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Eight candidates for Iranian presidential race

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:52 -0400

TEHRAN - Iran has approved eight candidates for the presidential election due next month, rejecting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's top aide in a major setback to the hawkish leader of the Islamic republic. Ahmadinejad criticised the decision to remove Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei from the final candidate list and said it was an act of "oppression". He announced plans to take up the case with ...

Construction begins on new island off Jumeirah Beach in Dubai

Mon, 20 May 2013 04:26:18 -0400

Work began on Monday on the development of a man-made island in Dubai, 500 metres directly opposite the Jumeirah Beach Residence complex. To be known as Bluewaters Island, the new development will house five star hotels and resorts, al fresco dining and entertainment zones, and residential apartments and villas. The focal point of the island city, which will cost $1.6 billion, will be a 688 ...

Iran upgrading nuclear program IAEA

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:00:03 -0400

Tehran has reportedly upgraded its nuclear program by adding advanced uranium enrichment facilities and building a plutonium-producing reactor according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA report reflects the increased international concerns about the potential proliferation dangers it represents as the completion date approaches, the Huffington Post reports. According to ...

Bosnia may offer road map to Syria

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:49:27 -0400

The international community needs a better strategy for the intractable war in Syria. Washington and Moscow are jointly pushing for an international conference that would bring representatives of the Assad regime and the opposition to the table. The question is, if the sides show up - which is not clear at the moment - how likely is it that they will agree on a deal? And if they do agree on a ...

Assad foe tells leader to cede power to officials

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:45:15 -0400

BEIRUT - A Syrian opposition leader urged President Bashar Assad on Thursday to hand power to his deputy or his prime minister and then go abroad with 500 members of his entourage, without immunity from prosecution.Assad is likely to reject or ignore the 16-point peace plan proposed by Moaz Alkhatib, who resigned as head of the Western-backed opposition National Coalition in March, particularly ...

17 deaths now reported from SARS-like virus in Saudi Arabia

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:44:28 -0400

Saudi Arabia has announced another death from the SARS-like novel coronavirus (nCoV) in its central al-Qassim region, bringing the total number of deaths in the kingdom to ...

Rafsanjani hits at Irans rulers

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:44:26 -0400

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has strongly criticised the policies of the country's ruling clerical establishment, days after a constitutional watchdog banned him from running in the June 14 ...

US Congress Moves Toward Full Trade Embargo on Iran

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:40:54 -0400

- The U.S. Congress moved closer here Wednesday to imposing a full trade embargo against Iran and pledged its support to Israel if it felt compelled to attack Tehran’s nuclear programme in self-defence.The Senate voted 99-0 to adopt a resolution that urged President Barack Obama to fully enforce existing economic sanctions against Iran and to "provide diplomatic, military and economic ...

Israels Air Force Chief Warns of Sudden War

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:39:54 -0400

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israel could be in for a surprise war, Israel's air force chief Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel warned. Eshel's comments come as tensions are increasing along the Israeli-Syrian border. Eeshel says the threat of a sudden war erupting on multiple fronts is much more relevant today. Syria has invested in the "best air defenses it could buy," Israel's air force ...

Bahrains Royal Endurance Team is supporting a 120km Endurance Horse Ride

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:39:26 -0400

Manama, May 23 (BNA) -- Bahrain's Royal Endurance Team is supporting a 120km Endurance Horse Ride, part of the Compiegne Festival Mondial d'Endurance, to be held on Sunday at Compiegne near Paris, in France. Team captain Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa will lead a group of prominent Bahraini riders in this two-day festival, which also includes a 160km ride, set to take place ...

GCC Health Ministers Approve Kuwait Declaration on Fighting Chronic Diseases

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:39:25 -0400

Kuwait , May 23 (BNA) - Kuwaiti Minister of Health Mohammad Barrak Al-Haifi has announced that the GCC health ministers have approved the Kuwaiti declaration on fighting non-contagious chronic diseases, as an action plan for the cooperation council for the arab states of the Gulf (GCC) member states . The approval was made on the sidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO) annual meeting ...

Explosions in Shibaa Farms in South Lebanon

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:39:25 -0400

Beirut, May 23 (BNA) - Strong explosions were heard this morning from the eastern side of the occupied Shebaa Farms in south Lebanon which appeared to be the result of training exercises by the Israeli occupation army. The Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) said the Israeli occupation army push at dawn a large armored force including Merkava tanks and armoured personnel carriers into the ...

Egypt to sink some $700 million to easy electricity shortages

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:13 -0400

The Egyptian government said on Wednesday it would supply more gas and diesel to power stations to deal with electricity shortages that have worsened in recent months after the cash-strapped country failed to import enough ...

Barcelona announce visit of Israel Palestine

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:36:13 -0400

Adriano signs new deal According to the club the events will take place in the Palestinian Territories on August 3 and then in Israel the following day, and "first team players will be present at both".Details of the initiative - called the FC Barcelona Peace Tour - were announced via the ...

U.S. Israel raise hopes for Mideast peace restart

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:35:01 -0400

View Photo Associated Press/Jim Young, Pool - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, left, meets with Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem Thursday, May 23, 2013. The United States and Israel are ...

US Secretary of State John Kerry in Middle East for separate talks with Israel and Palestine

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:34:10 -0400

US Secretary of State John Kerry held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Thursday and acknowledged there was considerable scepticism that the two sides would resume peace ...

Gallery Jewish ultra-orthodox wedding in Israel

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:30:00 -0400

Ultra-Orthodox Jews of the Belz Hasidic Dynasty watch the wedding ceremony of Rabbi Shalom Rokach, the Grandson of the Belz Rabbi to Hana Batya Pener, in Jerusalem. Photo: ...

Sharjah Charity supports Palestinian orphans

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:29:08 -0400

Sharjah: The Scientific Council of the Salafiyeh Call in Palestine yesterday approved the distribution of financial assistance provided by the Sharjah Charity International (SCI) to benefit 5,987 ...

Syrias civil war mapped using new global events database

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:24:57 -0400

GDELT ) database as a source of information for journalistic storytelling. The New Scientist project also presents an excellent example of going beyond template-based maps and using GIS to visualise locational data. Aldhous ...

Kerry meets Israelis Palestinians in bid to revive talks

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:24:08 -0400

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Thursday and acknowledged there was considerable skepticism that the two sides would resume peace ...

India and Iraq to Cooperate in Water Management Area

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:23:30 -0400

A high expert level meeting was held today between the Iraq Delegation led by Mr. Mohanad Salman Al-Sady, Minister of Water Resources of Govt of Republic of Iraq and Senior Officers in The Ministry of Water Resources to workout for finalizing the nitty-gritty's of a future Memorandum of Understanding In The Area Of Water Management to be signed between the Two ...

