Greater Middle East

Bahrain activist charged over insulting tweets

Rights activist Nabeel Rajab faces criminal charges over his tweets that claimed Bahrain's security institutions were the first incubators for extremist ideology.

Iraq

First US air-strikes on ISIS targets in Syria

Warplanes flying from the USS George HW Bush carried out the first US air-strikes against ISIS targets in Syria, with planes from five Arab countries also participating in the raids.

Iraq

Arab intervention force against ISIS?

Egypt called for an "Arab Alliance" to halt an ISIS advance on the Gulf States, as US air-strikes hit ISIS positions near Sinjar. Obama said there is no "timetable" for the strikes  to end.

Greater Middle East

Bahrain files suit to suspend opposition group

Bahrain's Ministry of Justice filed a suit seeking to suspend all activities of the main Shi'ite opposition group, whose leaders were accused of an illegal meeting with a US diplomat.

Greater Middle East

Egypt: jihad against feloul?

With Field Marshal al-Sisi consolidating his rule in alliance with Mubarak-era "left-overs," a Qaedist insurgency is rapidly spreading from the Sinai to the rest of Egypt.

Iran

Persian Gulf militarized —by drug war

In addition to the naval face-off over a global oil outlet, the Persian Gulf has seen escalating militarization by international forces in the guise of narcotics enforcement.

Greater Middle East

Egypt: Ikhwan unleash rage on Copts

Muslim Brotherhood supporters unleashed their rage on Coptic Christians, with several churches, homes, and Copt-owned businesses attacked throughout the country.