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Scarred U.S. struggling to maintain foothold in Mideast

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:16:31 -0400

In an article published May 15, 2013, American historical social scientist Immanuel Wallerstein wrote, "Nothing illustrates more the limitations of Western power than the internal controversy its elites are having in public about what the United States in particular and western European states should be doing about the civil war in Syria." Those limitations are palpable in both language and ...

UN agency calls on Syrias neighbours to keep borders open for refugees

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:17:04 -0400

24 May 2013 150 The United Nations refugee agency today called on countries around Syria to keep their borders open for refugees, while also stressing the need for "urgent and robust" international support for host countries and aid agencies. There are already over 1.5 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). ...

News Wrap Russia Says Syria Has Agreed to Peace Conference

Fri, 24 May 2013 20:07:17 -0400

In other news Friday, Russian officials announced that Syria has agreed "in principle" to attend an international peace conference on outlining a transition for new leadership. Also, in Kabul, Afghanistan, a guest house used by an international aid group was targeted by a suicide car bomber and five armed ...

US Turkey Qatar seek urgent UN rights debate on Syria

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:59:09 -0400

The United States, Turkey and Qatar called Friday for an urgent debate on Syria at the UN's top human rights body next week, citing the escalating conflict and the regime's assault on the central town of ...

Syria opposition demands goodwill gestures from Assad

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:59:08 -0400

Syria's opposition called Friday on President Bashar al-Assad to prove it is working for a transition of power in the war-torn country, as they gathered in Istanbul to discuss a US-Russian initiative for ...

Bahrains GPZ in deal with 1800 workers to end strike

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:57:26 -0400

Bahraini labour ministry has said around 1,800 workers at G P Zachariades (GPZ) contracting firm who went on strike last week, claiming they hadn't been paid for the past two months, have returned to work, Gulf Daily News has reported. "There was an agreement that the company would pay one and a half months salary and the balance would be paid in a couple of days," said the ...

Egypt in talks with Qatar Iraq over energy imports

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:57:26 -0400

Egyptian oil minister Sherif Haddara has said negotiations with Qatar over a gas swap deal and Iraq over oil imports are ongoing and will "soon" be finalised, Ahram has reported. "Communications are open with them," Haddara said. "These are big deals and need time. Soon we will hear that they are ...

Over 1 lakh Indians face arrest in Saudi Arabia

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:56:23 -0400

naturalisation law or Nitaqat, which seeks to replace foreigners in companies with its own people, India is in the midst of a gigantic effort to bring back over 75,000 people in the next few months. After having failed to regularise their work status, these people have applied for emergency exit certificates to leave the country by July 3, the deadline set by Saudi Arabia for deportation of ...

Syria’s opposition says may take part in Geneva conference

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:57:27 -0400

ANKARA, May 25 (Itar-Tass) - National Coalition for Syrian Opposition and Revolutionary Forces is ready to take part in the Geneva-2 talks on resolving the conflict in Syria but it puts forward certain conditions, Haled Hojja, a representative of the coalitions participating in a conference of irreconcilable oppositionists in Istanbul ...

Over 2500 refugees from Qusair arrive in Lebanon

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:53:38 -0400

United Nations refugee agency could, however, provide some details about the new arrivals. According to its weekly update, more than half of the Qusair refugees arrived with neither legal documentation nor belongings, and many reported they had had to flee to different cities ...

Syria regime to attend peace talks Russia

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:52:31 -0400

Syria's most powerful ally Russia on Friday said the Damascus regime had agreed to attend an international peace conference on the crisis that world powers hope will take place in Geneva in ...

Kenya Egypt rebuilds its Energy sector after Turmoil

Fri, 24 May 2013 18:31:27 -0400

Egypt . "Coming on the heels of Cabinet-level approval for the project, the concession agreement between Mashreq and the Port Said Port Authority clears the way for the fast-tracking of this critical project, which stands as a backup to Egypt's national energy security," said Mashreq Petroleum Chairman and Managing Director Dr. Tamer Abubakr. Mashreq Petroleum is a core platform ...

Qatar withdraws bid to move UN agency from Montreal

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:55:09 -0400

Qatar has withdrawn its bid to take the headquarters of a major UN agency away from Montreal.The small, oil-rich Gulf nation made a surprise bid in late April to move the headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization, which sets international rules for airplane transportation - sending the Canadian government into what Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird called a "tooth and ...

Syrian refugees in Jordan unmoved by peace bid

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:06 -0400

A Syrian woman buys supplies from a make-shift store, at the Zaatari refugee camp, near the Syrian border, in Mafraq, Jordan, Monday, April 29, 2013. (AP Photo/Mohammad ...

U.S. spy servers found in Syria spark queries

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:05 -0400

BEIRUT: Reporters Without Borders is calling for explanations from a Californian Web security company after a hacktivist group discovered 34 of its servers were being used by the Syrian government, potentially to spy on Internet users. The Blue Coat servers use Deep Packet Inspection technology "to analyze and control the activities of Syrian Internet users – censuring websites, ...

Regime likely to succeed in bid to take Qusair secure vital corridor

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:04 -0400

Aleppo last summer." Opposition activist Hadi Abdullah, from Qusair, said rebels repelled a government advance in the town’s outskirts Thursday while George Sabra, the acting head of the National Coalition, urged fighters to "rush to the rescue" of the town. However, analysts say that due to their superior military capacity and manpower, it is likely President Bashar ...

Bahrainis protest over raid on ayatollah’s home

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:03 -0400

Bahraini women hold pictures of Bahraini senior Shiite cleric Sheikh Issa Qassem during a protest against the regime and to show solidarity with the cleric in the village of Abu Saiba, west of Manama, on May 17, 2013. (AFP PHOTO/MOHAMMED ...

Ahead of hajj WHO to help virus-hit Riyadh

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:02 -0400

Saudi Arabia dig deeper into deadly outbreaks of a new SARS-like virus to draw up advice ahead of the annual hajj pilgrimage, which attracts millions of Muslims. The U.N. agency, which is not currently recommending any restrictions on travel to the kingdom or screening of passengers at airports or entry points, will send a second team of experts in the coming weeks, WHO ...

