In addition to airstrikes , the US is now conducting ground raids in Iraq as part of its effort to uproot ISIS. It’s clear to many that the war to secure Iraq -- which was supposed to have ended in 2011 -- has entered an ugly new phase . After nearly 13 years of fighting and over $1 trillion spent, with over 200,000 killed, “Operation Iraqi Freedom” has pushed a country of 32 million into chaos. Here’s a quick look back at how we got here.

Last week Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused former Jerusalem Grand Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini of giving Hitler the idea for the Holocaust . Comics and pundits around the world rejoiced! Bibi’s boo-boo has fueled raucous tweets and memes poking fun at his latest misread of reality. But it’s also tossed up a lesson in Islam, with people everywhere talking about muftis . Miffed by your missing mufti intel? Check out Al Bawaba’s exclusive guide (link here) . Then read up on 10 men who represent the good, bad, and ...

FIFA candidate Sheikh Salman: Torture claims are 'nasty lies'

In recent weeks, a wave of violence has once again consumed Israel-Palestine. Palestinians who are furious at a perceived Israeli takeover of the Haram Al Sharif compound in Jerusalem -- as well as with the continued construction of settlements on Palestinian land -- have carried out dozens of stray, lone-wolf-type attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians alike . In return, Israeli forces have cracked down on Palestinians, killing over 50 since mid-September. Here are the five most controversial shootings in the past five weeks.

If you thought the strict drug laws in the Middle East meant that Arabs don’t get high, think again. The region is no prude when it comes to psychotropic substance use . But these aren’t necessarily the kinds of drugs you might expect -- Middle Eastern countries often get creative with their less-than-legal “self-medication.” Teenagers in the UAE, for example, are known for smoking crushed ants. In Syria, amateur chemists make synthetic stimulants to pump up rebel fighters for battle. Here are the most popular and most bizarre drugs in ...

Cannavaro takes coaching job with Saudi champions Al-Nassr

Warning: some of these images may be distressing for viewers. Tomorrow, millions of Muslims will celebrate Ashura, an important holy day that marks the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt; the death of Imam Hussein , grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), in the year 680 at Karbala in modern-day Iraq; and the day Noah left the Ark. Every year the holiday spawns shocking images of blood and gore, self-inflicted wounds on a communal scale. Did you know it's not only men who take part? Ashura is observed worldwide ...

When Arabs go shopping, they go to town — that is, they try and buy the whole town. London is a favorite with the Qataris in particular, who have been on a shopping spree of late, snapping up prime real estate in Mayfair, shares in the London Stock Exchange, Chelsea Barracks, Camden Market and hotels such as The Connaught and The Berkley. Arab investors also love their iconic monuments and high fashion labels, even if the investments were running at a loss. Harrods , previously owned by Egyptian magnate Mohammed ...

The Middle East is a notoriously unforgiving place, a quality that is nowhere more apparent than in how it executes prisoners. In Saudi Arabia, public beheadings and stonings are the favored method of applying the death penalty, and the condemned are often sedated beforehand. In Egypt, over 500 people were sentenced to death in a single day last year. In Iran, ethnic minorities, non-violent drug offenders and even children are killed in staggering numbers. Here’s an overview of how Middle Eastern countries use capital punishment.