Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for his housing minister to reconsider long-term plans to construct thousands of new homes in the West Bank and in the contentious E1 area outside Jerusalem. Netanyahu said in a statement that the plans would make “no contribution” to settlements, AP reports. He added that they had caused “unnecessary conflict” with the international community.... 

Saudi Arabia’s intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan is joining Israel to set the stage for a military strike against Iran over the country’s nuclear program, an analyst says. Not reaching a nuclear deal during the recent Geneva talks reflects “the determination on the part of the Israelis and the Saudis, not only to prevent such an agreement, but it takes even military action against... 

Nigerian soldiers ride on an armored vehicle in Maiduguri, the capital city of the northeastern Borno State. The Nigerian Senate has approved a request by the country’s president to extend emergency rule in the restive northeast for another six months. Lawmakers in Nigeria’s upper house of parliament unanimously voted on Thursday “to extend the state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno and... 

As Iran and the six world powers indicated they were “making progress” in the “tough” nuclear talks, Washington said it would consider “limited, targeted and reversible” relief on sanctions – but only after the Iranian nuke program undergoes changes. Following the first round of the two-day negotiations in Geneva, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif declared that the talks... 

The Catholic Church has lashed out at the Israeli government, after its property in East Jerusalem was bulldozed to the ground. Meanwhile, thousands of Palestinian flats were marked for demolition just before US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit. Last week Israeli security forces arrived with bulldozers at a piece of property owned by the Catholic Church in east Jerusalem, close to the West... 

Turkish authorities say they have seized a large quantity of chemicals on the country’s border with Syria, adding that the chemicals “could be transformed into weapons.” Turkey’s army said in a statement issued on Sunday that a convoy of three vehicles attempted to smuggle the chemicals across the border on Saturday near the southeastern Turkish town of Reyhanli. Para-military police were... 

A Kuwaiti woman was arrested in Saudi Arabia for driving a car while taking her diabetic father to the hospital. The arrest comes just one week after Saudi women protested the driving ban in the conservative Gulf monarchy. The woman was driving a Chevrolet Epica with her father in the passenger seat when she was pulled over in an area located near the border with Kuwait, Saudi police told Kuwait Times... 

The US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee has proposed a nearly half a billion dollar increase in military aid to Israel even as the United States is struggling with domestic economic issues. The committee approved $488 million last week to fund Israel’s development of two missile systems and to finance the purchase of extra batteries for 2014. The proposal must now be approved by... 

Dozens of people have been injured as thousands of supporters of the deposed president, Mohamed Morsi, hold anti-military demonstrations across Egypt, security sources say. The violence in the city of Dakahlia erupted after Morsi’s opponents attacked the Muslim Brotherhood supporters rallying against his trial that will be held on Monday. In another protest in Egypt’s second largest city of... 

Israeli warplanes struck a Syrian air defense base near the port city of Latakia on Thursday, US official have confirmed to media. An Obama administration official told AP that the attack happened overnight on Thursday, but provided no details. Another security official told the news agency that it took place in the Syrian port city of Latakia, and that the targets were Russian-made SA-125 missiles. Another... 

The rebels used chemical weapons in north-eastern Syria near the border with Turkey on Tuesday, a Lebanese TV channel Al-Mayadeen reported. The toxic shell exploded near a Kurdish defense forces’ checkpoint close to the border with Turkey in the city of Ras al-Ayn al-Hasakah. The attack was reported by Kurdish defense forces who are conducting military operations against the rebels in the region. They... 

Press TV has conducted an interview with David Duke, former member of the House of Representatives, about Iran’s deputy ambassador to the UN warning Netanyahu against any miscalculation by planning to attack Iran in response to Netanyahu’s threat of acting alone to stop Iran nuclear program. What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview. Press TV: First of all, what do you... 

A leaked US intelligence document has revealed that Israel is behind the hacking of millions of phone calls and messages in France. According to a report by Le Monde on Friday Israeli agents is behind a cyber attack against the communications networks of the Elysee Palace, intercepting more than 70 million calls and text messages a month. France had initially accused the US of hacking into former... 

Leader of the al-Nusra Front, an Al-Qaeda affiliated fighting force in Syria, has been killed, state television reported. According to reports Abu Mohammad al-Golani, has been killed in the Western province of Latakia. Syrian State TV did not provide any further details. There has been no immediate comment from opposition groups. However reports are emerging that al-Golani was not killed as he was... 

A gas pipeline was attacked near Damascus causing the capital and the southern part of Syria to suffer a blackout. The electricity minister blamed the blast on rebels. “A terrorist attack on a gas pipeline that feeds a power station in the south has led to a power outage in the provinces, and work to repair it is in progress,” electricity minister Emad Khamis told SANA news agency. As...