News & Events
Mohamed ElBaradei leads Egypt 'police death' protest
Several thousand demonstrators have taken to the streets of the Egyptian city of Alexandria to protest against alleged police brutality....
Dubai 'marriage merchant' finds love for upwardly mobile Indians
(CNN) -- He is the self-styled "Merchant of Marriage" -- a Dubai matchmaker who says he has helped set up 3,000 weddings for the Emirate's Indian and Pakistani community....
ElBaradei leads anti-torture rally
Mohamed ElBaradei, the former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has led a protest against alleged abuses by the police in the Egyptian city of Alexandria. ...
Yemen forces clash with al-Qaeda
Yemen's security forces have clashed with suspected members of al-Qaeda as they hunted fighters behind a deadly attack on a government intelligence compound in the southern city of Aden. ...
Al Qaeda's American Spokesman Blasts Obama in New Video
In a new video released over the weekend, al Qaeda's American spokesman Adam Gadahn ridicules President Obama but offers him a peace deal if the U.S. leaves Iraq and Afghanistan and ends aid to Israel and those Muslim countries al Qaeda considers un-Islamic....
Environmentalists Say Red Sea Oil Spill Continuing
(AP) CAIRO (AP) - Environmental activists said Monday that an oil spill off the coast of Egypt's Red Sea is continuing even after the government said it had been contained, leaving turtles and sea birds covered in oil....
Jerusalem demolition plan approved
The Jerusalem planning committee has given initial approval to a proposal for demolishing 22 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem's Silwan neighbourhood to make room for a tourist centre. ...
Settlers target 'shared cities'
Jewish settlers storming the garden of an elderly Palestinian woman may seem like something you would expect to happen in Hebron, not cosmopolitan Tel Aviv. But that is exactly what happened to Zeinab Rachayel, an Arab resident of Tel Aviv's mixed suburb, Yafo....
How Libya became a dead end for migrants
Libya, once the gateway for African immigrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, is increasingly putting up its shutters....
UN to probe 'beating' of deported Iraqis by UK staff
The UN refugee agency is investigating allegations that deported Iraqi asylum seekers were beaten by UK Border Agency staff to get them on and off the plane....
Toys for Gaza, after three years
Israel says the siege on Gaza is about security and making sure the deposed government of Hamas doesn't get its hands on any more weapons....
Clinton announces funding for Palestinian refugees
Washington (CNN) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the United States will give $60 million to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for help to Palestinian refugees on Friday, a move designed to improve the lives of 4.7 million people....
Israeli wanted over Dubai killing 'held in Poland'
Polish authorities have arrested a suspected Israeli agent in connection with the murder of a Hamas operative in Dubai in January....
4 who killed U.S. aid workers escape Sudan prison
(CNN) -- Four men on death row for killing two U.S. international aid employees in Sudan escaped from prison in Khartoum, a State Department spokesman said Friday....
Israel apologises for spoof video mocking Gaza flotilla
The Israeli government has apologised after its press office emailed to journalists a spoof video about the flotilla which tried to dock in Gaza....
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Football signal jamming criticised
Football fans across the Arab world were furious when they tried to watch the opening game of the World Cup in South Africa and found the signal was blocked. ...
Report: Saudis to help raid on Iran
A British newspaper has claimed that Saudi Arabia intends to allow Israeli fighter jets to use its airspace in any bombing raid on Iran's nuclear facilities....
U.S. to give $400 million to help loosen Gaza embargo
The United States will contribute $400 million in development aid to the Palestinian territories and work with Israel to loosen its embargo on Gaza, President Barack Obama said Wednesday....
Anger as EU deports Iraqi refugees
A group of about 60 failed Iraqi asylum seekers have been forcibly deported from several EU countries to Baghdad. ...
Egypt introduces Alexandria smoking ban
Egypt, the biggest Arab consumer of cigarettes, is beginning an attempt to ban smoking in public places....
US soldier arrested over Iraq video
A US soldier serving in Iraq has been arrested for allegedly leaking a classified combat video to a whistleblower website, Wikileaks, last year. ...
