Middle East: News and Reviews from The New York Times

07jesustomb-span-master768

Here is the latest Middle East News for The New York Times.

Italian Official Warns Egypt Over Inquiry Into Student’s Death
A slow-moving investigation into the killing, hampered by troubled cooperation between Italian and Egyptian police, has prompted Italian accusations of an Egyptian cover-up.


Rebels in Syria Shoot Down Government Fighter Jet
The pilot was captured after he parachuted to the ground, though exactly how the plane was brought down was unclear.


World Briefing: Saudi Police Colonel Is Killed and ISIS Claims Responsibility
The colonel was shot dead near the capital of Riyadh, the latest attack in the kingdom to be claimed by the Islamic State.


World Briefing: Syria: Town Retaken From Islamic State
Syrian government recaptured Qaryatain from retreating Islamic State militants who had abducted and terrorized dozens of Christian residents there.


World Briefing: Yemen: U.S. Seizes Weapons at Sea
American Navy ships in the Arabian Sea intercepted and seized an arms shipment from Iran likely bound for Houthi rebels in Yemen, the military said.


World Briefing: Egypt: Meeting in Rome on Killing of Italian Student is Postponed
Egyptian officials have postponed a trip to Rome to discuss the investigation into the killing of Giulio Regeni whose body was found on the outskirts of Cairo in February.


A Jewel in Syria Where ‘Ruins Have Been Ruined’ by ISIS
A Times photographer traveled to Palmyra, Syria, to see what remained of its archaeological treasures after almost a year of Islamic State control.


Israeli Military’s Spring-Cleaning Call: Return Our Gear, Please
Under the military’s no-questions-asked appeal for missing equipment, former soldiers have returned guns, ammunition, a jeep and at least one parachute.


Israel Expands Palestinian Fishing Zone Off Gaza’s Coast
A change to nine nautical miles of the Mediterranean, from six, will allow access to areas that had been off limits for a decade.


Hamas Releases Photographs Said to Show Captured Israelis
The militant group also made public images of two Israeli soldiers killed in 2014.


Saudi Arabia Moving to Reduce Dependence on Oil Money
A top Saudi prince has announced new elements of a plan to restructure the country’s economy, which is reeling amid a drop in world prices.


Contributing Op-Ed Writer: The Dirty Old Men of Pakistan
Some men here are fighting for a man’s right to beat up his wife or murder his sister.


Obama Cites ‘Substantial Success’ of Nuclear Deal With Iran
The president made the comment at a meeting of more than 50 world leaders meeting in Washington to discuss nuclear security.


The Saturday Profile: A Palestinian Teacher’s Methods Earn the Attention of More Than Her Class
Hanan Hroub, who recently won a $1 million global education prize, developed her play-therapy approach to help her own children cope with the trauma of violence.


A C.I.A. Grunt’s Tale of the Fog of Secret War
The collective weight of all C.I.A. memoirs written since 9/11 could collapse a bookshelf, but Douglas Laux brings a raw perspective to the canon.


Editorial: Hints of an End to the Fighting in Yemen
A cease-fire could lead to progress toward peace in a civil war that has become a proxy struggle over influence in the region.


Op-Ed Contributor: A Syrian Refugee’s Message to the European Union
We fled war to find safety with our families. Why is the E.U. making our lives more miserable?


ISIS Turns Saudis Against the Kingdom, and Families Against Their Own
Adopting elements of a Sunni creed known as Wahhabism, the Islamic State has recruited Saudis to kill their own relatives and to bomb mosques.


Zaha Hadid, Groundbreaking Architect, Dies at 65
Ms. Hadid, the first woman to win the Pritzker Prize, was renowned for her theoretical work that left a mark on skylines around the world.


EgyptAir Hijacker Was Abusive, His Former Wife Says
Marina Paraschos, who divorced Seif Eldin Mustafa 25 years ago, said he was “dangerous and unpredictable.”


Libya’s Unity Government Defies Air Blockade to Reach Tripoli
Members of the presidency council arrived by boat from Tunisia, defying a blockade led by rival groups and hoping to end a political stalemate.


Is Europe Safe for Travelers? Yes, Experts Say, but Here Are Some Tips
American tourists seem unfazed by recent terror attacks, but travel experts do suggest some basic precautions.


Israel Polarized Over Soldier Who Killed Wounded Palestinian
While many Israelis denounced the shooting, others expressed outrage at their military’s high command for prosecuting the soldier, calling him a hero.


U.N. Urges Countries to Take in 480,000 Syrian Refugees
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, opening a conference in Geneva, called for “an exponential increase in global solidarity” over the next three years.


Iran’s Supreme Leader Backs Missile Program
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei supported the tests and criticized a former president, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, who has said that talks are more important.


