Turkey's Parliament approved a reconciliation deal with Israel

Israeli and Turkish flags
(Image: RT)

Reuters - ANKARA: Turkey's parliament approved a reconciliation agreement signed with Israel in June which has brought to an end a six-year rift between the two regional powers, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Saturday.

Relations between the two countries crumbled after Israeli marines stormed a Turkish ship in May 2010 to enforce a naval blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, killing 10 Turks on board.

Syria: dozens killed in an airstrike that hit the hospital in Aleppo, as violence intensifies

A rescuer trying to save a little girl in the area hit by the air
strikes in Aleppo
(Image: The Daily Mail Online)

An air strike hit a hospital located in the rebel-held area in the city of Aleppo in Syria on Friday, 29 April, as the fighting intensifies in Syria despite the ceasefire mediated by the UN and the world powers and declared since 28 February.

A hospital is located in Al-Marja district in Aleppo, controlled by the rebels. The hospital was operating under support of the Doctors Without Borders organization. More than 30 people were killed in an air strike, most of them medical personnel and patients of the hospital and inhabitants of the neighboring residential area. There are also children among the victims of the recent attack. Dozens were left wounded.

Syria: ISIS is driven out of the ancient Palmyra City

Ancient city of Palmyra, Syria
(Image: CNN)

Reuters -BEIRUT: Syrian government forces backed by heavy Russian air support drove Islamic State out of Palmyra on Sunday, inflicting what the army called a mortal blow to militants who seized the city last year and dynamited its ancient temples.

The loss of Palmyra represents one of the biggest setbacks for the ultra-hardline Islamist group since it declared a caliphate in 2014 across large parts of Syria and Iraq.

The army general command said that its forces took over the city with support from Russian and Syrian air strikes, opening up the huge expanse of desert leading east to the Islamic State strongholds of Raqqa and Deir al-Zor.

Syrian Geneva peace talks are expected to resume on Monday

Syrian peace talks held in Geneva
(Image: Haaretz)

Peace talks aimed at stopping the five year civil war in Syria that are expected to resume on Monday, 14 March, in Geneva, Switzerland, after the previous peace negotiations held in Vienna last year failed.

US Secretary of State John Kerry stated that the talks are more likely to be held on Monday despite several violations of the ceasefire by the sides, both Syrian government forces and rebels as well.

The ceasefire agreement was reached between the Syrian government and the representatives of the Syrian opposition and rebel forces at the end of February in Geneva, as the talks were mediated by US, Russia and UN. According to the latest ceasefire agreement the sides halt the hostilities and fighting starting from 27 February. The agreement did not apply to the terrorist groups including ISIS and Al-Nusra Front, as the fighting against these groups continues in different regions of the country.

Syria: airstrikes hit ISIS positions in the city of Palmyra

The ancient city of Palmyra in Syria, currently under ISIS control
(Image: The Guardian)

Russian warplanes backing government of Bashar Al-Asad in Syria have launched heavy airstrike aimed at the targets and positions of ISIS in the ancient city of Palmyra, that was captured by the extremist jihadist group last May. The strikes have been reportedly launched on Wednesday and Thursday, 9 and 10 March respectively. These airstrikes may be the beginning of the attempts of Syrian Asad's government forces to recapture the city and the neighboring territories.

Syria: the fate of a ceasefire agreement unclear amid Asad's assurances to respect it and Russian airstrikes

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and
US Secretary of State John Kerry during the ceasefire talks
(Image: CBS News)

The fate of Syrian ceasefire agreement brokered recently by USA and Russia remains unclear, as fierce fighting between the Asad's forces supported by Russia and rebel forces continues and fighting against the ISIS militants escalates.

After the failure of the previous Syrian peace talks held earlier in Vienna and recently in Geneva the ceasefire agreement reached after the Munich talks remains the only one glimmer of hope for Syrian people to have a break in the continuous fighting and airstrikes, that have already left thousands Syrians dead, mostly civilians.

Syria: partial ceasefire agreed at the Munich talks

Syrian talks in Munich
(Image: The Guardian)

The Guardian -MUNICH: A cessation of hostilities is to come into force in Syria within a week and humanitarian aid is to be delivered to besieged areas across the country in the next few days, the US, Russia and other powers said late on Thursday night at talks in Munich. There was no clear commitment to end Russian airstrikes, however.

