Protesters in Istanbul demand gov't resignation over leaked recordings
Thousands of Turks took to the streets in Istanbul on Wednesday to demand the government resign over an alleged leaked recording of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan and his son, discussing how to hide large sums of cash amid an ongoing graft probe.
UN Security Council to sanction against those undermining Yemen's political transition
The UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously adopted a resolution to authorize sanctions against individuals and organizations threatening the ongoing political transition in Yemen.
21 killed, 26 injured in Iraq's violence
Twenty-one people were killed and 26 others wounded in violent attacks across Iraq on Wednesday, police said.
EU sanctions on Syria hit gov't, foreign oil companies
EU sanctions on Syria have not only affected the Syrian government, but also backfired and undermined European companies, Syrian authorities said, as various reports continue to suggest that the country's oil output has dived, leading to oil losses amounting to trillions of Syrian pounds.
Under US pressure, Iraq denies signing Iran arms deals
Iraq, facing heavy pressure from the US, has denied signing deals for weapons and ammunition with Iran in apparent violation of international sanctions.
Jordan MPs call to scrap 1994 Israel peace treaty
Jordanian MPs have called for a 1994 peace treaty with Israel to be scrapped after the Jewish state’s parliament debated Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound, media reported Wednesday.
US warns of full troop pullout
President Barack Obama told Hamid Karzai on Tuesday that he is now planning for a full US troop withdrawal because of the Afghan leader’s repeated refusal to sign a security pact.
Turkey tightens grip on judiciary
Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul on Wednesday signed into law a contested bill tightening the government’s grip on the judiciary as it grapples to contain the fallout from a major corruption probe.
Syrian troops kill over 175 rebels in ambush near Damascus
Syrian troops on Wednesday killed more than 175 rebels in an ambush in the eastern countryside of the capital Damascus, the country's official TV said.
Mortar attack in Syria's Aleppo kills 4
At least four people were killed and eight others wounded Wednesday in a fresh mortar attack in Syria's northern province of Aleppo, the official media said.