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Flotilla activists 'shot 30 times'
Autopsies on bodies of activists killed in Israel's attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla five days ago indicate that the victims were shot multiple times at close range. ...
Cyclone Phet moves over Oman toward Pakistan
Cyclone Phet has not lessened in force to the degree expected as it passed over Oman, weather forecasters say....
Israel threatens to board Gaza aid ship Rachel Corrie
Israel says its troops will board an Irish-owned aid ship attempting to break the blockade of Gaza if it does not change course....
Impoverished Gazans Angry Over Israeli Blockade Vows
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, desperate for medical and other supplies, are watching the high seas confrontation between Israel and blockade runners with a combination of sadness and anger....
Let's talk about 'Sex' - and the Middle East
There comes a time in every person’s life when they are faced with an embarrassing conversation about sex. In the Middle East, every conversation about sex is embarrassing – that is if sex is discussed at all. But the popularity of shows such as "Sex and the City," which people can see via U.S. channels by satellite, makes you wonder how much of that uncomfortable feeling around the subject of sex is innate and how much of it is imposed by a societ...
New Saudi marriage contracts to ask the bride's age
Saudi Arabia has started issuing new marriage contracts that require the age of the bride to be given, in an attempt to stop underage girls from marrying....
Turkish aid activists arrive home
Three planes carrying activists from the Gaza aid flotilla stormed by Israel on Monday have arrived in Istanbul. ...
Echoes of the past in Israeli ship raid
It was a military raid on a civilian ship bound for Palestine, carried out in the international waters of the Mediterranean to prevent the boat from reaching its blockaded destination....
U.S. Embassy in Baghdad Missing $18.5M in Cars
State Department's Inspector General Says 159 of Embassy's 1,168 Vehicles Unaccounted for at Largest U.S. Diplomatic Post...
Third Iraqi al-Qaeda leader killed: Iraqi military
US and Iraqi forces have killed another al-Qaeda leader in the north of Iraq, army officials say....
Hariri: Scud story is another WMD fallacy
Lebanese PM says Israel raises threats against Lebanon before every tourist season. ...
Anti-Syria Lebanon MP finds bombs near home
Lebanese army says two bombs not been primed but lawmaker sees stunt as message from foes. ...
Kuwait warns against oil price speculation
Kuwait oil minister expects price to remain within range of 75-90 dollars a barrel....
Qatar Airways feels brunt of volcanic ash
Chief executive says Qatari carrier is losing 5.5 million dollars a day due to costly flight bans imposed by Europe....
Enjoying a flutter on the horses in the Iraqi capital
The crowd in the stands rose to their feet shouting and gesticulating in tense excitement as the horses rounded the final bend and thundered down the home straight to the finishing-post in a cloud of dust....
UN criticises executions of 'collaborators' in Gaza
The head of the UN Human Rights Commission has condemned the use of the death penalty by the militant Islamist movement Hamas which controls Gaza....
China quake death toll 'passes 1,000'
The number of people known to have been killed by a massive quake in China's Qinghai province has risen to 1,144, officials say....
Vaccine hope for children's lung virus
A virus that causes wheezing and pneumonia claims the lives of up to 200,000 children worldwide each year, a study has found....
Obama doubtful on Middle East peace
Barack Obama, the US president, has admitted that Washington's power to influence stalled negotations between Israel and the Palestinians in limited....
Iceland volcano: Airlines 'to lose $200m a day'
Airlines will lose at least $200m (£130m) per day in revenues as a result of the volcanic ash-linked disruption, the industry's governing body has said....
Yemen's Awlaki family offers deal
The father of Anwar al-Awlaki, a Yemeni religious scholar who has reportedly been added to a US hit list, says his son will halt his anti-US messages if Washington removes him from the list....
Dubai jails two over Chechen murder
A Dubai court has jailed two men for 25 years each in connection with the murder of a former Chechen military leader....
Kuwait deports ElBaradei activists
Seventeen Egyptians deported from Kuwait for holding a meeting in support of potential Egyptian presidential candidate Mohamed ElBaradei, have arrived in Egypt....
Polish president's body flown home
The body of the Polish president has arrived back in Warsaw a day after he and 95 others were killed in an air crash in western Russia....