Huaweis Middle East revenue rose 18 percent in 2012 executive

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:19:31 -0400

By Matt SmithDUBAI (Reuters) - China's Huawei Technologies Co's Middle East revenue rose 18 percent to $2.08 billion in 2012 and the roll-out of 4G mobile networks and IT outsourcing will be among its main regional growth drivers, the firm said.The world's second-largest telecom equipment maker also expects Middle East telecom operators to prioritize improving network efficiency, ...

Tunisia economic woes linger Qatar rushes to rescue of Ennahda-led government

Thu, 23 May 2013 08:15:31 -0400

Last month, the International Monetary Fund said it had reached a $1.75 billion loan deal with Tunisia to ease the country's financial problems since a revolution that topped the former regime two years ...

Paid for the risk Egypts tempting pound

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:53:02 -0400

Surprising as it may seem, the Egyptian pound has got some fans. The currency has languished for months at record lows against the dollar and the headlines arealarming the lack of an IMF aid programme, meagre hard currency reserves, political upheaval. So what's to like ? Analysts at Societe Generale say thatjust looking at the spot exchangerate of the pound is missing the bigger picture. ...

Hezbollah’s death toll in Syria 75 fighters report

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:44:54 -0400

BAALBEK, Lebanon: Seventy-five fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah have been killed in Syria since they first became involved in the country's war months ago, a source close to the Shiite militant group said on ...

Five killed and dozens wounded in fierce Lebanon clashes

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:42:54 -0400

TRIPOLI // Five people were killed and more than 50 wounded in overnight clashes in Tripoli between Lebanese gunmen backing rival factions in Syria's civil war, doctors and security sources said today. Tripoli has suffered sporadic sectarian violence since the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Al Assad broke out in March 2011, but after a night of mortar, grenade and machine-gun ...

Rand nosedive worst after Syria

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:34:51 -0400

The rand has plunged 7.9 percent against the dollar since reaching a four-month high on May 3, surpassed only by the Syrian pound’s 29 percent drop in the period among more than 160 currencies tracked by ...

Israel seeking to revive peace talks with Palestinians Netanyahu

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:33:11 -0400

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry Thursday that his country is seeking to revive peace talks with the Palestinians.At the beginning of a meeting with Kerry, Netanyahu said "above all, we want to restart the peace talks with the Palestinians."Kerry arrived in Israel on Thursday as part of the ongoing efforts exerted by the US ...

Iran keen to speed up nuclear programme

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:28:10 -0400

Iran is trying to accelerate its uranium enrichment programme, a UN nuclear report showed, but experts said it was unclear when Tehran's new machines could start operating and how efficiently they would ...

Egypt manages through the bottleneck 2nd currency auction succeeds

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:28:02 -0400

It did not say how much currency it actually sold Egypt's central bank kept the price of the country's currency steady against the dollar at a special $800 million foreign exchange auction on Wednesday, called to help importers pay for wheat, meat, cooking oil and other essential imports.It did not say how much currency it actually sold.Egypt has used up its foreign currency reserves, ...

Another $150 million loan to Jordan from World Bank

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:28:00 -0400

Jordanin Police keep guard as Syrian refugees look on at the King Abdullah Refugee Camp for Syrian refugees 2 kilometers from the Syrian border (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images) The World Bank has proposed a $150 million loan for Jordan to help it with the cost of thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria, Jordanian and World Bank board sources said on Wednesday."The ...

U.N. report stokes concern over Irans nuclear programme - EU

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:26:52 -0400

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Iran's expansion of sensitive nuclear activity breaks United Nations resolutions and increases concerns about whether its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, the European Union said on Thursday. A U.N. nuclear agency report released on Wednesday showed Iran was expanding nuclear activities, in clear violation of resolutions of both the U.N. Security Council and of ...

Conflicts like Syria creating ‘global underclass’ of refugees – Amnesty

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:24:04 -0400

Syrian refugees build a makeshift tent while waiting for a trailer from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. Photograph: Lynsey Addario/The New York ...

Syria’s refugee exodus now at more than 1.5 million

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:24:03 -0400

Syrian refugees wait in line for a daily bread ration distributed by the World Food Program at the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan. Photograph: Lynsey Addario/The New York ...

Iraqs state-owned Trade Bank eyes Lebanon Turkey - president

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:20:51 -0400

By Stanley Carvalho ABU DHABI | Thu May 23, 2013 7:20am EDT ABU DHABI May 23 (Reuters) - State-owned Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI) plans to expand its domestic presence as well as open branches in Lebanon and Turkey to tap growing trade between the countries, the bank's top executive said on Thursday. The bank, set up in 2003, operates as a commercial bank with a virtual monopoly on ...

The X Factor Louis Walsh to be paid less than Sharon Osbourne | Media Monkey

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:13:50 -0400

judges for the next series - despite being the longest-serving member of the panel. The Sun reports that Simon Cowell has lured Sharon Osbourne back with an offer of 1.5m plus 300,000 to cover flights and stays at London's Dorchester during filming on the series. Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger will also earns 1.5m. Altogether the judges' paybill has risen from 3.7m last year to 5.8m ...

Iran seeks to speed up nuclear activity IAEA

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:12:57 -0400

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran is trying to accelerate its uranium enrichment program, a U.N. nuclear report showed, but experts said it was unclear when Tehran's new machines could start operating and how efficiently they would ...

Syria-linked clashes kill six in Lebanon

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:12:51 -0400

CLASHES have killed six people in the Lebanese port of Tripoli, a security source says, as a fifth day of violence sparked by the Syria conflict spread to previously quiet neighbourhoods. "Very violent fighting took place last night until 5am (1200 AEST) that killed six people and wounded 40. The clashes and shelling affected several areas of the city, including the centre," the source ...

Digital technology poised to reshape Middle East business

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:12:03 -0400

Middle East business will be transformed by digital technologies and companies not investing in that transformation face an existential competitive threat. That’s the message leading industry figures will be bringing to ArabNet ...

Protestant pastor arrested in Iran

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:11:52 -0400

Amid intensified persecution of Protestant churches in recent years, authorities in the Iranian capital of Tehran have arrested Rev. Robert Asserian, pastor of the Central Assemblies of God Church. "The pressure has become unbearable; they constantly threaten the church leaders and their families with imprisonment, unexplained accidents, kidnapping and even with execution," said a ...