Hijacking Suspect Says He Acted Out of Desperation
In a court appearance, Seif Eldin Mustafa faced numerous charges in connection with the EgyptAir flight that was diverted to Cyprus.


Editorial: America Needs Frank Talk on ISIS
President Obama should present a clear and forthright rationale before authorizing an escalation of the war against the Islamic State.


ISIS Fighters Laid Mines Around Palmyra’s Ancient Ruins Before Retreating, Syrians Say
Islamic State fighters were reported to have booby-trapped Palmyra’s archaeological treasures before retreating.


Lew Defends Sanctions, but Cautions on Overuse
Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew on Wednesday will hail the success of economic sanctions against Iran and others, but warn against their overuse.


Op-Ed Contributor: The Playgrounds of Pakistan
I remember a childhood of pleasant thrills, not terror.


Children Pay ‘Highest Price’ as Yemen Falls Apart, U.N. Says
The conflict and the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the Middle Eastern country put it at risk of becoming a failed state, Unicef reported.


Why Airline Hijackings Became Relatively Rare
A more aggressive global response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, is one reason that fewer hijackers have attempted what was once relatively commonplace.


EgyptAir Flight Hijacked and Diverted to Cyprus
Flight 181 was en route to Cairo from Alexandria, Egypt, when it was hijacked, but most of the passengers have been released.


Scenes From Palmyra Indicate ISIS Slowed Assault on Treasures
A day after Syrian troops recaptured the city, television footage showed “severe” damage to ancient sculptures. But there was hope that many works could be reconstructed.


If All Else Fails, 3D Models and Robots Might Rebuild Sites
Cultural organizations have been working to create precise 3D digital models of the threatened heritage monuments in Palmyra, Syria, in case the originals are damaged beyond repair.


Saudis Announce Prisoner Swap With Houthis in Yemen Conflict
It was only the second publicly announced prisoner swap since the Saudis’ intervention a year ago, and by far the biggest, ahead of a planned April 10 cease-fire.


Cairo Journal: Sprawling Mural Pays Homage to Cairo’s Garbage Collectors
The artist eL Seed used more than 50 buildings as his canvas to celebrate the Egyptian capital’s trash collectors, who are largely viewed as second-class citizens.


Israel Changes Tack After Standoff With Brazil Over Dani Dayan
Plans to name the former settler leader as envoy to the South American nation were dropped after Brasília refused to approve the appointment.


Al Jazeera Announces Layoffs, Mostly in Qatar
An estimated 500 positions will be cut as part of a reorganization that the global news organization attributed to shifts in the media landscape.


Israeli Court Strikes Down Natural Gas Development Deal
The Obama administration has hopes that gas export efforts will help build peaceful relations between Israel and its neighbors in the Middle East.


Op-Ed Contributor: Keep the Militias Out of Mosul
Iraq’s government successfully retook Ramadi last year with an inclusive, nonsectarian strategy. Let’s repeat that.


Syrian Troops Said to Recapture Historic Palmyra From ISIS
The nearly yearlong occupation of the ancient city, a Unesco World Heritage site, came to an end after a three-week push by President Assad’s forces.


A Dam, Small and Unsung, Is Caught Up in an Iranian Hacking Case
The Bowman Avenue Dam in Rye Brook, N.Y., may pale next to hydroelectric power generators, but its computerized sluice-gate drew the attention of the Iranians, the authorities say.


Israel Begins Murder Investigation of Soldier Who Shot Palestinian
Video emerged showing a soldier shooting an assailant in the head as he lay on the road near a Jewish settlement in the West Bank city of Hebron.


ISIS Suicide Bomber in Iraq Kills Dozens at Soccer Game
The police say the attack devastated a crowd in the town of Iskandariya, south of Baghdad, at a game sponsored by a powerful Shiite militia.


Syrian Army Said to Be Closer to Retaking Palmyra
A state news agency said the army regained control of the citadel in Palmyra after heavy fighting with the Islamic State.


A Top ISIS Leader Is Killed in an Airstrike, Pentagon Says
The killing of Abd al-Rahman Mustafa al-Qaduli comes as the U.S. appears to be having increased success targeting the Islamic State’s leadership.


John Kerry, in Brussels, Says ISIS Is Faltering in Mideast
The secretary of state traveled to Belgium to demonstrate American support after the attacks and said that backing for the Islamic State in the Middle East was eroding.


Egypt Implicates 4 Men Killed by Police in Death of Italian Student
The Interior Ministry said property belonging to a student who disappeared in January was found at the home of a gang member’s sister. Many worldwide had blamed Egyptian security forces.


Egypt Continues Crackdown on Groups Documenting Government Abuse
The authorities pressed their case against the founders of two prominent human rights organizations, including charges of illegal foreign funding.