Preserving the plant heritage in Oman
Oman Botanic Garden to be first of its kind in Arabia, serve as repository of nation’s richly diverse flora. ...
Taped US shooting in Iraq not 'isolated incident'
Iraq war veteran: 'we were told to just shoot people, and the officers would take care of us.'...
Netanyahu will not attend nuclear summit
Israeli PM drops plans to visit US amid fears that Tel Aviv would be centre of nuclear focus....
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Courting Hezbollah
Hezbollah wants to empower Hariri so that he can evolve into a reliable and sustainable ally and, eventually, rid himself of unwanted alliances. Hezbollah believes Hariri's alliance with the Lebanese Forces of former Maronite warlord Samir Geagea was forced on him, says Sami Moubayed....
Hariri: Israel stalling peace process
Lebanese PM: Israelis must understand that weapons, destruction only incite hate, violence....
Free land for Omani women
Omani women welcome government decision to grant them free land, giving them better control of their marriage....
Behind France's Islamic veil
France is one of several European countries considering a ban on the Islamic veil, and some restrictions on the niqab could become law within weeks. Claire Bolderson reports on how the debate plays into a broader struggle over French identity....
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Oil prices hit new 18-month high
The price of oil reached a fresh 18-month high on Tuesday on growing hopes of a US-led global economic recovery....
Beshir promises 'free and fair' elections
Sudan vote credibility marred by opposition, EU pullout leaving Beshir as sole valid candidate....
Turkey, Greece agree measures for closer ties
Ankara, Athens vow to intensify bilateral contacts, overcome long-standing rivalry....
Prisoners escape from Yemen jail
Dozens of inmates have escaped from a Yemeni jail after a bomb went off in the prison, causing chaos, reports say....
Crafts of Oman face extinction
Omani handicrafts industry struggling to survive amid competition from machine-made imports....
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I’m Not a Hezbollah Member – Stop the Hateful Rhetoric
Where did these deranged people get their distorted ideas? The answer is from a group of individuals associated with right-wing 'think tanks' who write blogs or articles that consistently defame or distort the ideas of most recognised Arab American and American Muslim leaders, notes James Zogby. ...
Dubai observatory of world's tallest tower reopens
Dozens of visitors line up to ascend viewing deck of Dubai's glistening 160-storey Burj Khalifa....
In Lebanon, all roads lead once again to Damascus
Analysts say Lebanese leaders, who were hostile towards Damascus, are rushing to heal rifts with Syria....
Israel pounds Gaza with missiles
Three children have been reported injured in eastern Gaza City after Israeli aircraft carried out a series of missile attacks across the Palestinian territory....
Saudis 'give Lebanese sorcerer stay of execution'
A Lebanese man sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia for sorcery has been given a temporary reprieve, his lawyer says....
Hezbollah, Hamas and the False Promise of Resistance
Hezbollah and Hamas have employed 'resistance' more often to marginalise their national authorities than to fight Israel, in the process destabilising their societies, says Michael Young....
Criminality rife in Lebanon’s 'Roumieh Prison
Notorious prison is no stranger to rioting, escapes, corruption and abuse as it holds almost three times its capacity....
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China 'to discuss Iran sanctions'
The United States says China has agreed to join discussions on possible new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme....
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Dubai World gets $9.5bn government backing
The Dubai government has announced it will provide $9.5bn (£6.4bn) in funding to help its Dubai World investment vehicle to restructure its debt....
Can Dr Iyad Allawi heal Iraq's wounds?
It was the British-trained surgeon's success in winning votes from both sides of Iraq's sectarian divide that delivered his narrow two-seat victory....
Jumblatt meets Assad to mend ties
Hezbollah welcomes Lebanese Druze leader’s meeting with Syrian President in Damascus....
Hezbollah 'will not be silent' if accused in Hariri murder
Nasrallah warns of taking Lebanon to 'a very difficult place' if fingers pointed to any member of his party....
Iraq's Allawi accuses Iran of interference
Former Iraqi premier Iyad Allawi accused neighbouring Iran on Tuesday of seeking to prevent him becoming prime minister again, after his bloc emerged strongest from national elections....