Report Following his election ban Irans Rafsanjani blasts rulers

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:11:16 -0400

TEHRAN, Iran - An Iranian pro-reform website is reporting that former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani has strongly criticized the policies of the country's ruling clerical establishment, days after a constitutional watchdog disqualified him from running in the June 14 elections. "I think it is not possible to run the country worse than this," Jaheshnews.ir quoted him as saying ...

More natural gas confirmed offshore Israel

Thu, 23 May 2013 07:03:56 -0400

A natural gas discovery off the coast of Israel may hold as much as 2 trillion cubic feet of reserves, operator Noble Energy Inc. announced. Noble said it confirmed a natural gas discovery in the Karish prospect offshore Israel. Drilling uncovered a natural gas pay measuring 184 feet, which Noble said indicated a reserve potential of 1.6 trillion-2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Karish ...

Arab Parliament warns of escalation of events in Syria

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:59:49 -0400

WAM CAIRO, May 23rd, 2013 -- The Arab Parliament has warned of a dangerous escalation of events in Syria amid the intervention of third parties directly and indirectly in the pro-Syrian regime. Ahmad bin Mohammed Al-Jarwan, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, condemned the continuation of violence, murder and heinous crimes committed against Syrian civilians, the use of heavy weapons on the ground ...

Kuwait crude oil exports to S. Korea up 14.4 percent

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:59:48 -0400

WAM ABU DHABI, May 23rd, 2013 (WAM): Kuwait's crude oil exports to South Korea in April grew 14.4% from a year earlier to 11.08 million barrels, or 369,000 barrels per day (bpd), according to latest data released by the state-run Korea National Oil Corporation. As South Korea's number-two supplier, Kuwait provided 16.0% of the Asian nation's total crude oil imports in April, ...

Senate Votes Unanimously Toward War Against Iran

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:28:55 -0400

S.Res.65 , which ';[s]trongly support(s) the full implementation of United States and international sanctions on Iran and urg[es] the President to continue to strengthen enforcement of sanctions legislation.'; The legislation, as expected from a Lindsey Graham product, is full of misstatements, historical revisionism, and war-drum-beating hyperbole. Particularly revolting is the ...

Five killed in Lebanon’s Tripoli

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:23:33 -0400

A Lebanese Sunni gunman holding a rifle, takes a position in Al-Koubbeh, in Tripoli. Five people were killed and more than 50 wounded in overnight clashes in Tripoli between Lebanese gunmen backing rival factions in Syria's civil war, doctors and security sources said on ...

Barred from election Rafsanjani lambasts Iranian authorities report

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:20:22 -0400

In this picture taken on Saturday, May 11, 2013, former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani 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 ...

Media watchdog criticises UAE over tweeters jail term

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:20:21 -0400

United Arab Emirates this month on similar charges.RSF "expresses outrage at the Abu Dhabi appeals court confirmation of the 10-month prison sentence of netizen Abdullah al-Hadidi," it said in a statement issued on Wednesday.Hadidi is the son of one of 94 Islamists being tried in the Gulf state's top court over an alleged plot to seize power.A court jailed him for posting details ...

Israel government divided on peace issue Livni

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:20:19 -0400

Head of Israel's parliamentary opposition Tzipi Livni attends a news conference at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011. (AP Photo/Sebastian ...

Iran says IAEA report shows nuclear drive is peaceful

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:19:07 -0400

A new report by the UN atomic watchdog validates Iran's progress in its "peaceful" nuclear activities despite international sanctions, the country's envoy to the agency said on ...

Emirates set to add more Sri Lanka flights

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:17:30 -0400

Emirates Airline has announced plans to increase capacity on its services to Sri Lanka from June 30, with the addition of three more flights per ...

Fierce sectarian clashes in Lebanon leave 2 dead 26 wounded

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:17:22 -0400

Sunni Salafist gunmen, who back the Syrian opposition, are seen in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on May 23 (AFP) Two people were killed and 26 others were wounded in fierce clashes in Tripoli, north Lebanon, which continued until the early hours of Thursday morning, security sources said.Security sources identified Abed Sankari and Fawzi Hawshar as the latest fatalities from the overnight ...

Da word is out Lebanons ready to scream and shout at Byblos International Festival

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:17:21 -0400

No yawns, but plenty of Yanni coming to the Byblos International Festival The program has been unveiled. At the Byblos Sur Mer Hotel Monday morning the organizers of ...

Iran president escapes attack

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:16:24 -0400

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad escaped an assassination attempt on Wednesday when a blast hit one of the vehicles of his cavalcade, a media report said. Iran's Press TV, however, denied the report. Al Arabiya TV reported the blast took place in the western city of Hamadan as the president was about to address a crowd. The attacker was arrested on the spot. The bomb hit a car carrying ...

Brazil president says asylum offer to adulterous Iran woman is humanitarian gesture

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:15:39 -0400

The decision to give refuge to a convicted Iranian woman should be seen as a humanitarian act without political motives, said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. "I made the offer for humanitarianism, instead of politics," Xinhua quoted da Silva, as saying while referring to the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, 43, who has been convicted of adultery and sentenced to death ...

PH Malditas crush high-ranked Iran in AFC Women’s qualifiers

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:15:37 -0400

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Malditas, as promised by their coach, created a stir in the Asian AFC Women’s Qualifying. The Malditas crushed higher-ranked Iran, 6-0, Tuesday at the start of Group B play at the Bangabandu National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Beefed up by several United States-based standouts who have NCAA Division 1 experience, the Malditas dominated the match ...

Benghazi whistle-blowers lawyer demands leaks probe- FOX NEWS POLL Voters US shouldnt intervene in Syria

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:04:04 -0400

WASHINGTON – Attorney Victoria Toensing said Wednesday she will ask the State Department's inspector general to launch an investigation into claims that employees there leaked personal information on her whistle-blower client to members of the media as an intimidation tactic ahead of a recent hearing on the Benghazi attack. Toensing's client, Gregory Hicks, testified before the ...

Kerry begins round of talks with Israel Palestinians

Thu, 23 May 2013 06:03:33 -0400

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Secretary of State John Kerry began a round of separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Thursday but acknowledged there was considerable skepticism that the two sides would resume peace ...

Bahrain banks announce plans to merge

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:59:03 -0400

Bahrain's Al Salam Bank and BMI Bank, an affiliate of Oman's Bank Muscat, have announced plans to merge, a tie-up which would create the kingdom's third-largest bank by assets, the lenders said in a ...

Qatar buys stake in Total’s Congo operations

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:58:55 -0400

State-owned Qatar Petroleum International (QPI) has agreed to buy a state in oil giant Total's operations in the Democratic Republic of the ...

