Lawyers

• Netanyahu Holocaust comment not backed by scholarly evidence?: U.S.

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comments on Wednesday linking a Muslim leader to the Holocaust were not supported by scholarly evidence, the State Department said, as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry left Washington for talks on ending weeks of Palestinian-Israeli violence.

• Regional crises push Turkey, Saudi closer despite ideological rift

  Turkey is cultivating closer relations with Saudi Arabia’s new leadership, putting aside long-standing differences over political Islam and aligning efforts to solve regional crises including the war in Syria.

• Egypt's Sisi meets new Saudi King to discuss Middle East crises

  Egypt's President Abdel Fatteh el Sisi met Saudi Arabia's King Salman in Riyadh on Sunday for the pair's first in-depth talks on regional issues at a time of unprecedented turmoil in the Middle East.

• Islamic State says U.S. hostage killed in air strike in Syria

  Islamic State said on Friday that an American woman hostage it was holding in Syria was killed when Jordanian fighter jets bombed a building where she was being held, but Jordan expressed doubt about the Islamist militant group's account of her death.

• Jordan military jets pound Islamic State as king comforts pilot's family

  Jordanian fighter jets pounded Islamic State targets in Syria on Thursday, before roaring over the hometown of the pilot killed by the militants while King Abdullah consoled the victim's family.

• Jordanian king vows 'relentless' war on Islamic State's own ground

  Jordan's King Abdullah vowed a "relentless" war against Islamic State on their own territory on Wednesday in response to a video published by the hard-line group showing a captured Jordanian air force pilot being burned alive in a cage.

• Jordan hangs two Iraqi militants in response to pilot's death

  Jordan hanged two Iraqi jihadists on Wednesday including a female militant in response to an Islamic State video showing a captured Jordanian pilot being burnt alive by the hardline group.

• Islamic State shows burning of hostage, Jordan vows "earth-shaking" response

  Islamic State militants released a video on Tuesday appearing to show a captured Jordanian pilot being burnt alive in a cage, a killing that shocked the world and prompted Jordan to vow an "earth-shaking" response.

• Jordan still ready for swap with Islamic State to free pilot

  Jordan said on Sunday it was still ready to hand over a jailed Iraqi militant to Islamic State in a swap deal if a captured Jordanian pilot was released, even after a second Japanese hostage was beheaded by the hardline group.

• Japan, Jordan working closely on fate of captive Japanese journalist

  Japan was working closely with Jordan on Friday to find out what was happening to a Japanese journalist held by Islamic State militants after a deadline passed for the release of an Iraqi would-be suicide bomber on death-row in Jordan.

• Obama reveals nuclear breakthrough on landmark India trip

  In a glow of bonhomie, U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled plans to unlock billions of dollars in nuclear trade and to deepen defense ties, steps they hope will establish an enduring strategic partnership.

• After a bear hug, Obama gets down to business with Modi in India

  In a glow of bonhomie, U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi worked on a series of bilateral agreements at a summit on Sunday that both sides hope will establish an enduring strategic partnership.

• Unlikely buddies Obama and Modi aim high on India trip

  In a fresh bid to make India an enduring strategic partner, U.S. President Barack Obama lands in New Delhi on Sunday for a highly symbolic parade and to nurture friendship with a prime minister who until last year was persona non grata in Washington.

• New Saudi Deputy Crown Prince marks generational shift

  Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a close friend of the United States and a scourge of Islamist militants, will be the country's first king from the third generation of its ruling dynasty.

• Obama to cut short India visit, fly to Saudi Arabia: sources

  U.S. President Barack Obama will cut short his visit to India on Tuesday to fly to Saudi Arabia following the death of King Abdullah, sources in the Indian capital familiar with the matter said on Saturday.

• Saudi King Abdullah dies, new ruler is Salman

  Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah died early on Friday and his brother Salman became king, the royal court in the world's top oil exporter and birthplace of Islam said in a statement carried by state television.

• Saudi Arabia steps up beheadings; some see political message

  Immediately after his sword falls, the Saudi Arabian executioner steps backwards to avoid soiling his clothes with the blood of the condemned man, whose headless body can be seen slumping over backwards in the shaky online film.

• Saudi jails six for going abroad to fight

  Saudi Arabia's Specialized Criminal Court jailed six people for up to six years for security offences including traveling abroad to fight, adopting militant ideology and "breaking obedience to the ruler", state media reported late on Sunday.