Galvanised by mounting international concern over the war, John Kerry, the US secretary of state, said progress had been made towards implementing a nationwide “cessation of hostilities”, although it was not clear how this could happen unless Russia stops bombing civilians and mainstream rebels who are fighting the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad. Action against Islamic State would continue.

Russia proposes March 1 ceasefire in Syria

Damaged buildings in the streets of Syrian cities
(Image: CBC)

Reuters -MUNICH, WASHINGTON: A Western official said on Wednesday that Russia has made a proposal to begin a ceasefire in Syria on March 1, but the official said no agreement has been reached on the Russian offer.

The official said the United States has concerns about some elements of the Russian proposal.

Envoy: Russia strikes boost ISIS

Earlier, the U.S. envoy to the coalition against ISIS said on Wednesday that Russian airstrikes in Syria are boosting the militant group because of the toll they are taking on U.S.-backed opposition fighters.

Egypt Ministry of Industry discusses opportunities to boost economic relations with USA

Egypt's Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry Tarek Qabil
(Image: Daily News Egypt)

Daily News Egypt- CAIRO: Minister of Industry and Foreign Trade Tarek Qabil discussed opportunities to enhance trade and economic cooperation with the US during a meeting with a delegation from the US state department.

The delegation was headed by David Thorne, senior advisor to the US secretary of state. Stephen Beecroft, the US ambassador in Cairo, also attended the meeting.

Egypt should work on expanding trade, especially by increasing Egyptian exports to the US market, Qabil said.

Saudi Arabia to take part in any US-led ground operation against ISIS

Saudi Arabian Armed Forces
(Image: RT)

Reuters - DUBAI: Saudi Arabia said on Thursday it was ready to participate in any ground operations in Syria if the U.S.-led alliance decides to start such operations, an adviser to the Saudi defence minister said.

"The kingdom is ready to participate in any ground operations that the coalition (against Islamic State) may agree to carry out in Syria," Brigadier General Ahmed Asseri, who is also the spokesman for the Saudi-led Arab coalition in Yemen, told the Saudi-owned al-Arabiya TV in an interview.

Geneva peace talks on Syria are temporary suspended by UN

Syrian peace talks held in Geneva, Switzerland
(Image: DW)

The UN mediated peace talk on Syria being held in Geneva, Switzerland, were postponed on Wednesday, 3 February. The peace talks are aimed at ending the five year long devastating civil war in Syria which left more than 260 000 people killed and forced nearly half of Syrian citizens to leave the country. The civil war also fuelled rise of the extremist ISIS group in the region.

The peace talks were suspended by the UN and in accordance with the statements of the Syrian oppositional groups due to the continuous attacks of the Syrian regime forces against the rebel held territories what prevents the humanitarian aid and supplies to be delivered on the besieged territories.

Egypt: Preliminary investigation probes show no evidence of a terrorist attack in the Russian airplane crash

Debris of a Russian passenger jet crashed over Sinai in Egypt
(Image: ABC News)

Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry made an official statement regarding the preliminary results of an investigation of a Russian passenger jet downed over Central Sinai on 31 October this year. The statement was made on Monday, 14 December, and claimed there was no evidence that the Russian airplane was brought down as a result of a terrorist attack.

Egypt's chief investigator Ayman Al-Muqqadam stated that the investigation and probes concluded by Egypt on Sunday, 13 December, the preliminary report on the Russian airplane crash, and the technical committee has so far found no evidence that the criminal or terrorist activity was the reason of a Russian jet crash. The statement also added that the copies of the preliminary report concluded by Egyptian side was sent to all the international experts taking part in the probe, including aviation experts from Russia, France and Ireland and experts from ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization).

German Parliament approves military actions against ISIS in Syria

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and members of German
Parliament cast their votes in favor of military operationin Syria
(Image: Ahrma Online)

German Parliament approved on Friday, 4 December, German military actions against ISIS to be carried out in Syria, following the decision of Great Britain's Parliament to launch airstrikes against ISIS in Syria and the first series of bombings carried out in Thursday, 3 December.

