North East Syria

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  Where Summer Heat Hits Hard: Middle East And North Africa

  Climate change has impacted the Middle East and North Africa where summer is already very hot. Many in Iraq, Syria, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia still labour in the heat.

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  Syrian Government Seizes Area In Aleppo Attack, Death Toll Climbs

  Syrian government forces seized ground from rebels north of Aleppo on Saturday, tightening their siege on the city's opposition-held east as it came under fierce air strikes in a major offensive by the Russian-backed army.

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  US Lawmakers Sanction Greater Military Cooperation with Jordan

  US lawmakers on Tuesday approved legislation that would ramp up military cooperation with Jordan, including accelerated arms sales to a Middle East ally contending with growing threats from Islamist State (IS) extremism.

• UAE Calls for 'Unified Effort' Against Militancy in Region

  The United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of Washington's closest allies in the Middle East, has called for a "unified effort" to root out radical militancy in regional hotspots including Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and Afghanistan.

• As Barack Obama blinks on Syria, Israel, Saudis make common cause

  If President Barack Obama has disappointed Syrian rebels by deferring to Congress before bombing Damascus, he has also dismayed the United States' two main allies in the Middle East.

• Syrian army moves Scud missiles to avoid strike

  President Bashar al-Assad's forces have removed several Scud missiles and dozens of launchers from a base north of Damascus, possibly to protect the weapons from a Western attack, opposition sources said on Thursday.

• Syria crisis: Russia sends warships to Mediterranean

  Russia is sending two warships to the east Mediterranean, Interfax news agency said today, but Moscow denied this meant it was beefing up its naval force there as Western powers prepare for military action against Syria.

• Syria crisis: Russia warns of 'catastrophic consequences' in case of military intervention

  Russia today warned a military intervention in Syria could have "catastrophic consequences" for the region and called on the international community to show "prudence" over the crisis.

• Syria urged to allow United Nations access to site of claimed chemical attack

  Syria today came under intense pressure to allow United Nations inspectors to visit the site of an alleged chemical weapons attack near Damascus which the opposition says left hundreds dead and provoked revulsion around the world.

• Turkey police clash with protesters at Istanbul's Taksim Square

  Turkish riot police fought running battles with pockets of protesters overnight after storming a central Istanbul square in a show of force that risked ratcheting up tensions almost two weeks after anti-government demonstrations began.

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  Turkey's Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan returns, declares protests must stop now

  Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan flew back today to a Turkey rocked by days of anti-government unrest and declared before a sea of flag-waving supporters at Istanbul airport: "These protests must end immediately."

• HSBC drops some Mideast customers on compliance costs

  HSBC will close the accounts of some customers in the Middle East and North Africa with links to sanction-targeted nations, the bank said on Thursday, as the lender looks to cut the heavy compliance costs associated with them.

• Syria launches air strikes as combat rages in Damascus

  Syrian aircraft attacked towns in the country's north and east and killed at least five people in a strike on an olive oil press as fighting raged in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, opposition activists said.

• Developing nations to face bumpy ride: World Bank

  Developing countries should brace for a long period of financial market volatility and weaker growth, it says.