Ennahdha yields to Salafist pressure again Ansar al-Sharia spokesman freed

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:54:37 -0400

TUNISIA - Ansar al-Sharia spokesman Seifeddine Rais, detained in the Tunisian city of Kairouan at the weekend as police enforced a government ban on its annual congress, was released on bail on Wednesday, the Salafist group ...

A brand New Arab League

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:54:36 -0400

The role that Arab League has been playing during the Arab Spring is different; instead of solving the disputes, it became source of legitimacy for various powers to intervene militarily or politically in the region, ...

5 killed 50 wounded in Tripoli north Lebanon

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:26:04 -0400

Five people were killed and more than 50 wounded in overnight clashes in Tripoli between Lebanese gunmen backing rival factions in Syria’s civil ...

5 dead in Lebanon clash of Assad foes backers

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:21:51 -0400

Tripoli has been a frequent scene of clashes between opponents and supporters of Syrian President Bashar Assad who live in adjacent ...

Kerry To Meet With Netanyahu Abbas

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:19:08 -0400

Secretary of State John Kerry is in the Middle East. He's meeting with Israeli and Palestinians leaders in a new push to revive the moribund peace ...

Ryanair considers Israel-Krakow flights for school groups

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:14:31 -0400

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair Ltd. (ISEQ: RYA, LSE: RYA, NASDAQ: RYAAY) is considering initiating flights between Ben Gurion Airport and Krakow in Poland, to serve the high demand for educational trips to Auschwitz and other former death camps by Israeli students. At a press conference earlier this week, Ryanair deputy CEO Howard Millar said that the airline had been mulling flights to Israel ...

Israeli Settler Hits A Palestinian Youth in South Nablus

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:10:15 -0400

Nablus, May 23 (BNA) - A Jewish settler ran oevr a palestinian youth in Beita village crossroad , south of Nablus, Ghassan Daghlas, the settlement file official in the northern West Bank said on Thursday. Daghlas added that the israeli settler ran over palestinian youth marwan zakariya assouss, aged 16 at the crossroad of beita village , south of nablus noting that the palestinian youth was ...

More than 210000 travelers visit Bahrain

Thu, 23 May 2013 05:10:15 -0400

Manama, May 23 (BNA) -- The Assistant Undersecretary for Exits, Search and Follow Up at the Nationality, Passports and Residency General Directorate today announced that 210979 travelers have entered the Kingdom between 16 and 22 May. According to weekly figures, King Fahad Causeway witnessed 173229 travelers entered the Kingdom from KSA and other GCC countries, while 37278 travelers entered ...

Syria crisis Friends of Syria call on Iran and Hezbollah to withdraw

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:55:53 -0400

o Iran and Hezbollah urged to pull out of fight for Qusairo US backs UK's bid to amend EU arms embargooSyria negotiates with Russia over attendance at talks o Opposition gathers in Turkey to decide on ...

France backs Britain in seeking EU support for their proposal to arm Syrian opposition.

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:46:10 -0400

World powers urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to commit to peace, but warned Thursday that if he fails to negotiate a political transition they would boost their backing of the ...

Obama to limit drone strikes restart Guantanamo closure

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:46:04 -0400

Obama will say Thursday. The president will also announce new limits to unmanned combat drone strikes, the officials said of the program that has been central to White House efforts to combat terrorism. Obama's 2 p.m. speech at the Defense Department's National Defense University in Washington will lay out how he intends to bring his counter-terrorism policies in line with the legal ...

PM Netanyahu Remarks at Start of Meeting US Secy. of State Kerry

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:40:23 -0400

PM Netanyahu's Remarks at the Start of his Meeting with US Secy. of State John Kerry (Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning (Thursday, 23 May 2013), in Jerusalem, made the following remarks at the start of his meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry: "John, ...

US moves toward full Iran trade embargo

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:39:13 -0400

By Jim Lobe WASHINGTON - The US Congress moved closer on Wednesday to imposing a full trade embargo against Iran and pledged its support to Israel if it felt compelled to attack Tehran's nuclear program in self-defense. The senate voted 99-0 to adopt a resolution that urged President Barack Obama to fully enforce existing economic sanctions against Iran and to "provide diplomatic, ...

Kerry Continues Israeli-Palestinian Peace Push

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:16:52 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is holding another round of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders aimed at getting the two sides to restart their stalled peace ...

Jordan stopped receiving Syrian Refugees at Border

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:16:51 -0400

GENEVA- U.N. officials said Tuesday there has been a sudden fall in the number of Syrian refugees arriving in Jordan, amid reports that Jordan’s government has clamped down on the relentless influx of people escaping Syria’s civil war. Panos Moumtzis, the top U.N. refugee official for Syria, said the usual flow of up to about 3,000 refugees daily had ';dropped to almost ...

Fifa World Cup-themed $820 million mall for Qatar

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:14:36 -0400

A QR 3 billion (US$820 million) World-cup themed shopping mall in Doha which hopes to attract 20 million visitors a year is set to be completed in 2015 the developer said yesterday. Developer UrbaCon Trading & Contracting said the Mall of Qatar, a 162,000 square metre mall located in Doha next to one of the future venues for the FIFA 2022 World Cup, has been designed with a FIFA theme. ...

Syria opposition welcomes support for Assad ouster

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:12:26 -0400

BEIRUT -; A spokesman says Syria's main opposition bloc welcomes renewed calls by its foreign supporters that Syrian President Bashar Assad give up power at the start of any political transition aimed at ending the country's civil ...

Disturbances that put spell on Middle East North Africa to be long-term most apparently - Lavrov

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:05:54 -0400

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US president RF SC secretary discuss cooperatn situation in Syria

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:05:53 -0400

WASHINGTON, May 23 (Itar-Tass) - U.S. President Barack Obama and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev during their meeting in the White House on Wednesday discussed relations between the United States and Russia, including in the economic area, fight against terrorism and the situation in ...

At least five killed in overnight clashes in Tripoli

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:05:05 -0400

Nazih Saddiq - 23 May 2013 Five people were killed and more than 50 wounded in overnight clashes in Tripoli between Lebanese gunmen loyal to rival factions ...

Qatar still backs dollar peg – cen bank boss

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:59:22 -0400

Rival news agency Reuters quoted the central bank's director of research earlier this week as saying that a "more flexible exchange rate" than the peg allowed would better suit managing inflation risk over the next ...

Kuwait sees quiet revival in arts scene

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:59:21 -0400

After two lacklustre decades, Kuwait is experiencing a quiet revival of an arts scene once known as the most avant garde in the Gulf, thanks to a new generation eager to tackle sensitive issues using cutting-edge art ...

