1001 Lies: Everything You Know About Aladdin Is Wrong
Despite its purportedly Eastern origins, the tale of ‘Aladdin’ began with a French archaeologist and is more the story of Orientalism than anything else
Middle East
Lebanese Health Minister Says He Overcame U.S. Concerns He Would Funnel Money to Hezbollah
Hezbollah named Jamil Jabak to the post in January despite U.S. warnings
Syrian Air Defenses Intercepted Projectiles Fired From Israel, State Media Reports
The is the second time in two days that Syria says it thwarted an Israeli attack, but it may be that Syrian defense systems mistakenly interpreted aerial movements as Israeli strikes
Islamic State Says It Killed Two Guards, Kidnapped Four in Libya Attack
Attackers struck an entrance gate to an oilfield southwest of the capital Tripoli and killed the guards before fleeing, security source says
Kuwait Plan for Mega City, With Port and Free Zone, Faces Pushback
Legislators worry that the free zone, which will be beyond parliamentary oversight, will encourage 'irresponsible openness' in the small Gulf State ruled by Islamic law
Safeguarding Books and Reopening Schools: Syrian Kurds Fight to Treasure Their Traditions
For eight years, a generation has grown up not only learning Kurdish but also believing that Kurds deserve rights
Assad Troops Expand Offensive on Rebels in Northeast Syria Despite Calls for Calm
Syrian regime soldiers push into last rebel stronghold as UN Security Council calls on Assad to honor cease-fire
All Jordanian Ministers Resign Ahead of Government Reshuffle
Ministers tender their resignation after Jordan's King Abdullah fired the kingdom's intel chief amid and reports of attempts to topple the government
Erdogan Signals He Backs Re-run of Contested Istanbul Vote
Erdogan's ruling party has filed an appeal to annul and re-run the election in Istanbul due to what it calls 'irregularities'
Brother of Iran's Rohani Sentenced to Unspecified Jail Term by Iranian Court
Supporters of the Iranian president allege that the case is politically motivated
Jordan Reportedly Seeking Changes to $10 Billion Gas Deal With Israel
News of review ordered by King Abdullah send Israeli gas shares lower; sources tell Saudi newspaper that the Jordanian royal was using the report to pressure Israel
Israel Says It Will Join 2020 World Expo in Dubai
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calls Israel's participation a representation of its 'rising status in the world and the region'
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Monitors U.S. Aircraft Carrier With Drone
Iranian news agency says the Revolutionary Guards has successfully managed a surveillance flight over a U.S. aircraft carrier
Erdogan Warns He Will Act Against His Own Party Members After Election Setback
'Work done by some people from inside is hard to swallow,' Turkish president says and vows to 'call them to account'
Israel's Attorney General Bypasses Government in Approving Release of Syrian Prisoners
Israeli law dictates that a release of prisoners triggered by diplomatic considerations must go through the government
Senior UN Official Meets Taliban Chief for Afghanistan Peace Negotiations
Discussions in Qatar centered on 'ongoing peace process, civilian casualties and humanitarian aid in areas of the Islamic Emirate,' movement's spokesman says
Mohammed Bin Salman Has Shattered Saudi Diplomacy. What Happens Now?
Under the crown prince, the kingdom takes direct responsibility for its meddling in the region
Egyptian Voters Approve Referendum Extending Sissi's Rule Until 2030
The nationwide referendum is widely seen as another step toward restoring authoritarian rule eight years after a pro-democracy uprising that toppled Mubarak
'They Sold Us a Dream, but It Was a Prison': Four Women Explain Why They Joined ISIS and Ask to Go Back Home
Four foreign women captured in Syria camps recall why they left their home countries and joined the caliphate
Moroccan Jewish Community to Hold First Democratic Elections in Half a Century
Internal communal elections were last held in 1969 amid an increase in hostility toward Jews in Morocco following Israel’s 1967 victory in the Six-Day War
Saudi Arabia Detains 13 Suspected of Planning Terror Attacks in the Kingdom
Arrests come a day after security forces thwarted attack targeting a police station northwest of the capital Riyadh, killing four alleged ISIS militants
Egypt's Opposition Call for 'No' Vote in Referendum That Could Extend Sissi Rule Until 2030
Opposition members of parliament say the referendum is being held against a backdrop of intimidation and 'vote buying'
Four People Die in Foiled Attack on Saudi Police Station
The suspected attackers, who died in the incident, targeted a station northwest of the capital Riyadh and are said to have carried firebombs, machine guns and bombs
Air Strikes and Explosions Hit Libya Amid Escalating Offensive on Tripoli
Authorities close the Libyan capital's only functioning airport, cutting air links to a city of an estimated 2.5 million residents
Saudi Runaway Sisters Apply for Asylum in Georgia After Kingdom Suspends Their Passports
Maha and Wafa al-Subaie, who fled the kingdom and say their lives are at risk if they return, had been stranded in Tsbili where they have been calling for international help
Analysis Israel's New Army Chief Has an Ambitious Plan
But there's one obstacle in Aviv Kochavi's way
Saudi Arabia: A Kingdom in Turmoil
The Mideast's biggest paradox: Extremist ideology and an alliance with the U.S. ■ A modern army with not enough manpower ■ A Mideast peace initiative and a quagmire in Yemen ■ Where is Saudi Arabia headed?
Will Khashoggi’s Murder Foil the Saudi-Israeli Thaw?
These burgeoning ties, marked by resistance to Iran, depend on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s ability to stay in power
Saudi Arabia, Oil Superpower, Now Forced to Play by Others’ Rules
As more countries reduce their dependence on Saudi crude oil, the kingdom is trying to transform its economy – and finds itself at the mercy of buyers
Saudi Arabia: Granting a License to Drive, Keeping a License to Kill
The West has long overlooked Saudi Arabia's dismal human rights record, but the Khashoggi murder could change that