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Gazans pay with lives for work
Gaza has one of the poorest economies in the world and last year's Israeli offensive on the territory has made matters worse....
Iraq candidates 'should be barred'
A number of members of the Iraqiya bloc which won the most seats in recent elections should have been barred from running due to alleged ties to Saddam Hussein's Baath party, a panel of Iraqi officials said....
Gathafi: Carve Nigeria into many ethnic states
Libyan leader says model that best fits Nigeria to resolve sectarian problems is Yugoslavia....
UAE president brother's body found in Morocco
Sheikh Ahmed bin Zayed al-Nahayan dies in Morocco, body to be transferred to UAE. ...
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UAE jewellery firm faces sanctions
A regulator in the UAE has hit Damas, a jewellery company with headquarters in Dubai, with unprecedented penalties over charges of corporate corruption....
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Dubai World announces debt plan
The Dubai government has announced details of a plan to repay the $26bn debts owed by the state-owned Dubai World conglomerate. ...
Arab leaders condemn Israeli policy
Arab leaders have expressed their total rejection of Israel's settlement policy in occupied East Jerusalem at the end of a two-day regional summit in Libya....
Kuwait's Jazeera Airways posts loss in 2009
Budget airline incurs loss of 28.5 million dollars in 2009 due to global economic turmoil....
EU, Libya scrap tit-for-tat travel visa bans
Libya hails lifting of EU’s visa ban on all names of Libyans on balcklist as ‘defeat’ for Switzerland....
Dubai horse racing industry defiant
"I've never seen anything like it. It's like something out of science fiction, the Planet Dune or something," Sting said as he gazed at the futuristic structure in front of him....
Women in Yemen rally in support of a child bride law
Hundreds of women have rallied outside Yemen's parliament to show support for a law banning child marriages....
Lebanon to attend Arab summit in Libya
Beirut to send Lebanon's Cairo ambassador to summit in Libya despite spat with Tripoli....
Oman's prudent economic policy – sound budget guarantees growth
Oman adopted measures to enhance expenditure to cushion impact of global economic downturn....
Young Arabs want democracy and more jobs
Survey finds majority of Arabs see 'living in a democratic country' as their first priority....
New plan to curb bird flu in Egypt
Sale of poultry between any of Egypt’s 29 governorates is to be banned in bid to fight spread of avian influenza....
Dubai jails Indian pair for 'sexy texts'
Steamy text messages have resulted in a three-month jail sentence for an Indian man and an Indian woman in Dubai....
Iranian police arrest 50 people at traditional festival
Iranian police say they have arrested 50 people during clashes between opposition supporters and police in Tehran during a new year festival....
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Oil price rises after Opec holds its output quota
The Organisation of Oil Exporting Countries (Opec) has agreed to keep to its existing oil output quota....
Egypt prayers for Hosni Mubarak's recovery
Government-run mosques across Egypt offered prayers for President Hosni Mubarak's recovery on Friday....
Turkey optimistic on economic recovery
Turkish government activity to make stronger economy growth than first expected. ...
Lebanese army fires on Israeli warplanes
Anti-aircraft guns open fire on two Israeli fighter planes violating Lebanese air space....
Lebanon jails 20 over Al-Qaeda links
Judge finds accused guilty of belonging to Al-Qaeda, plotting ‘terrorist attacks’ in Lebanon....
Qatar looking to invest more in Germany
Germany 'to be open again to investment' as Qatari investment to help German economy....
UN Hariri tribunal begins 3-D filming at crime scene
Investigation team will be using high-tech equipment to film area where assassination of ex-Lebanese PM occurred....
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Sharks face extinction in Arab seas
Numerous species of sharks in the Arabian seas are facing a growing threat of extinction as demand for their fins rises across the world....
Violence flares in East Jerusalem
Palestinians have clashed with Israeli police in two areas of occupied East Jerusalem after Palestinian groups called for a "day of rage" over the reopening of a synagogue in the Old City....
Iraqi women miss Saddam Hussein's days
Women in Iraq bear double burden, feel less secure or free following US-led invasion....