Euro leagues could challenge Qatar 2022 in court

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:59:19 -0400

European football leagues could launch legal challenges if Qatar attempts to move the FIFA World Cup 2022 to winter, the head of Germany's top league has ...

Friends of Syria warn Assad of repercussions of not committing to peace

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:59:10 -0400

US Secretary of State John Kerry and British Foreign Secretary William Hague discuss Syria at the Friends of Syria meeting in Amman on Wednesday evening World powers urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to commit to peace but warned Thursday that if he fails to negotiate a political transition they would boost their backing of the opposition.The stark warning came from a meeting of ...

Egypts 2011 jailbreaks still a mystery carry potential embarrassment for Islamist leader

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:43:06 -0400

FILE - In this Wednesday, April 28, 2010 file photo, relatives of the 26 suspected Hezbollah members, accused of plotting attacks on tourists and shipping in the Suez Canal and sending operatives and explosives to Gaza to help militant groups there, waves to prison vehicles carrying them outside Emergency State Security Court in New Cairo, Egypt. It was one of the most perplexing events of ...

Saudi Arabia sees win-win in solar energy boom

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:39:56 -0400

A slide in solar power costs and a surge in oil prices over the last few years has made solar power a win-win strategy for Saudi Arabia: saving billions of dollars of crude for export while making electricity at less than half the ...

Mauritanian women denounce violence rape

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:33:49 -0400

NOUAKCHOTT - Hundreds of protesters gathered in Mauritania on Wednesday to denounce violence against women and demand tighter security amid a spike in assaults and rape cases in the capital ...

What is an Iranian drone doing in Bahrain near Saudi Arabia

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:33:48 -0400

DUBAI - Bahrain on Wednesday said it has found an Iranian drone in the kingdom's north near Saudi Arabia and called for increased cooperation between regional security services to face "threats" from ...

S.Korea to take 1st Iran LPG cargoes in 7 months -sources

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:08:06 -0400

SEOUL | Thu May 23, 2013 3:08am EDT SEOUL May 23 (Reuters) - South Korea will receive a shipment of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for the first time since imports were halted last October due to European sanctions that made it difficult to get shipping insurance, sources said on Thursday. South Korean LPG importer E1 Corp bought 33,000 tonnes of propane and 11,000 tonnes of ...

2011 jail breaks become political issue in Egypt

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:57:02 -0400

CAIRO -- It was one of the most perplexing events of Egypt's revolution: orchestrated attacks on prisons around the country that broke out more than 20,000 inmates while police were tied down with the massive popular protests that swept autocrat Hosni Mubarak from power.The prison breaks added to the chaos during the 18-day uprising in 2011, and the flood of criminals onto the streets ...

Qatar Airs cargo unit adds three new planes

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:48:18 -0400

The new A330s have replaced three Airbus A300 freighters that the airline has phased out of the fleet to make way for the new state-of-the-art ...

No political crisis in Kuwait claims speaker

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:48:18 -0400

The speaker of Kuwait's National Assembly insisted that there is no "political crisis" in the Gulf state, amid moves to question the oil and interior ministers in ...

U.S. may arm rebels if diplomacy fails Kerry says

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:41:25 -0400

John Kerry said. "In the event that we can't find that way forward, in the event that the Assad regime is unwilling to negotiate in good faith, we will also talk about our continued support and growing support for the opposition in order to permit them to continue to fight for the freedom of their country," Kerry said in Amman, Jordan, before a Friends of Syria meeting with key ...

No role for Assad post-conflict - Friends of Syria

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:33:23 -0400

President Bashar al-Assad will have no role to play in a peaceful Syria. That is according to the participants of a meeting Jordan of the Friends of Syria, a group of Western nations trying to broker a peace deal proposed by the US and Russia. It builds on last year’s stalled plan for a peaceful transition of power. ';In the event that the Assad regime is unwilling to negotiate ...

Mall of Qatar project set for 2015 opening

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:29:48 -0400

Construction has started on Doha's QR3bn ($820m) Mall of Qatar, which will be the largest retail centre in the Gulf state when it is completed in September ...

Report Saudi bailout of Pakistan energy sector likely

Thu, 23 May 2013 02:25:04 -0400

Pakistan may get a bailout worth up to $15 billion from Saudi Arabia for its troubled energy sector, a Pakistani official told Dawn newspaper. The Saudi assistance could consist of supplies of crude and furnace oil on deferred payment at a time when Pakistan's energy sector faces a host of financial and other problems, resulting in constant load shedding or rolling blackouts. The report ...

Six Ukrainians evacuated from Syria

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:50:33 -0400

"These individuals were evacuated via Lebanese territory, and subsequently flown to Ukraine on a regular Beirut-Kiev flight," the ministry said in a statement.Ukraine has evacuated more than 500 of its citizens from Syria since last July.Syria has been locked in a civil war since demonstrations broke out against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011. According to UN ...

Obama discusses Syria with senior Russian official

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:46:07 -0400

US President Barack Obama on Wednesday discussed with visiting Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev the need for a negotiated settlement of the protracted conflict in Syria.Dropping by a White House meeting between Patrushev and Thomas Donilon, his national security advisor, Obama discussed the need for a negotiated political settlement in Syria as well as the importance of ...

Protest Against G4S Outside Israels Ofer Prison 22-5-2013

Thu, 23 May 2013 01:32:00 -0400

British-Danish security firm G4S has been severely criticized for its operations in the occupied Palestinian territories and in prisons and detention centers in Israel, including those housing children and "administrative detainees" held without charge or ...

Behind Syria peace talks proposal US prepares regional war

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:49:05 -0400

While ostensibly touring the Middle East to discuss a joint US-Russian proposal for peace talks between the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad and Western-backed "rebels," Secretary of State John Kerry met with US allies to prepare for region-wide war.Stopping first in Oman, Kerry held talks with the ruling Sultan, one of the string of monarchical dictators that constitute, ...

Iran blocks presidential campaign of pro-US candidate Rafsanjani

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:49:04 -0400

Iranian authorities announced Tuesday that the Islamic Republic's Guardian Council has approved eight candidates to contest the June 14 presidential elections. Akhbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a pro-US pillar of Iran's clerical-nationalist establishment and the country's president from 1989 to 1997, and Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei, the political protg of current President Mahmoud ...

Kerry Lebanon “at risk” of being swept up in Syrian civil war

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:49:02 -0400

Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that the United States was increasingly concerned that the escalating fighting in Syria might slip across the border withLebanon and destabilize that ...

