Europe

UN meeting on anti-Semitism… Oy vey

The UN hearings on anti-Semitism will certainly enflame anti-Semitism—affording Israel the opportunity for propaganda exploitation, and for Jew-haters to exploit the backlash.

Greater Middle East

Saudi blogger to be flogged for blasphemy

Blogger Raif Badawi, convicted of "offenses to Islamic precepts" in Saudi Arabia, is to receieve 1,000 lashes at the start of his 15-year prison term.

Planet Watch

Behind oil slump: shale boom or geopolitics?

Experts tell us the North American shale oil boom is responsible for low prices despite Middle East unrest. But the price slump serves Western aims of weakening Russia and Iran.

Greater Middle East

Yemen: Saudis suspend aid as Houthi power grows

A failed US commando raid on al-Qaeda in Yemen comes as Saudi Arabia has suspended aid to the country in response to the growing power of Shi'ite Houthi militants.

Greater Middle East

Saudi Arabia sentences Shi’ite cleric to death

Sh'iite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was convicted of sedition and other charges in Saudi Arabia and sentenced to death—posing greater sectarian tensions in the Gulf states.

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

Obama sees long war against ISIS

The Obama administration is preparing to carry out a campaign against ISIS that may take three years to complete, involving a coalition of some 40 countries.

Greater Middle East

ISIS eyes Mecca, pledges to destroy Kaaba

Saudi Arabia carried out a sweep of suspected terrorists as ISIS threatened to take Mecca and destroy the Kaaba, Islam's holiest site, calling it a bastion of idolatry.