Iran stacks presidential candidate list with safe Khamenei men

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:01 -0400

FILE -- In this Saturday, May 11, 2013 file photo, former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, 78, waves to media, as he registers his candidacy for the upcoming presidential election, at the election headquarters of the interior ministry in Tehran, Iran. (AP Photo/Ebrahim Noroozi, ...

U.S. casts doubt on credibility of Iran’s upcoming election

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:44:00 -0400

United States Friday called into question the credibility of Iran’s presidential election next month, criticizing the disqualification of candidates and ...

Bahrain Condemns Crime That Claimed Life of British Soldier in London

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:42:17 -0400

Manama, May 24 (BNA)--Bahrain strongly condemned the crime which claimed the life of a British soldier in London, the UK, yesterday. Meanwhile, it expressed full support to the British government in confronting terrorism. The Foreign Ministry stressed in a statement Bahrain's call to prevent the extremists and terrorists from using the land of any country to receive funding and exploit ...

Seychelles and Emirates work together to assure sustainable hotel development

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:27:16 -0400

Ministers Pierre Laporte (Finance, Trade & Investment), Rolph Payet (Environment & Energy), Alain St.Ange (Tourism & Culture), and Christian Lionnet (Land Use & Habitat) met this morning with Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group & Vice President of Dubai, and his Emirates delegation Mr. Timothy Clark, the President of Emirates, and ...

Palestinian kids swept up in wave of Israeli arrests

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:19:51 -0400

Ahmed Jawabreh, 14, was arrested in the middle of the night for allegedly throwing stones at Israeli soldiers in the West Bank refugee camp where he lives and wasn't released for another 18 days. His was only one of a recent wave of arrests of Palestinian children by Israeli authorities, human rights groups ...

Bahrains Rights Britains Failure

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:18:19 -0400

, claimed that "so-called human rights organisations" are "largely administered by ex-ideologists and even terrorists". It continued: "As much as beasts cannot be left to roam freely, so in human society the feral element’s freedom should be under control." In fact, it is well documented ...

Syria opposition seeks to unify as talks get...

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:12:37 -0400

Demonstrators shout slogans as they wave Syrian opposition flags during a protest against Syria's President Bashar Assad at the courtyard of Fatih mosque in Istanbul on Friday. ...

UNHCR Keep Borders Open to Fleeing Syrians

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:48:27 -0400

GENEVA -- The United Nations refugee agency is appealing to nations to keep borders open to refugees fleeing worsening violence in Syria. With Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq already hosting more than 1.5 million Syrian refugees, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warns the number is expected to grow as the conflict intensifies. Responding to reports that Syrians ...

Russia says Syrian government agrees to peace talks but skepticism persists on both sides

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:46:12 -0400

Demonstrators shout Islamic slogans as they wave Syrian opposition flags during a protest against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad at the courtyard of Fatih mosque in Istanbul May 24, 2013. (MURAD ...

LeBron James Will Eventually Top Michael Jordan As Basketballs Greatest Player

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:36:46 -0400

Although there will be resistance, LeBron James will ultimately be seen as the greatest basketball player of all time, surpassing Michael Jordan. And it shouldn't really be close. It seems like an appropriate time to examine the comparison as James, 28 and finishing his 10th NBA season, is essentially halfway through his career barring injury. Worth noting is that it's also a career ...

Israeli-Palestinian problem at base troubles in Middle East says Jerusalem Patriarch

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:18:10 -0400

"There is no doubt that the Palestinian problem is the focus of all conflict in the Middle East for the last one hundred years. This is the truth that we cannot circumvent," said Latin-rite Patriarch Fouad Twal of Jerusalem. Speaking at a conference in Beirut on Christians in the Middle East, sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Patriarch said that the Israeli-Palestinian ...

High Court Government didnt handle Iraq abuse case adequately

Fri, 24 May 2013 16:10:26 -0400

The British government's handling of allegations that British troops abused and killed Iraqi civilians was inadequate, a court ruled. Britain's High Court ruled that the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, an investigative team set up by the Ministry of Defense, did not fulfill the United Kingdom's human rights obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights, the BBC ...

Soldier shortage Israel’s Army ‘half as big as it was 30 years ago’

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:37:33 -0400

Special to WorldTribune.com TEL AVIV -- Israel’s military has reported a manpower shortage. Officials said the military, particularly the Army, was facing a growing gap in manpower requirements. They attributed the gap to a decreasing pool of conscripts as well as cuts in the defense ...

Syrian rebel groups plan to attack Hizbollah in Lebanon

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:35:45 -0400

ISTANBUL // Syrian rebels are planning to attack Hizbollah in its Lebanese strongholds, in response to the Shiite militant group's growing combat role on the side of President Bashar Al Assad in the Syria conflict. Such attacks would mark a significant escalation and spread of what is fast developing into a highly sectarian, regional war. "It is really a question of when, not if, ...

Israel in reassessment thinks Syria’s Bashar Assad will last awhile

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:29:19 -0400

JERUSALEM - Israel has reversed its assessment about the staying power of Syrian President Bashar Assad and now thinks he’ll remain in control of at least part of his country for some time to come – a conclusion that makes it likely, a growing number of officials think, that an escalation of violence between the two countries may be inevitable. Israeli defense officials said that ...

Assad has enough sarin to wipe off Damascus Aleppo Homs

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:27:56 -0400

Exiled Syrian chemical weapons scientist tells Al Jazeera the Assad regime used sarin in small quantities to stop rebel advancements, mixes gases to make it harder to detect WMDs use; adds weapons were developed against ...

Syria - Syria stepping up Internet surveillance

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:26:43 -0400

DPI (Deep Packet Inspection) technology to analyse and control the activities of Syrian Internet users - censuring websites, intercepting emails, obtaining details of sites visited and so on.As the Assad regime recovers territory in the civil war, the installation ...

Iran - Governments actions threaten prospect of free and fair elections in Iran

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:26:42 -0400

Serious electoral flaws and human rights abuses by the Iranian government undermine any meaningful prospect of free and fair elections on June 14, 2013, Human Rights Watch said today. Dozens of political activists and journalists detained during the violent government crackdown that followed the disputed 2009 presidential election remain in prison, two former presidential candidates are under ...