UN Nuclear Agency Says Iran Expanded Nuclear Activity

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:48:59 -0400

The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has taken a significant step toward building a reactor that Western experts say could provide a second path to producing material for a nuclear ...

Team Obama’s endless Syria bungling

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:42:08 -0400

Since his inauguration, President Obama’s gullibility about Syria’s brutal dictatorship and its ally Russia’s Middle East objectives has injured America’s stakes in the region. In the third year of Syria’s bloody, grinding civil war, Assad remains in power, contrary to near-universal predictions in the West, and Moscow is still running rings around Washington.Obama ...

Oman Air boosts fleet with three new A330-300

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:31:50 -0400

The aircraft will be operated on long haul routes Oman Air, the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, has placed an order for three A330-300s, growing its A330 Family fleet to a total of ten Airbus aircraft, according to a press release on Wednesday.The aircraft will be operated on long haul routes and can comfortably seat close to 300 passengers."The efficiency, reliability and ...

Morsi appeals to opposition for unified Egypt in face increasingly popular rebellion petition

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:31:46 -0400

Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi appealed Wednesday to the opposition for unity, in the face of criticism he is failing the revolution that brought him to power almost a year ...

Memo From Jerusalem Israel Is Drawn Into Syria’s Turmoil

Thu, 23 May 2013 00:20:12 -0400

JERUSALEM -- For more than two years, Israeli leaders have insisted they had no intention of intervening in the civil war raging in neighboring Syria, but they vowed to stop sophisticated weapons from being transferred to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia group, and to respond to intentional fire into their ...

Iran to increase iron ore exports tax by up to 40

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:31:36 -0400

(MENAFN) Due to higher sales to China, Iran's government is negotiating to increase the iron ore exports tax by up to 40 percent, reported Reuters.During the first three months of the year, Iranian iron ore exports went up 48 percent compared with last year's same period.This boost may lead to increase the annual revenue to USD3 billion at current prices.The high tax percentage may cut ...

PA hammers Israel at WHO annual assembly

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:29:48 -0400

Palestinian territories, Golan only sliver on planet to gain slot on World Health Organization's Geneva meeting; Foreign Ministry urges states to oppose resolution blasting Israel for poor health conditions in ...

UNSC urged to end provocations by Israel

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:24:58 -0400

/enpproperty--> UNITED NATIONS - Palestine has asked the UN Security Council to press Israel to end its "provocations", including restricting access to holy sites in East Jerusalem, a Palestinian envoy told reporters on Wednesday. "We have sent to the president of the Security Council and to the secretary-general, during the course of the last two weeks, four letters about the ...

US admits killing four Americans in drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:13:13 -0400

Washington: The US government formally acknowledged for the first time on Wednesday that it had killed four Americans, including militant cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, who died in drone strikes in Yemen and Pakistan.Attorney General Eric Holder named the dead US citizens in a letter to members of Congress a day before President Barack Obama is expected to promise more transparency on national security ...

U.S. Fears Syria Fighting Might Spill Into Lebanon

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:11:24 -0400

Secretary of State John Kerry met with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Amman on Wednesday. Mr. Kerry said Lebanon was "at risk" of being swept up in the Syrian civil ...

U.N. atomic agency Iran expands nuclear technology

Wed, 22 May 2013 23:04:53 -0400

Herman Nackaerts, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, left, talks with Iran's Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, right, as they face the media at the permanent mission of Iran in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday, May 15, ...

Bundesliga chief slams Qatar World Cup scheduling

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:59:58 -0400

Bundesliga chief executive Christian Seifert has slammed FIFA's decision to host World Cup 2022 in Qatar during the country's summer.Traditionally, the quadrennial showcase tournament is held during June and July.However, numerous senior football figures have called for FIFA to break with that tradition due to predicted extremely high temperatures in the country during those months.And ...

Syria as a Game-Changer US Political Impotence in the Middle East

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:22:14 -0400

Limitations of US military power became quite obvious in later years. (Photo: Aljazeera) 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 ...

US allies say Assad cannot play role in Syrias future denounce

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:16:26 -0400

The United States and its European and Arab allies on Wednesday said they would increase support to rebels until the formation of a transitional government in Syria.In a communique issued by "Friends of Syria" meeting, the foreign ministers of the United States, several Arab and European states said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his regime members and all those involved in the ...

Yemen a Major Part of Any Effort to Close Guantanamo

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:16:07 -0400

In a speech on Thursday, President Obama is set to renew his efforts to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. A key element of that effort will require the transfer of detainees to Yemen, something that has been impossible since the ...

Majority of U.S. Senate panel backs arming rebels

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:14:15 -0400

U.S. Senate panel voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to send weapons to rebels late fighting Syria’s government, but it was not clear who would get the arms even if the bill succeeds, as Washington struggles to deal with its response to the conflict. ...

Syria chemical weapons use increasing U.N.

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:14:14 -0400

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) shake hands as they meet at Bocharov Ruchei state residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi May 17, 2013. (REUTERS/Maxim ...

Kerry Arming rebels on the table if Assad shuns peace talks

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:14:13 -0400

This Tuesday, May 21, 2013 citizen journalism image provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Syrian rebels firing locally made shells made from gas cylinders against the Syrian forces, in Idlib province, northern Syria. (AP Photo/Edlib News Network ...

Little for Kerry to gain from Mideast visit

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:14:12 -0400

United States preoccupied with wider regional threats, tackling the deadlock behind the 65-year conflict has been put on the diplomatic back burner. Nonetheless, the U.S. Secretary of State will be landing in Israel Thursday, with the stated aim of resuming long-stalled negotiations. The visit will be his fourth such trip since taking over the State Department from Hillary Clinton in February, ...

Stagnant development projects imperil Kuwait’s stock market boom

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:14:11 -0400

DUBAI: Kuwait’s stock market boom could run out of steam if the government doesn’t push ahead soon with long-delayed infrastructure projects aimed at diversifying the ...

Egypt boosts FX sale for imports as SP warns on inflation

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:14:10 -0400

Egypt’s central bank sold an unspecified amount of dollars after offering a record $800 million to local lenders at a currency auction to finance imports as Standard & Poor’s warned of accelerating inflation. The benchmark Eurobonds fell. The regulator, which normally offers $40 million at each auction, sold the U.S. currency at a weighted average of 6.972 pounds at its second ...

Egypt factories hit by subsidy cuts highlight Cairo’s fiscal dilemma

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:14:07 -0400

AL-SAFF, Egypt: Hundreds of soot-stained factory chimneys dot the horizon in the industrial city of Al-Saff, south of Cairo, but only a few spew black smoke. Two years after the revolution that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak, Egyptian industry is struggling as political instability has scared off foreign investors and hit domestic confidence and the government has started slashing energy ...