Beirut rejects Tripoli's invite to Arab summit
Lebanese will not take part in Arab summit in Libya because of dispute with Tripoli over 1978 disappearance of Sadr....
Syria wants 'to open new page' with Jumblatt
Syrian President ready to receive Lebanese Druze chief in Damascus amid improvement in ties....
Abu Dhabi presents Mozart opera with Arabic text
Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage gives UAE audience Mozart's 'La Finta Giardiniera'....
Uphill battle to supply prosthetics to Gaza war injured
Palestinians amputated by Israeli missiles find treatment difficulties due to Israeli siege of Gaza. ...
Female circumcision still rife in Egypt
WHO-funded study finds many of those surveyed see FGM/C as ‘family affair’, personal decision....
Iran offers 'courting' diplomas to cut divorce
Iran unveils online course to educate its young population on how to find Mr or Mrs Right....
Lebanon's Jumblatt urges Syria to open new page
Druze leader admits he has made unreasonable remarks about Assad at time of internal tensions within Lebanon....
ADACH launches Arab books distribution company
Company will find solutions for major concern for book publishers throughout Arab region....
Hariri to visit Syria to revise bilateral accords
Lebanese PM wants Beirut to have 'privileged, sincere and honest relations' with Damascus....
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Palestine Exists on Film
Over the past 10 years Palestinian filmmakers have constructed a specific national identity on screen. More directly political than the earlier portrayals of Palestinian lives and stories, filmmaking has become essential to the Palestinian cause, notes Sabah Haider....
Elections Don’t Justify Iraq War
I do admire the courage of Iraqi voters. And the situation in Iraq is more secure than at any time in the last few years. But none of this even remotely justifies the Iraq War and its toll. Estimates of Iraqi fatalities since Bush’s invasion range from 100,000 to upward of 1 million, says Amitabh Pal....
'The Hurt Locker' wins six Oscars, 'Avatar' wins three
Hollywood, March 09: "The Hurt Locker" blew away box office king "Avatar" to take six Oscars, with Kathryn Bigelow becoming the first woman to win the best director award....
Women-only taxis hit Cairo streets
CAIRO: A waxed rag in hand, Inas Hamam gives her car a good buff as she awaits her first clients of the day — Egyptian women, tired of sexual harassment, who prefer a female taxi driver. ...
Azerbaijan's long lifers 'a dying breed'
The famously long-lived people of the Talysh Mountains are now said to be dying younger, reports the BBC's Tom Esslemont from Azerbaijan....
The sleeping killers behind the wheel
A big increase in obesity threatens to cause health problems for millions of people across the world....
Anaesthetics
The word 'anaesthesia' is derived from Greek, meaning 'lack of sensation'. This can be achieved using several methods....
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Women train their sights on business in Lebanon camp
Specialised training courses give Palestinian women refugees hope in Nahr el-Bared camp....
Gaza fishermen still under Israeli fire
Gaza City, March 09: Sami al-Qouqa, a 30-year-old former fisherman from al-Shati refugee camp in northern Gaza, lost his left hand when his fishing boat came under fire from an Israeli gunboat on 12 March 2007, in an incident documented by the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights....
Tunisia's 'feminist' Muslim scholar commemorated in London
Tunisian embassy in UK organises lecture on Taher Haddad, 'precursor of women's rights'....
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Saudi awards Turkey's Erdogan for 'service to Islam'
Erdogan awarded for his calls for rapport between civilisations, constructive dialogue, openness....
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Turkish PM against Iran sanctions
Recep Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, has cautioned against further UN Security Council sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme during a visit to Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. ...
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Lebanon defence talks adjourned
Lebanon's rival political parties have adjourned talks on Hezbollah's weapons to April 15. ...
Syria and Israel eye nuclear plants
Israel and Syria have announced ambitions to develop nuclear power plants to meet their energy needs. ...
Audio slideshow: Palestinian Bagpipers
Across the West Bank on public holidays, thousands of Palestinian scouts march through the streets twirling batons, banging drums and playing bagpipes....
