Latest Middle East News

Palestinians carry posters showing Mahmoud Nawajaa, a leading coordinator of the Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel, BDS, during a protest calling for the EU to press for his release, in front of the German Representative Office, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020. The activist was arrested on July 30, remains in Israeli custody and has not been charged. Israel says the arrest is not connected to his boycott activities, and that he is is suspected of unspecified “security offenses,

Palestinian protesters urge Israel to free boycott activist

Aug. 11, 2020 8:27 AM EDT

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Dozens of Palestinians protested outside the German diplomatic office in the West Bank on Tuesday, seeking to draw attention to Israel's arrest of a leading coordinator of the Palestinian-led boycott movement against Israel. Mahmoud Nawajaa was arrested on July 30 and remains in...

In this taken Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, Turkey's research vessel, Oruc Reis, center, is surrounded by Turkish navy vessels as it was heading in the west of Antalya on the Mediterranean, Turkey. Tension remains high between Greece and Turkey, whose warships are in the eastern Mediterranean where Turkey has sent a research vessel to carry out seismic research for energy resources in an area Greece says is on its continental shelf. (IHA via AP)

Turkey vows to press ahead with energy search amid tensions

Aug. 11, 2020 8:10 AM EDT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey vowed Tuesday to press ahead with searching for oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, saying it plans to issue new exploration licenses for the area despite an escalating dispute with Greece over drilling rights. The Greek government, meanwhile, was calling for an...

Passengers sit next to their luggage as they wait to cross the border to the Egyptian side of Rafah crossing, in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020. Egypt reopened Rafah Crossing for three days starting Tuesday for humanitarian cases in and out of the Gaza Strip, including medical patients and people who had Egyptian and international citizenship. The border was closed since March. (AP Photo/Adel Hana)

Egypt allows Gazans to leave strip for first time in months

Aug. 11, 2020 6:59 AM EDT

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Egypt on Tuesday reopened Gaza’s main passenger crossing point for the first time in months for thousands of Palestinians who have been stranded on both sides of the border due to the coronavirus crisis. Gaza residents holding Egyptian passports, foreign passports and...

Election officials wait for people to vote on the first day of the Senate elections inside a polling station in Cairo, Egypt, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020. Egyptians started voting on Tuesday for the Senate, the upper chamber of parliament that was revived as part of constitutional amendments approved in a referendum last year — an election that comes as the country faces an uptick in daily numbers of new coronavirus cases. (AP Photo/Nariman El-Mofty)

Egyptians vote for revived upper house of parliament

Aug. 11, 2020 6:20 AM EDT

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptians started voting Tuesday for the Senate, the upper chamber of parliament that was revived as part of constitutional amendments approved in a referendum last year. The election comes as the country faces an uptick in coronavirus cases. Authorities have said face masks would be handed...

US military investigating claim of Iraq-Kuwait border blast

Aug. 11, 2020 5:58 AM EDT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The U.S. military said Tuesday it was investigating a claim by a newly formed Iraqi Shiite militant group of a bombing at the Iraq-Kuwait border. Iraq and Kuwait denied an attack had taken place. Iraq later said an explosion targeted a U.S.-led coalition convoy on...

Women wearing face masks to help protect against the coronavirus walks by an advertising board displaying an American flag and Statue of Liberty on a street in Beijing, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. China's biggest recent outbreak of coronavirus has grown slightly. Hundreds people have developed COVID-19 in the far northwestern region of Xinjiang, with more than dozens of new cases reported Thursday in its capital and largest city, Urumqi. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

The Latest: Confirmed coronavirus cases reach 20 million

Aug. 10, 2020 9:53 PM EDT

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The confirmed number of coronavirus cases in the world has reached 20 million. That’s according to the tally kept by Johns Hopkins University. Health officials believe the actual number is much higher, given testing limitations and the fact that as many as 40% of all those who...

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks after a cabinet meeting, in Ankara Turkey, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. The government of Greece slammed Turkey's announcement that it will be conducting energy exploration in an area of the eastern Mediterranean that Athens says overlaps its continental shelf, as tension over the rights to natural resources increased sharply in the region Monday.(Turkish Presidency via AP, Pool)

Greece slams Turkish move on gas exploration in eastern Med

Aug. 10, 2020 3:55 PM EDT

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece slammed Turkey's move Monday to launch energy exploration in part of the eastern Mediterranean Athens says overlaps its own continental shelf, as regional tension spiked over rights to offshore natural resources with both countries sending warships to the area. The Greek...

Fireworks thrown by anti-government protesters explode over Riot Police during clashes near the parliament building following last Tuesday's massive explosion in the seaport which devastated Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

Lebanese government resigns after Beirut blast, public anger

Aug. 10, 2020 3:46 PM EDT

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s prime minister stepped down from his job Monday in the wake of the catastrophic explosion in Beirut that has triggered public outrage, saying he has come to the conclusion that corruption in the country is “bigger than the state.” The move risks opening the way...

French emergency workers, part of a special unit working with chemicals, walk next to damaged containers near the site of last week's explosion, in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, Aug. 10, 2020. The unit is identifying potential leaks and securing an area where containers with flammable liquids have been damaged by the blast. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana)

French expert: Dangerous chemicals remain in Beirut port

Aug. 10, 2020 3:37 PM EDT

BEIRUT (AP) — Chemical experts and firefighters are working to secure at least 20 potentially dangerous chemical containers at the explosion-shattered port of Beirut, after finding one that was leaking, according to a member of a French cleanup team. Some of the containers were punctured when last...

People stand by the wreckage of a ship at the devastated site of the explosion in the port of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday Aug.6, 2020. French President Emmanuel Macron came in Beirut to offer French support to Lebanon after the deadly port blast.(AP Photo/Thibault Camus, Pool)

UN food chief: Beirut could run out of bread in 2 1/2 weeks

Aug. 10, 2020 2:19 PM EDT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the U.N. food agency said Monday he’s “very, very concerned” Lebanon could run out of bread in about 2 ½ weeks because 85% of the country's grain comes through Beirut's devastated port — but he believes an area of the port can be made...

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