German Parliament agreed to the mandate for deployment of Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate and up to 1200 troops. The Parliament supported this decision by an overwhelming majority of 445 voices in favor against 146 voices against.

USA urges Turkey and Russia to end tensions over the downed Russian warplane

US President Barack Obama during the Paris climate talks
(Image: Voice of America News)

Reuters -PARIS: US President Barack Obama has urged Turkey and Russia to reduce tensions, a week after Turkish jets shot down a Russian warplane.

After talks with Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Paris, Mr Obama reaffirmed US support for "Turkey's right to defend itself and its airspace".

But he stressed that Russia and Turkey should "de-escalate" their dispute.

"We all have a common enemy," Mr Obama said, referring to the so-called Islamic State (IS) group.

Hopes for peace in Syria are dim if Assad stays in power, according to Obama

Syria peace talks in Vienna
(Image: NDTV)

AFP,Ahram-Online: Hopes for a quick political transition in war-ravaged Syria dimmed Thursday as embattled President Bashar al-Assad threw cold water on an ambitious timetable agreed at international talks in Vienna.

At the same time, the US held firm to its calls for Assad's departure, with President Barack Obama insisting the war could not end unless the Syrian leader steps down.

"I do not foresee a situation in which we can end the civil war in Syria while Assad remains in power," said Obama.

Syria peace talks in Vienna result in "concrete calendar" leading to elections

Participants of Syrian peace talks happening in Vienna, Austria
(Image: Al-Arabiya)

AFP, Al-Arabiya- VIENNA: World diplomats gathered in Vienna had agreed on a fixed calendar for Syria that would see a transition government in six months and elections in 18 months.

The 17 countries, European Union, United States and Arab League meeting in Vienna agreed agreed on Saturday to accelerate efforts to end the conflict in Syria by launching negotiations between the government and opposition by January and holding elections within 18 months, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said.

Iraq: Kurdish forces advance in battles to retake the city of Sinjar, one of the strongholds of ISIS

US-led airstrikes during the Kurdish battles in the city of
Sinjar
(Image: Reuters)

Kurdish peshmerga forces backed by the US-led coalition air strikes advance in battles with ISIS to retake the city of Sinjar, one of the strongholds of the jihadist group.

Kurdish ground offensive against ISIS forces started early in the morning on Thursday, 12 November, and was supported by the US-led coalition airstrikes that targeted ISIS fighting positions, control and command facilities and weapon storages and killed up to 70 ISIS fighters, according to the US military source.

Russian airplane crash: Investigation is 90% sure the plane's crash was caused by bomb, while Egypt launches inquiry into bomb claims

Devris of the Russian airplane crashed over Sinai
(Image: Al-Arabiya)

BBC - CAIRO: Egypt has launched its own inquiry into whether a bomb may have been placed on the Russian airliner that crashed in Sinai, killing all 224 people on board.

A senior Egyptian official - who asked not to be named - told the BBC that every lead was now being followed up.

However, Egypt stresses that the official investigation into the crash of the Airbus 321 is not yet finished.

Some Western experts have suggested militants in the Sinai peninsula could have bombed the plane on 31 October.

Russia and USA escalate involvement in Syria

Bombed streets of Syrian cities
(Image: ABC News)

CNN: Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday his country's involvement in Syria is helping protect the world.

"We are not striving for any kind of leadership over Syria. Syria can have only one leader -- the Syrian people," Putin said at a Moscow investment forum, according to Reuters.

"We aim at making a contribution in the fight against terrorism, which is dangerous for the United States, for Russia and for the European countries, and for the whole world without exaggeration."

Russia surprised the world two weeks ago when it launched its first airstrikes in Syria.

Russian military forces begin airstrikes against ISIS in Syria as the war enters new dangerous phase

Russian airstrikes in Syria
(Image: Independent)

Reuters - MOSCOW/WASHINGTON: Russia launched air strikes in Syria on Wednesday in the Kremlin's biggest Middle East intervention in decades, but Moscow's assertion that it had hit Islamic State was immediately disputed by the United States and rebels on the ground.

The air strikes plunged the four-year-old civil war in Syria into a volatile new phase as President Vladimir Putin moved forcefully to assert Russian influence in the unstable region.

The attacks also raised the dangerous specter of Washington and Moscow running air strikes concurrently and in the same region, but without coordination.