Obamas drone speech well-received by Pakistan Yemen UN

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:25:54 -0400

US President Barack Obama speaks at the National Defense University May 23, 2013 in Washington, DC. Obama used the speech to outline and justify his administration's counterterrorism policy, including increased cooperation with Congress on matters of national security, added transparency regarding the use of drones, and a review of current threats facing the United States. (Win ...

Fighting has turned Tripoli Lebanon into a battleground – and brought the Syrian war home

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:16:55 -0400

He doesn't feel it, strapped up in his bed at the Nini Hospital, swathed in bandages, two bottles of painkillers pumping into him. He was driving his motorcycle on Thursday night from Badawi past the end of Syria Street - an aptly named thoroughfare that divides Tripoli's two warring neighbourhoods of Bab el-Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen - whence came a single sniper's round."It ...

Irans clerical leaders cut presidency down to size

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:16:52 -0400

"I think it is not possible to run the country worse than this," said the former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, right, after he became one of 700 candidates barred from standing in the election this week. He is normally reticent in criticising the Iranian authorities. There has frequently between tension between Iranian presidents and Iran's supreme spiritual leader ...

WHO to help Saudi Arabias coronavirus investigation before hajj

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:15:46 -0400

Men wearing surgical masks as a precautionary measure against the novel coronavirus speak at a hospital in Dammam, Saudi Arabia on Thursday. Officials in Saudi Arabia say they've tightened infection control ...

10 men suspected of brutally killing 3 women in Egypt for alleged affairs

Fri, 24 May 2013 15:07:28 -0400

LUXOR, Egypt – A mother and two daughters were allegedly killed by male relatives in southern Egypt who believed they'd had affairs, the latest apparent example of so-called "honor killings" in which women are slain for violating traditional morals in the conservative region, a security official said Friday. Police believe the 10 men stormed the house of the women, ...

Amnesty International says Israel Hamas both guilty of war crimes

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:57:06 -0400

Gaza last year. The human rights group, which is based in London, released a report Thursday that alleged the Israeli air force carried out bomb and missile strikes on residential areas in Gaza, the Palestinian Ma'an news agency reported. Those strikes were "disproportionate and caused heavy civilian casualties," Amnesty International said. The Israeli navy also carried out ...

Pope Appeals for End of Violence in Syria

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:54:58 -0400

No News on Release of Abducted Metropolitan BishopsBy Junno Arocho EstevesVATICAN CITY, April 24, 2013 (Zenit.org) - At the conclusion of his weekly General Audience address, Pope Francis called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria.The Holy Father's plea comes at a difficult moment for the Church in Syria as there is no new developments in the abduction of two Metropolitan Bishops: ...

Groups say repealing Jordan Lake Rules makes no sense

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:28 -0400

Pittsboro, N.C. - Before crowds descend on Jordan Lake to swim, boat and fish over the Memorial Day weekend, environment groups held a news conference Friday to express concern over legislation that would repeal water-quality rules for the lake.Environment North Carolina, the Sierra Club, the Haw River Assembly and local businesspeople said they were puzzled by the Senate's passage last week ...

Nuclear agencys Iran probe guided by US intelligence

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25:18 -0400

VIENNA (AP) — The U.N. nuclear agency responsible for probing whether Iran has worked on a nuclear bomb depends on the United States and its allies for most of its intelligence, complicating the agency's efforts to produce findings that can be widely accepted by the international community.Much of the world looks at U.S. intelligence on weapons development with a suspicious eye, given ...

Iran’s Rafsanjani should enter race...over 200 metres says ally

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:23:40 -0400

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, 78, is not too old for politics, according to one of his supporters, who says the former president should challenge political rivals to a 200-metre sprint and a wrestling ...

Despite word of split over al Qaida Nusra Front still key in Syria fighting

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:17:30 -0400

BAGHDAD - Jabhat al Nusra, the al Qaida-allied Syrian rebel group that’s also known as the Nusra Front, remains integral to efforts to topple the government of President Bashar Assad despite reported rifts within the group over its terrorist ties and claims by other rebels that Nusra’s assassinated rebel leaders in eastern Syria to consolidate its hold on oil fields and other ...

The Conscientious Objector and Inside Iraq the Untold Stories Launched on Portico

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:16:59 -0400

Net2TV Corporation (www.net2television.com) is offering two award-winning movies on its Portico connected-TV service through Friday, June 7. The feature-length films -- "The Conscientious Objector" and "Inside Iraq: the Untold Stories" -- are critically acclaimed and have won awards at CINEQUEST Film ...

United Arab Emirates - Emirati netizen sentenced to 10 months in prison

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:14:33 -0400

Reporters Without Borders expresses outrage at the Abu Dhabi appeals court confirmation of the 10-month prison sentence of netizen Abdullah Al-Hadidi.The appeals court made its ruling on 22 May.Arrested on 22 March, Al-Hadidi was convicted in a lower court in April ...

Oman - Omani security forces besiege a bloggers home and arrest him

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:14:32 -0400

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) denounces the Omani security services' continuous targeting and arrest of activists on social networks websites without charges or judicial orders.The security forces arrested Ziab El-Amri, a blogger and activist, on 20 May 2013 after the Omani special task force unit besieged his house located in Senaw in the Modabi province north of ...

Why Iran May Pose A Greater Cybersecurity Risk Than China

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:07:44 -0400

report from the Wall Street Journal about Iranian infiltration of U.S. energy firms shows why their cyber-assaults could pose a greater immediate threat to U.S. national security. While China pursues ...

Iran filmmaker gets standing ovation for secret film at Cannes

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:58:57 -0400

Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof poses during a photocall for the film ''Dast-Neveshtehaa Nemisoosand'' (Manuscripts Don't Burn) at the 66th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes May 24, ...

3 Killed In “Honor Crime” In Egypt

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:56:00 -0400

';honor killing'; after the women were accused of infidelity. The women were reportedly beaten with sharp objects and strangled before their bodies were wrapped in sheets, weighted with stones, and thrown into the Nile River. At least one of the men has been arrested and is in custody; police are searching for the remaining suspects. So far, only one of the women has been found. The ...