Iran expands nuclear enrichment capability

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:12:58 -0400

Iran further expanded its nuclear enrichment capability by installing hundred advanced centrifuges in a uranium enrichment plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on ...

Israel finds more hostility in Britain

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:03:47 -0400

(2 mins ago) A senior Israeli minister described the ';animosity'' shown towards the state by British media, non-governmental organizations and academics, as ';disguised anti-Semitism,’’ in an interview published in today's Daily Telegraph in London. Yuval Steinitz, Israel's intelligence and strategic affairs minister, said he was ...

Iran’s Nuclear Program Is Seen Making Progress in I.A.E.A. Report

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:59:59 -0400

International nuclear inspectors reported on Wednesday that Iran had increased its nuclear production while negotiations with the West dragged on this spring, but the new information suggested that Tehran had not gone past the "red line" that Israel's leaders have declared could incite military ...

Letter Irans View of Cyberwarfare

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:19:12 -0400

To the Editor: Re ...

US Lawmakers Pledge to Back Israel Against Iran

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:18:39 -0400

The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved a resolution affirming America's firm opposition to Iran's nuclear ambitions, and pledging full support for Israel in the event of an Israeli military strike against Iran's nuclear facilities. The chance to slam Iran’s government and speak up for Israel brought a rare moment of complete bipartisan unity to the Senate. Republican ...

Turkey translates Prophets sayings for 21st Century

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:08:46 -0400

ANKARA - Scholars around the Muslim world were alarmed five years ago by news reports that Turkey planned a new, possibly heretical compilation of the Prophet Mohammad's sayings that might scrap those it thought were out of date.Turkish religious leaders and theologians received anxious calls asking about Western media reports they would edit a "radical" new set of hadiths, ...

Death toll reaches 13 in north Lebanon city fighting

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:07:01 -0400

Gunfire broke the calm in northern Lebanon's Tripoli on Wednesday, a day after fierce battles rocked the port city, bringing the casualties to 13 killed and 126 injured, a security source said.The source added two soldiers were among the dead and that tens of homes were damaged in the fighting.Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Miqati stressed that the army has been authorized to take necessary ...

Palestine urges UN Security Council to end provocations by Israel

Wed, 22 May 2013 21:03:47 -0400

Palestine has asked the UN Security Council to press Israel to end its "provocations," including restricting access to holy sites in East Jerusalem, a Palestinian envoy told reporters on ...

Hollande and Cameron alter position on Syria solution

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:58:15 -0400

British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande, adjust their earpieces during a press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Photograph: Thibault ...

West may boost Syria rebels if Assad wont talk peace

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:52:14 -0400

1 of 5. Soldiers open a road that was blocked by supporters of Sunni Muslim Salafist leader Ahmad al-Assir during the funeral of Saleh Ahmed Sabagh, a Hezbollah member, in the port-city of Sidon, southern Lebanon May 22, ...

Obama to announce plans to lift ban on sending Guantanamo detainees to Yemen

Wed, 22 May 2013 20:48:34 -0400

President Obama will announce Thursday that the White House plans to lift the ban on sending detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Yemen, Fox News confirms, a move that could effectively resume efforts to close down the prison That effort, however, has been stymied because many countries don't want the detainees or are unwilling or unable to guarantee that once transferred, detainees who may ...

Iran pushes ahead with nuclear plant IAEA

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:55:10 -0400

/enpproperty--> VIENNA-- Iran further expanded its nuclear enrichment capability by installing hundred advanced centrifuges in a uranium enrichment plant, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said on Wednesday. In a report, the UN nuclear watch dog said Iran continues to install the IR-2m centrifuges, which could promote its uranium enrichment significantly, in Natanz enrichment ...

US House panel backs stiff new Iran sanctions

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:54:44 -0400

Iran could face tightened sanctions within months after a US congressional panel Wednesday adopted a measure targeting the nation's auto and mining industries as well as its foreign currency ...

Kuwaits ASCO secures $342.2m in financing for Al Amiri Hospital expansion

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:52:59 -0400

A joint venture led by Kuwait's Associated Construction Co (ASCO) has signed a financing agreement with the National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) to finance the KD98m ($342.2m) Al Amiri Hospital expansion project, Kuna has reported. The hospital expansion project involves the construction, maintenance and provision of medical equipment for a new tower at the hospital, doubling the existing capacity ...

Defying the odds in Yemen Syria and Turkey involves foresight

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:50:36 -0400

SANLIURFA, Turkey - I’ve been traveling to Yemen, Syria and Turkey to film a documentary on how environmental stresses contributed to the Arab awakening. As I looked back on the trip, it occurred to me that three of our main characters - the leaders of the two Yemeni villages that have been fighting over a single water well and the leader of the Free Syrian Army in Raqqa province, whose ...

Sex harassment raps readied vs ex-ambassador to Kuwait

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:44:07 -0400

MANILA, Philippines--Charges of sexual harassment have been filed against recalled Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Shulan Primavera for allegedly abusing a household helper several times in 2012, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Wednesday. Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez, the DFA spokesman, said on Wednesday that Primavera would soon face a formal hearing after the charges were ...

The war that today shakes Syria started in the media long before economic sanctions and mercenary gangs were financed to overthrow the government said Elias Murad president of the Union of Journalists of Syria. Many reporters entered the country before

Wed, 22 May 2013 19:23:33 -0400

Prensa Latina The war that today shakes Syria started in the media, long before economic sanctions and mercenary gangs were financed to overthrow the government, said Elias Murad, president of the Union of Journalists of Syria. Many reporters entered the country before the crisis, filming as tourists, violating the ethical code, and then made their reports distorting the facts, as provided by ...

Filipino Workers to Get More Rights in Saudi Arabia

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:58:33 -0400

story on domestic workers in the U.S. , as part of our Global Nation coverage. Well, there are more than half a million Filipinos working in Saudi Arabia and until this week they had very few protections. The governments of Saudi Arabia and the Philippines have now signed an agreement giving Filipino workers more rights – specifically Filipino household service workers. Anchor Marco ...

Jordanian FM hopeful Kerry will relaunch talks

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:50:32 -0400

Nasser Judeh in Amman says US Secretary of State's round-the-clock-efforts may create "inducing environment" to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian negotiations; Kerry scheduled to meet Netanyahu, Peres, Livni in ...

