Middle Orient

Lebanese President Michel Aoun tasked former prime minister Saad Hariri on October 22 with forming a government, but the powerful Hezbollah movement has been delaying the process.

The Kurdistan Regional Government condemned an apparent Kurdistan Workers Party attack on peshmerga soldiers in Dahuk province; the KRG and the PKK had a turf dispute earlier this year.

A Hamas delegation has concluded a visit to Cairo to brief Egyptian officials on the latest efforts to bring about elections after reaching an agreement with Fatah in Turkey.

Iran announces a new missile system in what seemed to be yet another message to Western leaders that the Islamic Republic will press ahead with its “non-negotiable” missile program no matter who is US president.

Wary of the government’s wrath, Turkey’s main business groups are staying mum in the face of growing economic turmoil while keeping tabs on the prospect of early elections.

The first of the new missile ships set to defend Israel’s shores and strategic sites will arrive in early December, after it was handed over to the Navy from the Thyssenkrup Marine shipyards in Germany. The first of four new Sa’ar 6 ships, built in Germany by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems …

Iranian and Turkish media are taking a “wait and see” approach to the US election. The usual shrill voices have been quiet for a few days, wondering like the rest of the world what might happen. Turkey’s media is infamous for transmitting the narrative of the increasingly aggressive regime in …

Daraa Governorate witnessed four assassinations during the past 24 hours, affecting figures belonging to the security forces, including three leaders. SANA reported that a large explosion occurred in the al-Sabil neighborhood in the city of Daraa, after midnight last night. The sound of the explosion was heard throughout the city. …

On Wednesday, unknown persons assassinated former Free Syrian Army leader, Adham al-Karad, on the road linking Damascus and the Daraa countryside. Several other people were also killed as they returned from Damascus on the Sanamayn road.

Russia has said that militants in Idleb are preparing an attack in Idleb, with the intention of blaming Russia and the Syrian forces for attacking civilians writes Al-Masdar.