Syrian officials, opposition groups to meet face to face
(Fabrice Coffrini / AFP/Getty Images)
Long-awaited talks nearly foundered over whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must give up power.
Kerry: Israel’s security needs must be met in peace deal
At Davos, secretary of state defends his peace-talks focus, saying occupation can't end if threat persists.
In Israel, French Jews carve out a new Riviera
Immigration from France is growing, and some attribute the rise to anti-Semitism in their former country.
U.N. envoy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi: a primer
The former Algerian diplomat, 80, is a veteran troubleshooter for the United Nations.
Rouhani: Iran has ‘serious will’ to make a deal on nuclear program
Iranian leader also says his nation will not agree to rules that treat Iran differently than other countries with nuclear know-how.
Iran’s Rouhani: ‘Friends’ write my tweets, Facebook posts
Iranian president, speaking at Davos, says he is not the author of his online charisma campaign.
Syria peace talks begin
The negotiations got underway in Switzerland, but the tone at the outset was far from conciliatory.
Photos of the day
Smithsonian’s Udvar-Hazy Center, protests continue in Ukraine, Belgium’s Afghan asylum seekers and more.
Latest Headlines
Photos from around the region
Explosion at security headquarters in Cairo
At least five people were killed in highest-profile attack on Egypt’s military-backed government since Morsi’s ouster last year.
Syria peace talks begin
The negotiations got underway in Switzerland, but the tone at the outset was far from conciliatory.
Amid violence, Egyptians vote on new constitution
Egyptians vote on a draft document backed by the military-appointed government that could lead to fresh elections.
Protests in Egypt
The trial of ousted president Mohamed Morsi has been postponed until Feb. 1, prompting clashes in Cairo.
African immigrants protest in Israel
Tens of thousands of African immigrants have been protesting against the Israeli government’s treatment of them.
The intertwined conflicts in Syria and Iraq
An eruption of violence in Iraq is raising the specter of a new civil war in a region already buckling under the strain of the conflict in Syria.
John Kerry’s trip to the Middle East
The secretary of state is trying to make peace, meeting for hours with Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Iraqi forces battle for Fallujah
Iraqi government forces have begun a major offensive to retake the militant-held Fallujah in western Anbar province.
Deadly blast hits south Beirut
An explosion rocks a stronghold of the Shiite Hezbollah group in suburbs of the capital, killing at least four people.
Powerful explosion rocks downtown Beirut
A powerful car bomb exploded a wide intersection in downtown Beirut on Friday, killing a former cabinet minister.
In Syrian war, Mideast’s borders begin to crumble
Many believe that century-old boundaries laid the foundations for today’s instability in the region.
Bomb blast hits bus in Cairo, wounds 5 people
A bomb explodes in a busy intersection near schools in the Egyptian capital.
Bombing at Egyptian police station
A powerful car bomb tore through a police headquarters in a Nile Delta city, killing 13 people.
The Syrian conflict through the eyes of a slain photographer
Syrian activist and photographer Molhem Barakat was reported killed in Aleppo; activists said he was 18 years old.
Israel seeks ways to get illegal migrants to leave
The Israeli government says it won’t forcibly deport illegal African migrants, but it’s looking for ways to get them to leave voluntarily.
