When abuses were reported in recent weeks in Mali — fake graves designed to discredit French forces; a massacre of some 300 people, mostly civilians — all evidence pointed to the shadowy mercenaries of Russia’s Wagner Group. Even before these feared professional soldiers joined the assault on Ukraine, Russia had …

Two other cryptocurrency exchanges have also announced moves to Dubai recently. Another cryptocurrency platform is coming to the United Arab Emirates. Kraken Exchange is establishing its Middle East and North Africa headquarters at Abu Dhabi’s International Financial Center after the exchange obtained the required financial license, the center said in …

Saudi Arabia has acted to keep prices high recently against the wishes of the US. Global oil prices have fallen significantly in recent days. The price of Brent crude oil — considered the global benchmark for oil prices — fell to $100.85 a barrel at around 5 a.m. ET. This …

Iraq has stepped up security amid an IS campaign called ‘Battle of Revenge for the Two Sheikhs’ that killed dozens in several countries in the first few days. The Islamic State (IS) has taken responsibility for a rash of attacks in recent days as part of their “Battle of Revenge …

Ankara is using the cover of Ukraine’s war to weaken the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and associated groups in the region. Turkey’s military has launched a spate of strikes on Kurdish-run parts of northeast Syria over the past week as world attention is focused on Ukraine. At least four artillery …

If the West and NATO remain united during the long war in Ukraine, Turkey’s policy of straddling between Kyiv and Moscow would be unsustainable. “It is the only game in town,” a Turkish ambassador said in a self-aggrandizing fashion at an international conference recently. Turkey secured the first and only …

As Iran-backed groups block the formation of Iraq’s next government, frustrated voices are getting louder about Iran’s meddling. Recent efforts to form a new Iraqi government have all failed to yield results despite the formation of a majority bloc of Muqtada Sadr’s Shiite group, Masoud Barazani’s Kurdistan Democratic Party and …

One rocket was fired from Lebanon yesterday and two rockets were fired at Israel from the Gaza Strip Friday night. The IDF fired dozens of artillery shells toward targets in southern Lebanon after a rocket was fired into northern Israel yesterday, near the border town of Shlomi. IDF spokesperson Brig. …

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom also recommended the State Department designate Syria as a “country of particular concern” and place Egypt, Iraq and Turkey on a special watchlist for religious freedom offenders. Religious freedom conditions in Afghanistan have sharply deteriorated in the eight months since US troops withdrew …

Wheat supplies should be sufficient for the rest of 2022. But the country will eventually be compelled to secure additional quantities at higher prices As the Russian military intervention in Ukraine continues to disrupt access to food commodities, Algeria is expected to have sufficient wheat reserves to last for the …