Politicians in Israel were falling over themselves on 7 November to congratulate Barack Obama on his re-election as United States president and reaffirm the strategic bonds between the two countries ahead of Israel's general election in January. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu led the plaudits, saying: "I will continue to work with President Obama to ensure the interests that are vital for the security of ...

Salman Khurshid was appointed as India's minister of external affairs on 28 October, as part of an extensive cabinet reshuffle.Khurshid replaced 80-year-old SM Krishna, the previous postholder, who had been suffering from health problems. It is a return to familiar surroundings for Khurshid, who was a junior minister in the foreign office between 1993 and 1996during the government of PV Narasimha Rao. Durin ...

Aliza Marcus The new face of the Kurdish rebel fight in Turkey could easily be Zeynep, a thirty-year-old university graduate with a full-time management job in Diyarbakir, the unofficial capital of the Kurdish southeast. Born in Bingol Province, in the mountains where rebels of the PKK (the Kurdistan Workers’ Party) regularly battle Turkish soldiers, she moved to western Turkey for university. There, she jo ...

Israel’s prime minister ordered the military to go on high alert for a looming attack on Iran’s nuclear program two years ago, but backed off following strong objections from senior security officials, a respected Israeli news program reported The report exposed a deep rift between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his top security officials over the wisdom of attacking Iran but also indicated that Isra ...

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama rolled to reelection and a second term in the White House on Tuesday with a clear victory over Republican challenger Mitt Romney as the Democrat overcame deep doubts about his handling of the U.S. economy. [caption id="attachment_3599" align="alignright" width="230"] Mitt Romney, left, delivers concession speech. Barack Obama, right, thanks supporters.[/caption] Romney ca ...

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASH. — The U.S. soldier accused of killing 16 civilians in a nighttime attack on two villages in Afghanistan in March was largely calm and compliant when he turned himself in, witnesses testified Tuesday at the second day of his hearing. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales followed orders, sometimes sat with his head in his hands and made a joke in a failed effort to ease the tension. [captio ...

Democrats gained at least one seat in the Senate by winning a series of high-profile races, giving them a continued stronghold in Washington and disappointing early Republican hopes of retaking the chamber. [caption id="attachment_3586" align="alignnone" width="534"] Democrat Elizabeth Warren Tuesday after unseating Republican Sen. Scott Brown.[/caption] In one of the tightest races, Democratic Sen. Jon Tes ...

Romney lost the campaign months ago. During trip to Summer Olympics, Democrats painted him as ruthless capitalist, a tag that stuck  I fought against long odds in a deep- blue state. But I was a severely conservative Republican governor. MITT ROMNEY REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE Mitt Romney lost the presidential race in the summer. [caption id="attachment_3574" align="alignnone" width="572"] Republican ...