Iran presidential candidate vows policy of resistance against the West if elected

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:54:02 -0400

TEHRAN, Iran - Iran's top nuclear negotiator, a candidate in next month's presidential elections, vowed Friday he will pursue a policy of resistance against the West if elected. Addressing his first campaign rally in Tehran, Saeed Jalili said his priority in foreign policy will be to expand Islam's influence in the world and counter "arrogance," a reference to the U.S. ...

Syria says Israeli vehicle entered its territory and was targeted heading to a rebel village

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:53:52 -0400

Syria says it targeted an Israeli vehicle that crossed a ceasefire line into its territory earlier this week because it was heading toward a village with a large rebel presence. In a letter to the U.N. Security Council circulated Friday, Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari said his country exercised its right to self-defence and would respond immediately to any other violation of ...

Israeli and Palestinian leaders are at crossroads to end the years-long conflict said US Secretary of State Kerry

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:48:26 -0400

Israeli and Palestinian leaders are at crossroads to end the years-long conflict, said US Secretary of State Kerry JERUSALEM - US Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Friday that it was up to Palestinian and Israeli leaders to revive stalled peace talks.Speaking at a press conference prior to his departure for the US at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Kerry described his Israel talks as ...

It was said that 309205 Syrians fled to Turkey so far and 114297 of them returned to Syria

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:48:25 -0400

It was said that 309,205 Syrians fled to Turkey so far and 114,297 of them returned to Syria ANKARA - Turkish Prime Ministry Disaster and Emergency Management Directorate (AFAD) announced Friday that there were 194,908 Syrians currently staying in Turkey after fleeing clashes in their country.In a written statement release, AFAD reminded that they set up 5 tent cities in Hatay, 2 in Sanliurfa, 3 ...

Iran hangs 2 alleged spies working for Israel US

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:46:33 -0400

By Yeganeh Torbati, Reuters DUBAI - Iranian authorities executed two men on Sunday convicted of working for Israeli and U.S. spy agencies, ...

Hradecka wins twice to gain Strasbourg International final

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:46:01 -0400

Lucie Hradecka won a pair of matches Friday that advanced her to the finals of the Strasbourg International tennis tournament in search of her first WTA title. Rain delays pushed Hradecka's quarterfinal match to Friday and she ...

Resistance of Syria rebels surprises Hezbollah

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:13:28 -0400

An-Nahar Daily reported on Friday that 18-year-old Hassan, a Baalbeck native and a Hezbollah fighter, spent three days fighting with the party alongside the Syrian regime in the border town of al-Qusayr. Hassan who was notified of his father’s death in the battles upon his arrival to his hometown said that Hezbollah ...

How To Get medical aid kits to Aleppo Syria

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:02:07 -0400

Insecurity creates serious concerns for delivering humanitarian aid in Syria DUBAI, 24 May 2013 (IRIN) - Getting humanitarian supplies into conflict zones like Syria is no mean feat, often requiring negotiations with warring parties, braving insecurity and facing repeated delays and logistical challenges. But aid workers can make it happen. In one of the latest examples, 54 tons of much-needed ...

IAEA Report Says Iran Accelerating Nuclear Program Faster Than Anticipated

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:01:10 -0400

Adding to Israel's grim worldview and plethora of woes, with Syria falling apart to the north and the Palestinians falling together next door, the International Atomic Energy Agency released a report this week that revealed Iran was exponentially stepping up its nuclear ...

UK ordered to hold inquests into civilian deaths during Iraq war

Fri, 24 May 2013 13:01:04 -0400

judgment that could have an impact on how the British military is able to conduct operations among civilians in the future, the court ruled on Friday that up to 161 deaths should be the subject of hearings modelled upon coroners' inquests.In practice, a series of hearings - possibly amounting to more than 100 - are likely to be held as a result of the judgment, which follows a three-year ...

Syria and the War on Christians Should the U.S. Intervene

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:57:56 -0400

In the last week of April, two Orthodox bishops in Syria were kidnapped by rebels near Aleppo. Ironically, these same bishops "had warned of the threat to religious tolerance and diversity from the two-year conflict in their ...

Bahraini protesters clash with police over raid on clerics home

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:46:22 -0400

LONDON (Reuters) - Hundreds of Bahraini Shi'ite Muslims angered by a raid last week on a top cleric's home clashed with police on Friday, while thousands more gathered in the cleric's village for a peaceful sit-in against their Sunni-led ...

Fitch Releases Special Report on Israels Banks

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:42:39 -0400

Macao Banks' Rapid China Growth Alters Risk Profiles Macao banks could see their risk profiles weaken as their exposure to China continues to climb.Fitch Ratingsexpects credit growth to accelerate to 30% in 2013 from 26% in 2012, primarily led by China-related trade financing. Generally Chinese exposures are driven by parent referrals and associated risk is adequately mitigated with ...

Syria conflict spills over into Lebanon with more sectarian fighting

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:41:21 -0400

03/06/2012 09:03 CET Gunmen have been seen prowling through a Sunni district of the Lebanese city of Tripoli after fighting between factions supporting rival groups in neighbouring Syria’s civil war. Five people were killed and more than 50 wounded on Thursday night. Fears are growing the fighting could reignite Lebanon’s own 15-year-long civil conflict. ';The seeds of war ...

Turkey builds wall at Syria border crossing after bombs

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:40:45 -0400

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey is constructing 2.5-km-long (1.5 mile) twin walls at a border crossing with Syria to increase security at the frontier following three deadly bombings this year. The concrete walls will be built on either side of the road leading from the Turkish side of the crossing at Cilvegozu to the Syrian border gate and will be topped with barbed wire, the Turkish Customs Ministry ...

PM Haniyeh of Palestinian government in Gaza called on Egypt to revise the Camp David Treaty which was signed with Israel

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:35:07 -0400

PM Haniyeh of Palestinian government in Gaza called on Egypt to revise the Camp David Treaty which was signed with Israel GAZA - Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Palestinian government in Gaza called on Egypt to revise the Camp David Treaty which was signed with Israel.Giving a Khutbah at the Khalil al-Wazir mosque in Gaza, Haniyeh said, "we ask Egyptian authorities to revise mainly the ...

