Nine European countries said Tuesday that they have seen “no substantial evidence” to support Israel’s allegations that six Palestinian civil society groups are terrorist organizations and would not change their policies on supporting the groups. The rare joint statement was a major rebuke of Israel, which backlisted the groups as …

Former governor of Libya’s central bank named to head NOC TRIPOLI, Libya The Tripoli-based government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh on Tuesday appointed a new chairman of Libya’s state oil company. “Farhat Omar Bengdara was appointed chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), replacing Mustafa Sanalla,” Oil Ministry spokesman …

Syria’s Kurdish-led forces alleged Maher al-Aghal was also affiliated with Turkey-backed opposition group Ahrar al-Sharqiya. A US drone strike on Tuesday killed the leader of the Islamic State group in Syria, the US military announced today. Maher al-Agal was killed near the town of Jidayris in Syria’s Afrin region, according …