Israeli settlers have built two new unauthorized outposts in the occupied West Bank, according to the Israeli activist group Peace Now. About eight "prefabricated" homes were built near the settlement of Tzofim and another five outside the settlement of Talmon. The...
Corruption in Iraq is at an all-time high, according to a recent US government report, and Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is demonstrating increasingly authoritarian behavior, even as US support continues to flow to Baghdad. The report, released Tuesday by the Office...
A veteran Chinese diplomat warned on Tuesday that the United States is using Japan as a strategic tool in its military surge in Asia-Pacific aimed at containing China it is heightening tensions between China and Japan. "The retired diplomat, Chen Jian, who served as...
The United States spent $75.4 billion on its military and civilian spy agencies in the last fiscal year, according to officially released and incomplete budget records. The US intelligence budget includes the Military Intelligence Program, which cost $21.5 billion in...
As part of its policy of regime change in Syria, the United States has been working on putting together a body of Syrian opposition leaders to replace the defunct Syrian National Council, and the new group will meet next week in Qatar. "The State Department has been...
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday that Iran has pulled back its nuclear ambitions by allocating its medium-enriched uranium for civilian purposes earlier this year, but insisted on keeping the threat of military action on the table. Barak was...
The US-backed dictatorship in Bahrain has banned all rallies and protests in the country, the latest repressive measure imposed on the population in response to persistent pro-democracy protests that have not let up for almost two years now. Lt. Gen. Shaikh Rashid bin...
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday tried to convince Arab states that an Israeli military strike on Iran would benefit their interests and that "a feeling of relief would spread across the region" immediately following an attack. After failing to...
The American soldier accused of murdering 16 Afghans, mostly women and children, back in March, Staff Sgt. Robert Bales will appear at a preliminary hearing early next month, and one of the issues the court will deal with is a version of the story knocked around ever...
Pakistan has begun to reach out diplomatically to some of its traditional enemies in Afghanistan, a policy shift that could have a crucial impact on post-2014 Afghan government and stability. Islamabad has always supported the Afghan Taliban, a Pashtun movement,...