President of the European Council said EU will go on working with partners for peace and stability in Syria

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:35:07 -0400

President of the European Council said, EU will go on working with partners for peace and stability in Syria ANKARA - President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy said, the EU will keep on working with Turkey as well as with all the partners and allies in order to establish peace and stability in Syria.Speaking at the "Conference of Latest Developments in the Turkey-EU Relations" ...

Turkish Minister of Customs said Turkeys link road between Cilvegozu border gate facilities and Syria border will be covered with wall and barbed wires

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:35:06 -0400

Turkish Minister of Customs said Turkey's link road between Cilvegozu border gate facilities and Syria border will be covered with wall and barbed wires ANKARA - Turkish Minister of Customs and Trade Hayati Yazici said Friday that Turkey's 2.4 kilometers land where there is a link road between Cilvegozu border gate facilities and Syria border will be covered with wall and barbed wires ...

Iran denies role in Syrian civil war

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:33:07 -0400

Claims that Iran is directly involved in the military campaign in Syria are part of a smear campaign, a foreign ministry spokesman said. Western allies backing opponents of Assad have expressed concern about the role ...

Emirates Opens Luxury Refurbished Lounge in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:29:51 -0400

WAM PARIS, May 24th, 2013 (WAM) -- Emirates, has inaugurated its refurbished Paris Charles de Gaulle Lounge for First Class and Business Class passengers as well as Platinum and Gold members of Emirates Skywards - the airline's frequent flyer programme. It is the first of the airline's existing worldwide network of lounges to be refurbished in the new interior design, originally ...

Excerpts Safe exit for Assad proposed.AFP re Obama.Arab League re

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:27:47 -0400

Excerpts: Safe exit for Assad proposed.AFP re Obama.Arab League re Syria May 24, 2013 +++SOURCE: Saudi Gazette 24 ...

PMW Bulletin PA daily Palestinians are Jesus descendants

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:27:46 -0400

[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: It is this simple: under the rules of the PA, it would be a capital offense to sell real estate to Jesus.] PMW Bulletin May 17, 2013 Official PA daily: "Palestinians [are] Jesus' descendants" and "Jesus' story is his [Palestinian] people's story" "Jesus... the virtuous patriotic Palestinian forefather... brought forth his ...

NGO Monitor Church of Scotland Fails to Correct a Terrible Wrong

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:27:46 -0400

PRESS RELEASE May 19, 2013 Contact: Lenny Ben-David NGO Monitor 054-216-8155 lenny.bendavid@ngo-monitor.org Church of Scotland's "revision" is no step forward Church should cut ties with religiously intolerant Sabeel organization Jerusalem - The Church of Scotland's "revision" of its April report "The Inheritance Of Abraham? A Report On The ...

Boy not killedIsrael Government Review France 2 Al-Durrah Report its Consequences and Implications

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:27:45 -0400

Contrary to the report's claim that the boy is killed, the committee's review of the raw footage showed that in the final scenes, which were not broadcast by France 2, the boy is seen to be alive. [For a copy of the complete report: http://bit.ly/15YM5zS ] Publication of the Report of the Government Review Committee Regarding the France 2 Al-Durrah Report, its Consequences and ...

Cabinet Approves Establishment of Two Committees to Strengthen EconomicCooperation with China

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:27:45 -0400

Cabinet Approves Establishment of Two Committees to Strengthen Economic Cooperation with China (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser) The Cabinet, at its weekly meeting today (Sunday, 19 May 2013), approved the establishment of two committees the goal of which is to formulate an action plan for strengthening economic ties between Israel and China, as well as increase ...

The Devil We Know Revisited Israeli Thinking on the Future of the AssadRegime

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:27:45 -0400

[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA: This article was written before the IDF Spokesman challenged the veracity of the Times of London quote (copy below) "Since I know the positions of the Intelligence Branch regarding events in Syria, I find the quotation is not reliable. I would even say ...

Suleiman cautions Hezbollah over its role in Syria

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:28 -0400

On the occasion marking the Resistance and Liberation Day , Lebanon’s President Michel Suleiman cautioned the Shiite group Hezbollah on Friday over its militia fighting alongside the regime troops in neighboring Syria : "The resistance is more noble and more important than anything, and should ...

Kerry Urges Hard Decisions After Meetings with Israeli Palestinians

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:58:23 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (R) waves as he stands next to Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat before his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah May 23, ...

Gender pay gap in Middle East between 20-40

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:56:23 -0400

DEAD SEA, JORDAN // Bringing female workers' pay closer in line with their male colleagues in the Middle East and North Africa is exercising the minds of delegates at the World Economic Forum as estimates put the pay gap at between 20 and 40 per cent. Getting women into the workforce has long been a challenge for policymakers in a region where levels of female joblessness are generally ...

3 al-Qaida members 2 soldiers dead in Yemen clash

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:53:20 -0400

SANAA, Yemen -; A security official says al-Qaida gunmen attacked a military position in a southern province, touching off fighting that left three militants and two soldiers ...

He should get a Nobel Prize’ - Stories from Yemens National Dialogue -

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:52:11 -0400

National Dialogue , the comprehensive conference that is meant to come up with solutions for Yemen’s many problems over the next five months. They sigh when asked how things are going. There are delays in most of the working groups, including Baraa’s (reconciliation and transitional ...

Yemens Main Oil Pipeline Blown up Again

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:52:08 -0400

Saboteurs blew up part of Yemen's main Marib-Ras Isa oil pipeline Friday, halting the flow of crude, the country's defense ministry said. Subversive elements blew up the pipeline in Serwah district in central Maarib province east of the capital, the ministry said in a statement posted on its website. The pipeline carries about 120,000 barrels of oil a day from the Marib fields to Ras ...

