Middle East: News and Reviews from The New York Times

Suicide Bomber Kills at Least 12 Afghan Army Recruits on Bus
At least 26 people were wounded in the attack by someone riding a three-wheel motorbike, the Afghan Defense Ministry said on Monday.

Marine’s Death Shows a Quietly Expanding U.S. Role in Iraq
New information from U.S. military officials after the death of Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin also raised questions about President Obama’s pledge to keep troops out of combat there.

New Evidence on When Bible Was Written: Ancient Shopping Lists
An analysis of handwriting on ancient pottery suggests that literacy may have been more widespread than previously known in the Holy Land around 600 B.C.

As Oil Nations Consider a Freeze, Looking for Tensions to Thaw
All eyes will be on this weekend’s meeting of OPEC members and Russia, watching for signs that they can cooperate enough to exercise market discipline.

Op-Ed Contributor: What’s Missing From the Syria Peace Talks
Why is a fledgling democracy in Syria being left out of talks about the country’s future?

Op-Ed Contributor: Israel’s Unsung Protector: Obama
Of the last nine presidents, Obama is the only one who has completely shielded Israel from Security Council resolutions.

Egypt Gives Saudi Arabia 2 Islands in a Show of Gratitude
The government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi returned two islands in the Red Sea to King Salman of Saudi Arabia in recognition of his support.

Only Hard Choices for Parents Whose Children Flirt With Terror
Hoping for an intervention, Sal Shafi cooperated with the government when his son showed warning signs of radicalization. A year later, his son was in handcuffs, facing 20 years in prison.

Inside Saudi Arabia’s Re-education Prison for Jihadists
The Family House feels like a boutique hotel, if you can overlook the lack of windows, the towering walls outside and the location inside a high-security prison.

Once a Bright Spot, Afghan Telecoms Face Unsustainable Losses
Cellphone providers challenged by the loss of potential customers and hurt by new taxes are trying to expand services and bring more Afghans online.

John Kerry Makes Sudden Trip to Iraq, Affirming U.S. Aid in ISIS Fight
The visit comes as Iraqi forces have been making notable progress on the battlefield, but the prime minister still faces a political crisis.

American Is Said to Be Released by Syria
News organizations identified the released American as a Kevin Patrick Dawes, of Renton, Wash., a freelance photographer missing since 2012.

Lebanon Sentences Ex-Official to 13 Years on Terrorism Charges
A court had given Michel Samaha, a former information minister, a term of four and a half years in 2015, but he was released on bail this year pending a retrial.

Lives: Learning to Play by Ear in Iran
A wounded veteran finds solace in music.

Year After Iran Nuclear Deal, Kerry Confronts Concerns of Arab States
In Bahrain for a meeting of the Arab states this week, Secretary of State John Kerry found himself disputing arguments that Tehran was “as dangerous as ever.”

ISIS Said to Have Kidnapped Dozens of Workers at Syria Cement Factory
Syrian state television reported that workers at the Al-Badia Cement company near the town of Dumair had been kidnapped by the militants.

Report Ties U.S. Bombs to Saudi-Led Strike That Killed Yemeni Civilians
Human Rights Watch said it had found fragments of American-made bombs at a Yemeni market where at least 97 civilians died, including 25 children.

Executions Highest in 25 Years, Amnesty International Says
At least 1,634 people were executed in 2015, the group found, an increase of more than 50 percent over 2014 and the highest since 1989.

Iran Plans Visit to Rival Saudis to Discuss Hajj Pilgrimage
It would be a rare official meeting between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which broke relations in January after protesters burned the Saudi Embassy in Tehran.

A Life-Changing Procedure
Two Pakistani twins, conjoined at the belly, traveled with their families to Saudi Arabia for a rare and risky separation surgery.

Conjoined Twins, a Trip to Saudi Arabia and a Risky Operation
“I still have doubts, and I am scared,” said the father of two Pakistani girls, joined at the belly, as they were wheeled toward a Riyadh operating room.

Facebook Groups Act as Weapons Bazaars for Militias
Facebook posts suggest evidence of large-scale efforts to buy and sell weapons as large as guided missiles in the Middle East and North Africa.

Feature: The New Europeans
As refugees stream into Europe, and terror attacks spark security fears, one Bavarian village grapples with newcomers — and with the question of what it means to be German.

Jerusalem Journal: Risk of Collapse at Jesus’ Tomb Unites Rival Christians
Three branches of Christianity are undertaking a $3.4 million renovation of the shrine holding Jesus’ tomb in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

Moshe Katsav, Jailed Ex-President of Israel, Loses Bid for Early Release
Mr. Katsav, who is serving a seven-year term for rape, had requested that his sentence be reduced by a third for good behavior.

Italian Official Warns Egypt Over Inquiry Into Student’s Death
A slow-moving investigation into the killing, hampered by troubled cooperation between Italian and Egyptian police, has prompted Italian accusations of an Egyptian cover-up.

Rebels in Syria Shoot Down Government Fighter Jet
The pilot was captured after he parachuted to the ground, though exactly how the plane was brought down was unclear.

World Briefing: Saudi Police Colonel Is Killed and ISIS Claims Responsibility
The colonel was shot dead near the capital of Riyadh, the latest attack in the kingdom to be claimed by the Islamic State.

World Briefing: Syria: Town Retaken From Islamic State
Syrian government recaptured Qaryatain from retreating Islamic State militants who had abducted and terrorized dozens of Christian residents there.

World Briefing: Yemen: U.S. Seizes Weapons at Sea
American Navy ships in the Arabian Sea intercepted and seized an arms shipment from Iran likely bound for Houthi rebels in Yemen, the military said.

World Briefing: Egypt: Meeting in Rome on Killing of Italian Student is Postponed
Egyptian officials have postponed a trip to Rome to discuss the investigation into the killing of Giulio Regeni whose body was found on the outskirts of Cairo in February.

A Jewel in Syria Where ‘Ruins Have Been Ruined’ by ISIS
A Times photographer traveled to Palmyra, Syria, to see what remained of its archaeological treasures after almost a year of Islamic State control.

Israeli Military’s Spring-Cleaning Call: Return Our Gear, Please
Under the military’s no-questions-asked appeal for missing equipment, former soldiers have returned guns, ammunition, a jeep and at least one parachute.

Israel Expands Palestinian Fishing Zone Off Gaza’s Coast
A change to nine nautical miles of the Mediterranean, from six, will allow access to areas that had been off limits for a decade.

Hamas Releases Photographs Said to Show Captured Israelis
The militant group also made public images of two Israeli soldiers killed in 2014.

Saudi Arabia Moving to Reduce Dependence on Oil Money
A top Saudi prince has announced new elements of a plan to restructure the country’s economy, which is reeling amid a drop in world prices.

Contributing Op-Ed Writer: The Dirty Old Men of Pakistan
Some men here are fighting for a man’s right to beat up his wife or murder his sister.