Saudi Arabia reports 17th death of novel coronavirus

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:46:32 -0400

RIYADH, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia reported Wednesday the 17th death out of 31 novel coronavirus infection cases in the country, according to an official statement. The 17th victim of the virus was a non-Saudi in al-Qassim region, who has been admitted to hospital a few days ago due to severe ...

US wants transitional govt in Syria to end crisis

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:46:12 -0400

AMMAN - The foreign ministers of "Friends of Syria" nations said Wednesday that they want a transitional government in Syria that does not include current Syrian President Bashar ...

UPDATE 1-U.S. Congress moves to tighten sanctions on Iran

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:34:02 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 6:34pm EDT (Updates with Senate vote) By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON May 22 (Reuters) - A U.S. House of Representatives committee approved legislation on Wednesday seeking to impose tighter sanctions on Iran, the latest congressional effort to slow development of the Islamic Republic's disputed nuclear program. The "Nuclear Iran Prevention Act of 2013" passed the ...

Exclusive Glencore Trafigura deals with Iran may have skirted sanctions - U.N.

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:30:33 -0400

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Metals swap deals with Iran by Switzerland-based commodities giants Glencore Xstrata and Trafigura could have been a way of skirting international sanctions against Tehran over its nuclear program, according to a confidential U.N. Panel of Experts report seen by Reuters on ...

Muslim Brotherhood Not Qualified to Run Egypt Says Former Member

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:29:56 -0400

Hossam Abdel Moniem, a former leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood, said that the leaders of the Egypt's ruling group are not qualified to rule the country, given that the members were once prevented from taking any executive position during the era of the Hosni Mubarak ...

Obama administration confirms 4 Americans killed by U.S. drones

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:21:36 -0400

Obama administration said Wednesday U.S. drones killed four Americans in airstrikes in Yemen and Pakistan. The disclosure came in a letter U.S. Attorney ...

UN concerned by new reports of chemical weapons in Syria

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:51:19 -0400

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N.'s top Mideast envoy says there are mounting reports of chemical weapons use in Syria.In response, Robert Serry said the United Nations is again urging the Syrian government to allow chemical weapons experts into the country without further delay to investigate the allegations.Syria asked Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to investigate an alleged chemical ...

Egypt leader claims victory in captives release

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:47:35 -0400

This image made from video broadcast on Egyptian State Television shows members of the Egyptian security forces after their release by kidnappers, in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Six Egyptian policemen and a border guard kidnapped by suspected militants in the volatile Sinai Peninsula last week were freed by their captors Wednesday after successful mediation, the country's military ...

A Decade In The Making West Bank Barrier Is Nearly Complete

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:44:49 -0400

Ibrahim Shomali, a Palestinian priest, offers Communion under the olive trees of the Cremisan Valley in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. This is part of a regular protest against Israeli plans to build a section of its West Bank barrier here that would separate Palestinians from their agricultural ...

U.S. Non-Intervention In Syria Could Mirror Outcome In Congo

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:44:49 -0400

This week, we're exploring how lessons learned from U.S. intervention and non-intervention in foreign conflicts can inform policy decisions toward Syria today. Robert Siegel talks with Chester Crocker, formerly assistant secretary of state for African affairs in the Reagan administration, about how the U.S. has dealt with the decades-long conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has ...

Tunisia Salafist spokesman released on bail

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:37:57 -0400

Ansar al-Sharia spokesman Seifeddine Rais, detained in the Tunisian city of Kairouan at the weekend as police enforced a government ban on its annual congress, was released on bail on Wednesday, ...

Egypt to boost fuel supply to ease power shortages

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:37:54 -0400

CAIRO: The Egyptian government said on Wednesday it would supply more gas and diesel to power stations to deal with electricity shortages that have worsened in recent months after the cash-strapped country failed to import enough fuel. The government has set aside $200 million to finance the additional petroleum products and is in the process of approving an additional $525 million, the cabinet ...

Letters Hopes for a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Syria

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:21:48 -0400

The civil war is still to come , 16 May), consider that the solution to such conflicts must be through developing better mechanisms for encouraging a negotiated settlement. Only a few weeks ago the UN general assembly overwhelmingly agreed an arms trade treaty that is intended to prevent the supply of arms, especially where there is an embargo, to people who are likely to use them in breach of ...

Palestinians have little faith in John Kerrys efforts to restart peace talks

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:16:18 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks during a joint news conference with his Jordanian counterpart, Nasser Judeh, not pictured, in Amman Wednesday, May 22, 2013. Secretary of State John Kerry says the United States and its Arab and European allies will step up their support for Syria’s opposition to help them ';fight for the freedom of their country'; if President Bashar ...

Kerry in Oman praises Raytheon defense contract

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:12:12 -0400

Raytheon Co. 's $1.6 billion contract for an Omani air defense system. In remarks Wednesday before his meeting with Omani Defense Minister Sayyid Badr al-Busaidi, Kerry mentioned Raytheon's presence in his home state, Massachusetts, and praised Omani Sultan Qaboos, with whom Kerry met Tuesday. Kerry also noted a "transition taking place throughout the Middle East, throughout the ...

Iran calls attention to aggressive plans of the U.S. and Israel

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:05:16 -0400

"Some Persian Gulf countries are supporting U.S. plans in the region and it harms the countries of the region", the Chairman of the National Security and Foreign Policy of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, the national parliament, Alaedin Boruyerdi said on Saturday (27th). Crimes and discord are the buzzwords of the ...

Civil wars and Syria lessons from history

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:00:11 -0400

A man at a site recently hit by what activists said was a Scud missile in Aleppo's Ard al-Hamra neighborhood, February 23, 2013. REUTERS/Muzaffar Salman Most of the international debate about Syria policy focuses on how to remove President Bashar al-Assad from power. Options for NATO states and key Arab League partners include everything from enlisting Russias help in a diplomatic approach, ...

How to Arm the Rebels in Syria’s Civil War

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:40:40 -0400

The options for the United States are narrowing rapidly as the Syrian civil war rages on. Although Secretary of State John Kerry and his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, announced recently that they are arranging an international conference aimed at ending the conflict, their effort may not be any more successful than previous failed attempts to find a diplomatic solution. ...

Syria rebels in plea for weapons to hold Qusayr

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:39:31 -0400

AMMAN // Syrian rebels pleaded yesterday for weapons and ammunition to combat Hizbollah fighters and Assad regime forces in the crucial battle for Qusayr. "If we lose Qusayr, we lose Homs, and if we lose Homs, we lose the heart of the country," said one rebel fighter. George Sabra, acting chief of the Syrian National Coalition, said "forces from outside Syria" were seeking ...