Syria Denounces Health Situation in Occupied Golan

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:51:31 -0400

Damascus, May 24 (Prensa Latina) Syrian Health Minister Saad al-Nayef denounced the poor health situation of citizens settled in the Golan area annexed by Israel, due to the inhumane practices of their occupiers. He also criticized the forced subjection of Syrians detained in the area to pharmaceutical experiments and various forms of torture by Israeli authorities. Al-Nayef explained these ...

Palestinian President Receives U.S. U.K. Foreign Ministers

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:51:30 -0400

4 de mayo de 2013, 09:55 Ramallah, May 24 (Prensa Latina) Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received, separately and consecutively, the Foreign Secretaries of the U.S., John Kerry, and the United Kingdom, William Hague, official sources announced today. The Palestinian president's meeting with Kerry lasted more than two hours, the sources stated, and the U.S. diplomat gave a detailed ...

Increased Number of Displaced Syrians Returning from Jordan

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:51:30 -0400

Damascus, May 24 (Prensa Latina) Increasing numbers of Syrians displaced by the conflict in their country are voluntarily returning to their homeland from Jordan, national media are emphasizing here today. Based on reports from authorities in the neighboring country, the official news channel said on Friday that in recent days at least 645 people entered the country from the Hashemite Kingdom. It ...

President of Iran congratulates Ilham Aliyev on Republican Day

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:15 -0400

1news.az reports with reference to the official website for the President of Azerbaijan that the letter says: "I would like to extend my cordial congratulations to you, your country and people on the national holiday of Azerbaijan. Considering the old wonderful relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, I am confident about the further expansion and strengthening of these ties in the ...

Iranian Council Ex-President Rafsanjani Unfit To Run Again

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:50:03 -0400

The Iranian presidential election is just weeks away, and voters are faced with a very narrow range of pro-regime candidates to choose from. All the high-profile or independent candidates have been eliminated by the Guardian Council. One man considered unfit to run has already held the post of ...

Iran denies its forces in Syria supporting President Assads army

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:47:33 -0400

International News: One day after foreign backers of the Syrian leader's rebel foes demanded Tehran withdraw its fighters from the country's territory, Iran on Friday denied it has forces in Syria supporting President Bashar Assad's ...

Hamas Israel poisoned Gaza patients with gas

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:47:07 -0400

Hamas Health Minister Mofeed al-Mokhalalati accused Israel of poisoning Palestinians patients in Gaza by providing the hospitals in the Strip carbon monoxide gas posing as nitrous gas, the Middle East Monitor reported on Friday.Four Palestinian patients were reportedly poisoned by the carbon monoxide ...

Israel to Issue Tenders for Two New Ports by July

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:46:47 -0400

Yisrael Katz, Israel's transportation minister, has announced that tenders for the construction and operation of two new ports will be issued by July ...

Bahrain - Joint appeal to U.N. protests torture of detained rights defenders in Bahrain

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:45:15 -0400

The following is a joint appeal to three UN Special Rapporteurs calling for an investigation to torture in Bahraini prisons. The appeal, signed by over 50 NGOs, was initiated by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and the Gulf Centre for Human Rights that was signed from NGOs worldwide:UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Juan Mendezand UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders ...

Minister of Foreign Affairs informs Secretary General of Arab League of Irans Threats against Bahrain

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:40:43 -0400

Manama, May 24th (BNA) -Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, sent an official letter to the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Dr. Nabil El-Araby informing him and the Arab countries of the recent hostile and blatant threats committed against the Kingdom and its national security by one of the Iranian officials. This was in the light of the ...

Kerry Lavrov hold phone call on Syria peace conference

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:24:59 -0400

MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by phone on Friday to discuss efforts to bring Syria's warring parties to a peace conference, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "The situation in Syria was discussed in the context of an international conference for a political settlement in the country," the ministry said in a ...

Al-Qaeda controls villages in Yemens Hadramawt

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:17:06 -0400

ADEN, Yemen - Fighters loyal to Al-Qaeda have seized control of villages near the Yemeni port city of Mukalla in an apparent bid to take over swathes of the southeastern province of Hadramawt, the interior ministry and residents said on ...

UAEs $3 bln aid for Egypt will take time - UAE finmin

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:14:11 -0400

SIR BU NUAYR ISLAND, United Arab Emirates | Fri May 24, 2013 11:14am EDT SIR BU NUAYR ISLAND, United Arab Emirates, May 24 (Reuters) - T he $3 billion in aid that the United Arab Emirates pledged for Egypt in 2011 will "take time" to be transferred, the UAE Finance Minister and Dubai Deputy Ruler said on Friday. "We are going in the right way but it will take time. I cannot ...

UPDATE 1-Egypt tycoon to buy MTS fiber network in new Canada push

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:10:32 -0400

Fri May 24, 2013 11:10am EDT By Alastair Sharp and Euan Rocha TORONTO May 24 (Reuters) - Manitoba Telecom Services Inc will sell its Allstream fiber optic network to a company controlled by telecom tycoon Naguib Sawiris for C$520 million ($502.8 million), a deal that signals the Egyptian billionaire is still keen on the Canadian market. Under an agreement announced on Friday, Accelero Capital ...

Salman Khurshid in Saudi Arabia as 27000 more indians fly back

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:48:46 -0400

International News: New Delhi: Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid today left on an official visit to Saudi Arabia for talks on a range of issues, including the controversial Nitaqat law, energy security and counter-terrorism cooperation. India will issue at least 27,000 more Emergency ...

William Hague Solution to Middle East conflict is slipping away

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:42:37 -0400

William Hague has warned the Israelis and Palestinians that the prospect of a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict is slipping away and that if the latest US-sponsored push for renewed talks is not grasped, the region faces a bleak ...

Austria wants EU arms embargo to Syria extended

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:40:07 -0400

Austria 's foreign minister said Friday. Austria's 377 soldiers make up the largest contingent of the approximately 900 U.N. peacekeepers posted to the Golan Heights separating Syria and ...

Taliban attack U.N. compound in Afghan capital police

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:36:52 -0400

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban militants launched a coordinated attack on a U.N. compound in the center of the Afghan capital, Kabul, on Friday setting off explosions and battling the security ...

