Discord in the Persian Gulf: Qatar and the Muslim Brotherhood | Middle East | DW | 27.05.2017

For a long time, Qatar has been facing accusations of being too closely associated with the Muslim Brotherhood and radical Islamist groups. The US …

Trump's tour highlights: orbs, swords and strange handshakes – in pictures

The president jetted back to the US on Saturday after a whirlwind tour of the Middle East and Europe. We look back at some of the most memorable images from Trump’s week away from the White House

Philippines forces hit militants; civilians wave white flags

MARAWI, Philippines (AP) — Philippine military jets fired rockets at militant positions Saturday as soldiers fought to wrest control of a southern city from gunmen linked to the Islamic State group, witnesses said. Civilians waved flags from their windows to show they are not combatants.<p>The city of …

Donald Trump has no “secret plan” to wipe out the “evil losers” of ISIS — he’s stuck in the same old no-win situation

Despite all his campaign bluster, Trump faces an intractable, insidious enemy and untrustworthy allies. Good luck!<p>President Donald Trump talked a tough game against ISIS during the election campaign. Defeating the Islamist terror group that has inflicted widespread carnage on the people of Iraq and …

Trump's 1st foreign trip: 5 takeaways

<b>Taormina, Italy (CNN) —</b> President Donald Trump on Saturday concluded a nine-day swing through the Middle East and Europe that marked his first foreign travel as president -- a significant milestone for a head of state also considered the leader of the free world.<p>Trump's first foray on the …

Pro-Erdogan muscle against D.C. protesters came from Canada

Two Toronto men in attack made failed refugee claims here 15 years ago. One cited distaste for waging war on Kurds.<p>Two Toronto men who clashed …

Egyptian warplanes pound jihadist haven in Libya after deadly attack on Coptic Christians

President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi pledges he will not hesitate to launch more attacks on Islamist targets.<p>Egyptian warplanes pounded extremist positions …

Islamic State claims deadly shooting of Egyptian Christians

CAIRO (Reuters) - Islamic State said on Saturday that its fighters had carried out a shooting that killed dozens of Egyptian Christians on Friday, according to a statement from the group.<p>"A security unit from the soldiers of the caliphate set up a checkpoint to ambush tens of Christians headed for …

Donald in Arabia: What did we learn from Trump’s encounter with the Saudi monarchy?

While Trump's visit to the famously repressive Saudi kingdom was quite a show, U.S. policy looks awfully familiar<p>What is there to be said about President Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia that has not already been said? That the irony of a president who campaigned in large part on suspicion of …

The Observer view on Donald Trump’s Middle East visit

The US president displays woeful ignorance by making a bogeyman of Iran<p>One of the key questions posed by Donald Trump’s presidency is whether you can believe what he says and even whether he believes it himself. This dilemma was evident last week during his visits to the Middle East and Europe. In …

Trump’s strangest moments overseas: Steak, swords, and one orb to rule them all

United States President Donald Trump is on his way back from his first trip overseas, and it doesn't seem he caused an international incident of terrible significance.<p>Lol! Hooray!<p>The trip was, however, full of embarrassing, awkward things.<p>We've collected some of the weirdest, most Trumpian moments …

Gifts and Gaffes on Trump's Excellent Adventure

Well, he didn't start a war or anything. But he blew a chance to make progress with NATO.<p>Overseas trips are great opportunities for U.S. presidents to distinguish themselves -- think John F. Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" -- or to do quite the opposite: Remember Ronald Reagan's unfortunate speech …

Trump’s “America First“ Infrastructure Plan: Let Saudi Arabia and Blackstone Take Care of It

Throughout the presidential campaign, Donald Trump blasted his rival for taking money from Saudi Arabia, which, he regularly charged, has a horrific …

Putin discusses Syria, economic ties with Iran's Rouhani: Kremlin

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iran's Hassan Rouhani held a phone call in which the two leaders stressed the need for more joint efforts to resolve the Syria crisis and discussed economic ties, the Kremlin said on Saturday.<p>The Kremlin added that Putin congratulated Rouhani …

Donald Trump's first foreign tour - what we learnt, in pictures

Pakistan says Iranian mortar attack kills civilian

QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) - Iranian mortar fire on Saturday killed a Pakistani civilian in the western Baluchistan province that shares a long border with Iran, a regional Pakistani official said.<p>Relations between Iran and Pakistan have been at a low ebb since 10 Iranian border guards were killed …