Iraq Retakes ISIS-Held Villages Outside Mosul
An American officer confirmed that four villages had been recaptured but said this did not necessarily mean a long-awaited assault on Mosul had begun.


Israel Soldier Detained in Shooting of Palestinian
A video captured the soldier shooting the Palestinian in the head as he lay motionless on the ground. The man had just attacked another soldier.


U.S. Indicts 7 Iranians in Cyberattacks on Banks and a Dam
The indictment is the first time that the Obama administration has sought action against Iranians for a wave of computer attacks that began in 2011.


Syrian Forces and ISIS Clash at Edge of Palmyra
Government troops and allied militias, backed by intensive Russian airstrikes, are fighting to retake the city, along with its majestic ancient ruins.


World Briefing: Yemen: U.N. Envoy Unveils Truce Plan
The country’s warring parties have agreed to begin a cease-fire on April 10 ahead of peace talks starting April 18 in Kuwait, the envoy said.


Family Sees TV Talent Scout Where Israeli Authorities See Jihadist Spy
Majd Oweida, 22, was arrested on his way out of Gaza. He said he was seeking contestants for a show, but he was charged with hacking airport computers.


Op-Ed Columnist: Does Obama Have This Right?
The president seems so intent on avoiding any Mideast invasion that he is underestimating the cost of his passivity.


U.S. Strike in Yemen Kills Dozens in Qaeda Affiliate, Officials Say
The airstrike was the latest sign that the Pentagon is hastening its strikes against militants in the Middle East and Africa.


Reporter’s Notebook: A Spymaster Who Saw Cyberattacks as Israel’s Best Weapon Against Iran
Even after being forced out as the Mossad’s leader, Meir Dagan fought against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push to bomb Iran to set back its nuclear program.


Assad May Bet That Russia and the West Need Him More Than He Needs Them
Even though Russia has begun withdrawing from Syria, its aerial bombing campaign has bolstered President Bashar al-Assad’s confidence and ambitions.


Editorial: The Kurds’ Push for Self-Rule in Syria
A proposal for a semiautonomous region in Syria might be an idea worth building on.


The Mideast Came to Idaho State. It Wasn’t the Best Fit.
College students from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have brought much-needed money to the predominantly Mormon city, but it has made for a troubled mix.


19 Yemeni Jews Arrive in Israel, Ending Secret Rescue Operation
They came from an ancient and once-vibrant group that became increasingly imperiled by violence and war.


Turkish Member of ISIS Carried Out Istanbul Bombing, Official Says
Mehmet Ozturk was the perpetrator of a suicide bombing that killed four foreigners in Istanbul on Saturday, the Turkish interior minister said.


Sanctions Eased, Iran Sends Black Market a Strategic Warning
A billionaire businessman’s death sentence signals a crackdown on violators, but Iran still needs underground networks in order to recoup money and generate trade despite remaining obstacles.


U.S. Marine Killed by Islamic State Rocket Attack in Iraq
The assault on a coalition base in the north resulted in the second combat death for the United States since it first struck ISIS in 2014.


Q. And A.: The Culture of Rape Within ISIS, and the Questions That Arise
Excerpts from a live discussion concerning the systematic rape and sexual slavery of Yazidi women and young girls held captive by the Islamic State.


Plane Crashes in Russia, All 61 People on Board Killed
Russian officials said on Saturday that all 61 people on board a passenger jet flying from Dubai to southern Russia were killed when their plane crashed on its second attempt to land at Rostov-on-Don airport.


Killing of Italian Student, Giulio Regeni, Puts Focus on Egypt’s Stability
The case of Mr. Regeni, who was tortured and killed, has Western officials debating how to address the worsening human rights situation in Egypt.


U.N. Condemns Airstrikes That Killed 106 in Yemen
A Saudi-led coalition carried out the attacks, which appear to be the deadliest yet in its yearlong intervention in the civil war.


Defense Secretary Calls Iranian Seizure of American Sailors ‘Outrageous’
On Thursday, Ashton B. Carter told the Senate Armed Services Committee that Iran’s actions in January may have violated international law.


Hassan Aboud, an ISIS Commander, Dies From Battlefield Wounds
The death of Mr. Aboud, who was profiled in The Times last year and wounded near Aleppo, Syria, ended a neatly predictable arc for a jihadist fighter.


Citing Atrocities, John Kerry Calls ISIS Actions Genocide
The secretary of state’s declaration, made in response to a congressional deadline, is unlikely to change American policy.


Ramallah Journal: A Legislature Where Palestinian Lawmakers Go to Hide
The all-but-abandoned Palestinian Parliament building in Ramallah, West Bank, is a haven for legislators avoiding arrest by their own government and Israeli forces.


Junpei Yasuda, Japanese Journalist Missing in Syria, Surfaces in Video
Mr. Yasuda is believed to be held by the Nusra Front, an affiliate of Al Qaeda that has taken a number of foreigners.