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri To Visit Lebanon and Jordan

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:33:13 -0400

The Holy See announced that Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, will travel to Lebanon and Jordan this weekend. Cardinal Sandri will attend the ordination of new Maronite Bishops for Argentina and Australia this ...

Iran Nuke Depends On Decision

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:23:38 -0400

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The U.S. intelligence community has assessed that Iranacquired all the technology required for nuclear weapons. Officials said the community determined that the Teheran regime hasrefined skills and technology to enable Iran to quickly assemble nuclearweapons, including warheads for ballistic missiles. They said the communityassessed that the production of such weapons ...

Israel Warns Of Imminent War

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:23:36 -0400

TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Israel's military, struggling with a shooting war withSyria, has warned of an imminent multi-front conflict. Israel Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel issued one of thestarkest warnings of an imminent war that could include Hizbullah and ...

Israel Palestinians urged to make hard decisions

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:23:35 -0400

TEL AVIV - US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Friday to take "hard decisions" to revive the Middle East peace ...

15 killed in suicide car bomb blast in NW Pakistan

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:16:21 -0400

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people were killed and 17 others injured when a suicide car bomb blast ripped through a market in Pakistan's northwest town of Dera Adamkhel on Saturday morning, reported local media Express. While some local media said that it was a car bomb blast, local Urdu TV channel Express and two other channels quoted unidentified sources as saying that it ...

Yemens main oil export pipeline bombed ministry

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:56:16 -0400

Yemen's main oil pipeline which carries crude from the Marib province to export terminal on the Red Sea was blown up Friday, the defense ministry said in a statement."Saboteurs on Friday dawn bombed the main oil pipeline in Serwah district in the northeastern province of Marib," the ministry said in the statement on its website.Acts of sabotage on the oil pipeline and electricity ...

Al-Qaeda seizes territory in Yemens Hadramawt

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:54:35 -0400

Yemeni armed tribesmen, supported by the Yemeni army to fight with Al-Qaeda militants, ride a tank in the southern town of Loder in Abyan province on April 14, 2012. AFP ...

Syria opposition skeptical as Russia says regime will talk

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:54:31 -0400

A member of the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, Faruq Tayfur, attends a meeting on May 23, 2013, in Istanbul. AFP PHOTO/BULENT ...

Agricultural Charity Gives Aid to Israels Poor

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:53:10 -0400

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Almost two million Israelis live below the poverty level, including more than a third of the country's children. However, one charity is using a biblical principle to fill in the ...

Huge blasts gunfire heard near Indian embassy in Kabul

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:50:24 -0400

NEW DELHI: Large explosions have been heard in Kabul on Friday followed by gunfire. Sources told Times Now that the explosions happened near the Indian embassy though the mission was not the target of the attack. AFP reported that gunfire erupted as security forces rushed to the scene of the blasts that took place around 4pm local time. "There has been explosion in an area which is close to ...

Kerry Lavrov to meet on Syria in Paris on Monday

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:36:13 -0400

AMMAN (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will meet privately in Paris on Monday to discuss their efforts to bring Syria's warring parties to a peace conference, a U.S. official said on Friday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the two men would "continue their conversation (from) Moscow," a reference to ...

Syria rebel removes bites soldiers heart group says

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:28:16 -0400

By Alastair Jamieson, Staff writer, NBC News A Syrian rebel commander has been caught on video cutting out the heart of a soldier and biting into ...

Amnesty International criticizes torture in Egypt

Fri, 24 May 2013 09:27:19 -0400

Amnesty International says the administration of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi failed to implement reforms to eradicate torture. "No legal or policy reforms were implemented to eradicate torture under either the SCAF [Supreme Council of Armed Forces] or President Morsi's administration," the organization said. "Torture and other ill-treatment continued and security forces ...

Australia gives $11.5 million for Syrian refugees in Lebanon

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:59:45 -0400

Bob Carr said Friday following a meeting with Prime Minister designate Tammam Salam.Carr said Australia supports Lebanon's disassociation policy from the Syrian crisis and his country is committed to ...

UN nuke agencys Iran probe driven by US-led intel

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:48:35 -0400

VIENNA (AP) -- The U.N. nuclear agency responsible for probing whether Iran has worked on a nuclear bomb depends on the United States and its allies for most of its intelligence, complicating the agency's efforts to produce findings that can be widely accepted by the international ...

Kerry says Israelis Palestinians must make tough decisions

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:43:35 -0400

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israeli and Palestinian leaders are nearing crunch time, when they must decide whether to revive long-dormant peace negotiations to end their decades-old conflict, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on ...

US expands Iran sanctions blacklist

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:34:16 -0400

US Treasury adds 20 individuals, firms to its Iran sanctions blacklist ...

Egypt 3 women killed in honor crime

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:28:36 -0400

LUXOR, Egypt (AP) -- An Egyptian security official says 10 male relatives have killed a mother and her two daughters on suspicion of moral offenses - so-called "honor ...

Syria opposition sceptical on peace talks

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:57:19 -0400

SYRIA'S divided opposition has called on the regime of President Bashar al-Assad to bluntly state whether it was interested in peace talks and on what terms rather than use ally Moscow as its mouthpiece. Louay Safi, spokesman for the Western-backed National Coalition, the main opposition group, issued the call after Russia said Damascus had agreed "in principle" to attend a peace ...

Austria links UN peacekeepers to Syria arms ban

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:53:35 -0400

VIENNA (AP) -- Austria is urging an extension of the EU arms embargo for Syria, saying it may rethink its U.N. peacekeeping role in the region ...

U.S.casts doubt on credibility of Iranian election

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:52:39 -0400

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - The United States on Friday called into question the credibility of Iran's presidential election next month, criticizing the disqualification of candidates and accusing the government of disrupting Internet ...

Kerry says talks with Israel Palestinians very productive

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:48:13 -0400

Syria to take part in peace talks

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:46:06 -0400

The Syrian government has agreed to a conference on the country's future proposed by Russia and the United States, Russia's foreign ministry said today.The Syrian government had "agreed in principle" to participate in the conference in Geneva which is expected within two weeks, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said in televised remarks.Mr Lukashevich, however, ...

