Middle Orient

How Russia is preparing in Syria for Biden’s presidency

Moscow is hoping the final months of outgoing President Donald Trump’s presidency will allow it an opportunity to reinforce its positions in Syria. While Russian foreign policy circles have noted reasons why President-elect Joe Biden’s administration may see the Middle Eastern theater relegated further down the list of American policy …

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Idleb: Assailants Attack Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham Checkpoint, One Fighter Killed

A Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham fighter was killed by two men who opened fire from a motorcycle at a checkpoint in Idleb’s western countryside reports Zaman Al-Wasl. Two masked men opened fire on a Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham checkpoint in northern Idleb province, killing one fighter and wounding another, Zaman Al-Wasl’s reporter …

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Is Egypt ready to turn page on Gulf crisis with Qatar?

Egypt has welcomed the recent Kuwaiti efforts to end the Gulf crisis pitting a Saudi-led bloc of nations, including Egypt, against Qatar. After Saudi Arabia and Kuwait recently announced that they had made progress toward ending the dispute Egypt and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have with Qatar, Egypt’s Foreign …

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European Union has vindicated Erdogan, yet again

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan didn’t give a damn about possible European Union sanctions against Turkey, and the EU has proved him right. No need to indulge in semantics and take pains to conceal the fact: Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defied the European Union — and he won.

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The Battle of the Syrian Presidency Rages On

The Syrian presidential election is due to take place next year, but the issue of who will run and how refugees will be able to vote has become a contentious issue writes Al-Modon. There are indications that suggest that the battle of the Syrian presidential elections, scheduled to happen in …

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Israel normalizes ties with Bhutan

“I want to thank the Kingdom of Bhutan and praise the decision to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel,” Ashkenazi said. Israel established full diplomatic relations with Bhutan for the first time on Saturday night.

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US sanctions Turkey over S-400 purchase

The Foreign Ministry in Ankara said it will “retaliate” for the sanctions on four top officials of Turkey’s defense procurement agency. The Trump administration on Monday unveiled limited sanctions on Turkey in response to the NATO ally’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system last year.

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Turkey-Iran tensions spike over Azerbaijan

Iran is stirring up a diplomatic quarrel over a poem recited by Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his recent visit to Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. Tensions between Turkey and its historic regional frenemy Iran are rising over Azerbaijan, the arrests of several Turkish citizens accused of links to an Iranian drug baron …

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