Meir Dagan, Former Mossad Director, Dies at 71
He was widely credited with setting back Iran’s nuclear program through covert and daring operations while at the intelligence agency.


In Search for Nefertiti, Hints Are Found in Tutankhamen’s Tomb
Radar scans showed that organic material or metal could be hidden behind the walls, faint clues that the ancient Egyptian queen might be buried there.


World Briefing: Qatar: Jailed Poet Is Freed, U.N. Says
The poet, Muhammad ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami, was pardoned after serving part of a 15-year sentence over verses he wrote that apparently offended the government of the nation’s former ruler.


Syrian Kurds Hope to Establish a Federal Region in Country’s North
Such a move would fall well short of declaring independence but would most likely rile both the government and the main Arab-led opposition group.


News Analysis: What Quagmire? Even in Withdrawal, Russia Stays a Step Ahead
Vladimir V. Putin’s move to withdraw the bulk of his forces from Syria caught the White House by surprise.


Dozens Killed in Airstrikes on Market in Yemen
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi rebel group was blamed for the attack that killed civilians at a market and a restaurant.


Russian Air Force Takes First Steps for Withdrawal From Syria
Forces at an air base near Latakia have begun loading equipment and making other technical preparations necessary to start the pullout.


Editorial: Putin’s Syria Surprise
A military pullback announced by Russia’s leader could be a signal that he is serious about a lasting peace.


Omar the Chechen, an ISIS Official Wounded by U.S. Raid, Has Died
The militant, Omar al-Shishani, was the Islamic State’s minister of war, according to the Pentagon.


Finalists Picked for New Prize Created in Memory of Armenian Genocide
The Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity is meant to honor those whose exceptional work to preserve human life in disasters created by humans puts them in great peril.


Turkey ‘Almost Certain’ that Kurdish Militants Bombed Ankara, Premier Says
The government’s blaming the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or P.K.K., could raise tensions between Turkey and the United States, who are allies in Syria.


Israel Calls on U.N. to Punish Iran for Missile Tests
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations accused Iran of violating the nuclear accord by testing missiles capable of reaching Israel last week.


Putin Said to Order Start of Withdrawal From Syria
The order from the Kremlin came as the United Nations has sought to resume peace talks to end the war, entering its sixth year.


American ISIS Fighter Is Captured in Iraq
Mohammed Jamal Amin, 27, left Virginia to fight for the Islamic State and was caught near the northern city of Sinjar, Kurdish and U.S. officials said.


Warplane Crashes in Yemen Amid Fight Against Houthis
Two pilots were killed when the United Arab Emirates plan went down. A Saudi news agency cited a “technical malfunction.”


Contributing Op-Ed Writer: Can Israel Handle a President Trump?
After eight years of Obama, Israel’s prime minister thought he wanted a Republican president. Then came the primaries.


Editorial: Mr. Netanyahu’s Lost Opportunities
It’s hard to understand how showing disrespect to the president of the United States serves Israel’s interests.


One-Third of Children in Syria Were Born During War, Unicef Report Finds
More than 300,000 in this group were born as refugees, according to a report by the United Nations Children’s Fund.


U.S. Stays Off Battlefield, Yet Is Drawn Into Saudi War in Yemen
The Obama administration has quietly supported the Saudi-led war in Yemen, even as American officials see a bloody quagmire there.


Explosion in Turkish Capital Kills at Least 27, Officials Say
The blast in Ankara was believed to have been caused by a car bomb. It came three weeks after a deadly bombing on a military convoy in the same city.


Gaza Journal: With Hamas Watching, Chanteuse Turns Modest Act Into Breakthrough
An easing of some decade-old cultural restrictions, including singing by women in front of men, has given Rawan Okasha an opportunity to start “achieving what is in my soul.”


Opinion: How Saudi Arabia Turned Its Greatest Weapon on Itself
For decades, the kingdom used oil prices to wage economic war on its enemies. Now it’s the big casualty.


State of Terror: To Maintain Supply of Sex Slaves, ISIS Pushes Birth Control
Modern methods allow the Islamic State to keep up its systematic rape of captives under medieval codes.


Israeli Airstrike in Gaza Kills 10-Year-Old Boy, Palestinian Official Says
Israel targeted Hamas bases after militants fired rockets toward Israeli border communities late Friday.


World’s Oldest Man, a Confectioner From Poland, Survived Auschwitz
Israel Kristal, 112, lost his family in the Holocaust and weighed 81 pounds when the Allies freed him from a labor camp. Now, he has been declared the world’s oldest man.

Be the first to comment on "Middle East: News and Reviews from The New York Times"

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published.


*


Time limit is exhausted. Please reload the CAPTCHA.