Paper Syrias Assad vows no dialogue with terrorists

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:39:25 -0400

Syria's President Bashar Assad (R) sits during an interview with journalists from Argentina in Damascus in this handout photograph distributed by Syria's national news agency SANA on ...

WikiLeaks hits back at critical US film with leaks

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:39:07 -0400

WikiLeaks has released an annotated version of what it says is a leaked transcript of a documentary that takes a critical look at the anti-secrecy group ahead of the film's US premiere on ...

Plethora of events Abu Dhabi International Book Fair bustles with visitors

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:39:06 -0400

Bookworms including children flock to Abu Dhabi International Book Fair where exhibitors are gathering, piling up their shelves with hundreds of ...

ADIBF 2013 Abu Dhabi Crown Prince helps students invest in books

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:39:06 -0400

ABU DHABI - His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Deputy Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC), offered a grant worth Dhs3m to encourage students to purchase books during the 23rd Abu Dhabi International Book Fair ...

Kerrys focus on peace talks not settlements

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:32:54 -0400

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged Israel's government on Friday to prevent further settlement construction where possible to help revitalize Middle East peace hopes, but stressed that the Jewish state and Palestinians alike should remain focused on the larger goal of restarting direct ...

Cautious Calm in Lebanons Tripoli

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:10:07 -0400

Beirut, May 24 (BNA) - Cautious calm dominated over the various fighting axes between Cautious calm between Bab ElTebbaneh, Jabal Mohsenand Jabal Mohsen in Lebanon's Tripoli on Friday morning, but snipping operations targeted the international road, National News Agency (NNA) reported. The report said that a flare bomb fell at Naji Center in Azmi Street where damages were limited to ...

Hague Israel Losing Support in UK Over Settlements

Fri, 24 May 2013 07:10:06 -0400

Occupied Jerusalem, May 24 (BNA) - British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who is currently visiting Israel, said in an interview with Sky News that Israel has lost some support in Britain and in other European countries due to its settlement construction policy. He warned that the window of opportunity for Israel and the Palestinians to agree to form a two-state solution was closing fast, Ynet ...

Insect invasion Israel battles plague of locusts

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:47:10 -0400

By Dave Copeland, Cameraman, NBC News TEL AVIV - Israel’s Negev Desert is alive – with locusts.Huge swarms of the newly hatched critters have begun marching across the sand, devouring everything in their path.With the help of high-tech irrigation methods, much of Israel’s desert has been transformed into lush farmland that supplies supermarkets across the country with fresh ...

Russia criticises Syrias various opposition groups for presenting tough demands ahead of Geneva 2 conference.

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:46:55 -0400

Syria's most powerful ally Russia said Friday that the Damascus regime had agreed "in principle" to attend an international peace conference on the crisis that world powers hope will take place in Geneva in ...

Deadly clashes in Lebanons Tripoli continue unabated

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:46:55 -0400

TRIPOLI, Lebanon - At least 23 people have been killed since Sunday in Syria-linked clashes between Sunni and Alawite residents of the Lebanese port city of Tripoli, a security source said on ...

Indias Jet Airways shareholders approve Etihad deal

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:46:54 -0400

MUMBAI - Shareholders of India's Jet Airways on Friday approved a deal in which Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad will take a 24 percent stake in the private carrier, media reports ...

Tunisia Femen activist to face pepper spray charge

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:19:26 -0400

TUNIS: A young Tunisian women's rights activist, who was arrested at the weekend while protesting against hardline Islamists, has been charged with possessing pepper spray, her lawyer said on Thursday.The 18-year-old, known by the pseudonym Amina Tyler, who sparked controversy in March by posting topless pictures of herself online, has been summoned to appear in court next Thursday, ...

Bahrain economic growth seen at 5 this year

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:16:26 -0400

Economic growth in Bahrain is expected to rise to more than five percent this year on the back of a rebound in oil production and expansion in non-oil ...

AUDIO Burberry boss looking to Middle East

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:09:40 -0400

The Today programme's Friday Boss is Burberry chief executive Angela Ahrendts. The British fashion brand is one of the UK's most successful luxury exports. Last year it spooked investors with a profit warning because of slowing demand from its key Chinese market. However, this week it reported profits of more than 400m, with sales up 20% in China. Today business presenter Simon Jack ...

Syria is ready for talks - Russia

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:08:43 -0400

Moscow - Russia said on Friday that the Syrian government had agreed in principle to attend an international peace conference proposed by Russia and the United States, and criticised what it called attempts to undermine peace ...

High court orders new approach to Iraq abuse inquiry

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:04:19 -0400

The high court has called for a new approach to an inquiry into allegations that British troops committed "terrifying acts of brutality" following the invasion ...

Syria opposition struggles to forge transition plan before talks

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:03:14 -0400

George Sabra (L), a veteran Christian opposition figure and acting President of the Syrian National Coalition, speaks during the opening session of a meeting by members of the Syrian opposition in Istanbul May 23, ...

Recruitment firm Archelons to invest $1 mn in Qatar

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:58:18 -0400

Archelons has announced it will invest $1 million in Qatar over the coming five years in the field of management solutions. Making the announcement at an event in Doha, Archelons CEO Pankaj Mittal said the company's management solutions include talent identification, talent sourcing, assessment solutions and recruitment. "Archelons seeks to open doors for both recruiters and job seekers ...

Oil field test from Iraq yields results

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:53:21 -0400

Norwegian oil and gas company DNO International said tests from a field in the Kurdish region of Iraq yielded an average flow rate of more than 100,000 bpd. DNO has a majority stake in the Tawke field in the Kurdish region of Iraq alongside Turkish energy company Genel Energy and the Kurdistan Regional Government. DNO said a 72-hour test of from the Tawke field averaged more than 100,000 ...

Two Mossad CIA spies executed in Iran state TV

Fri, 24 May 2013 05:47:34 -0400

TEHRAN, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Two Iranian spies working for the U. S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad were hanged in Iran on Sunday morning, the state IRIB TV said. Mohammad Heidari, one of the executed men, had prepared information in a number of security issues of the country and had given them to the Israeli Mossad in several meetings outside of the ...