Latest from Middle East

Kiwi in bid to save lion, bear from Mosul
A Kiwi cameraman is part of a bid to get a lion and bear out of Isis-controlled Mosul.

US terrorist sanctions not needed - PM
Bill English says New Zealand is well-placed to deal with any returning foreign fighters.

US confirms deadly airstrike in Mosul
Iraqi government forces halted the fight for Mosul yesterday.

Q & A - training to fight Isis
Mosul was captured by Isis in June 2014 after the Iraqi army fled the city.

English: Mapp 'doesn't have new info'
One of the most damning claims in Nicky Hager's new book has been confirmed.

'Blood for blood': Isis supporters
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Isis supporters appear happy about.

Defence Minister's top secret Iraq trip
Exclusive: The Herald was with Gerry Brownlee on his trip to Iraq this week.

'Terror threat' sees laptops banned
UK to ban electronic devices on UK-bound flights from Middle East.

NZ does things differently, says diplomat
Diplomat Gerard van Bohemen reflects on the two years he spent on the high-powered UN Security Council.

Crisis looming after Islamic State defeat
If you thought the defeat of Isis in Iraq would be a major win, think again. What lies ahead is a total mess.

Smalley: Children biggest victims of war
COMMENT: It's been six years since war broke out in Syria and it shows no signs of ending.

White House says wire tap not new
White House press conference on Obamacare and immigration ban.

Assimilation centres proposed for Muslims
A leading world critic of Muslim extremism says New Zealand should establish "assimilation centres" for migrants and refugees from

Bodies buried in booby-trapped sinkhole
The true horror of Islamic State's mass killings may never fully be known.

Emirates' superjumbo conquers route
Emirates says the double-decker A380 has added to the success of its Auckland to Dubai service.

Watch: Things get very ugly on CNN
CNN commentator Kayleigh McEnany posed a question to Steven Goldstein, the Anne Frank Centre's executive director. Callum Borchers was watching.

China's big win in Abu Dhabi
Chinese companies are big winners in the competition among foreign bidders for stakes in Abu Dhabi's largest oil concession.

Truth about battle for Aleppo
Russian media denied that chemical attacks had taken place, depicting rescue workers as jihadist militants and doctors as propagandist purveyors of "fake news".

Which is the most powerful airline brand?
Aeroflot is the most powerful airline brand in the world, underpinned by its dominance in its home market, refreshed fleet and new approach to marketing.

Russian bombers send RAF into alert
Royal Air Force jets were scrambled to intercept nuclear-capable Russian bombers over the North Atlantic.

Trump: 'Courts seem to be so political'
President Donald Trump denounced arguments against his immigration order as "disgraceful".

Academics slam 'double-standard' on Israel
Kiwi conflict resolution experts have slammed the country's "dangerous double standard" on the Israel-Palestine problem.

Govt plea to sparring airlines
Trade minister Todd McClay is encouraging Air NZ and Qatar to patch up differences over a cancelled commercial deal.

Zain Ali: Radical answer to intolerance
COMMENT: Our political elites occupy the headlines, but let's our make hospitality great again, let's be radical in our hospitality toward one another.

Revealed: Qatar Airways' big gala act
Qatar Airways has a reputation for lavish parties to launch new routes and says its gala dinner in Auckland will be no exception.

Qatar here for long haul
Qatar Airways' marathon flight from Doha to Auckland has touched down and the airline says it is committed to the route.

World's longest flight lands in NZ
Qatar Airways' longest flight in the world has landed 15 minutes early at Auckland Airport after leaving Doha just over 16 hours ago.

Iran 'put on notice' after missile launch
A statement from the Trump administration called Iran's missile launch 'provocative', but did not outline any actions it intends to take.

Trump's ban has support of Americans
Nearly one in two Americans support Donald Trump's block on some immigrants