Jordan turns to Islamic banking
The Jordanian government has borrowed $100 million from the Jordan Islamic Bank, following the successful performance of Islamic banking during the latest global financial crisis. ...
Kuwaiti women complain of discrimination
Women in Kuwait are still barred from becoming judges, deprived of promotion to senior posts despite progress....
Maliki emerges as front-runner after Iraq vote
Local officials say PM Maliki's political bloc so far leading in nine of Iraq's 18 provinces....
Yemen arrests al-Qaeda suspects
Sana’a, March 4 – Yemeni security forces have arrested 11 suspected al-Qaeda members in raids in the capital Sana’a that sparked a gunfight which killed the father of a suspected militant, state media said on Thursday....
Mass drugs trial in Morocco
87 people, including members of security forces, sentenced to up to ten years in prison....
Bahrain Shia demand cabinet change
Bahrain's largest Shia parliamentary group is demanding the cabinet be chosen by its elected parliament, and not appointed by the king. ...
Clashes at Jerusalem's Aqsa mosque
Israeli police have entered Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound to disperse Palestinian protesters who they said threw stones at police officers and Jewish worshippers nearby....
Egypt president to undergo surgery
Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, will undergo a gall bladder operation in Germany on Saturday, Egyptian state television has announced....
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Iran's journalists under pressure
Iran's government has shut down two publications as part of a continuing crackdown on pro-reform media voices....
Dubai: Israeli premier faces arrest
The head of the Dubai police is planning to seek the arrest of the prime minister of Israel and the head of the country's secret service, Mossad, over the killing of a Hamas leader....
Tunisia suspends private university for three years
Ministry inspection finds 'Université Libre de Tunis' to be in breach of higher education law....
Oman, a tourist treasure trove - history and nature in splendid harmony
For nature lovers worldwide, Oman offers plenty to enjoy amid new international attention....
Palestinian village launches 'cultural' resistance
Palestinian youth resist Israeli occupation with stones one day, music and songs the next....
Car bombs kill 33 ahead of Iraq polls
Three co-ordinated attacks in Iraqi city of Baquba just days before parliamentary elections....
Separate cells for newly-weds, after bride attacks husband’s ex
A US couple has spent the first night of married life in separate prison cells after the bride attacked the groom’s former lover after the wedding....
Study: small dogs originated in Middle East
Research reveals version of IGF1 gene found in small dogs is closely related to that found in Middle Eastern wolves....
Platform of Knowledge: Muscat International Book Fair expands
Among the thousands of titles on display at the Muscat Book Fair are also eight books that have been short-listed for the International Prize for Arabic Section. This prize, also known as the Arabic Booker and awarded by Emirate Foundation in Abu Dhabi, is to encourage budding writers of Arabic prose....
Oil price bounces above 80 dollars
Strengthening US economy, upbeat jobs market news from Europe boost oil market sentiment....
Cleric urges Iraq poll neutrality
Ali al-Sistani, Iraq's highest Shia religious authority, has called on his fellow clerics to stay neutral in next month's general election and refrain from backing candidates....
Russia open to Iran sanctions
Russia has said it is ready to consider new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme as the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog says he cannot verify that all of Tehran's atomic activities are peaceful....
Nose scanning techniques could sniff out criminals
We already have iris and fingerprint scanning but noses could be an even better method of identification, says a study from the University of Bath, UK....
Iraq cracks down on Baghdad's camouflage tailors
There is a dizzying array of different camouflage shirts hanging in Qais Ibrahim's tailor shop: dark blue, light blue, even white, for the various different police departments....
Building the first 'Palestinian settlement'
Standing on the hills of Rawabi just north of Ramallah on the West Bank, at the moment there's little more than a stunning view. On a clear day you can see as far as Tel Aviv and the Mediterranean....
CIA suicide bomber calls for jihad against Jordan
Jordanian double-agent Balawi accuses Amman of being behind death of two top militant leaders, including Zarqawi....
Battling divorce stigma takes to Egypt airwaves
Egypt's 'Radio Divorcees' comes to defence of divorced women, offers enlightenment on topic....
Police break up Yemen rallies
Yemeni security forces have fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse protesters in the southern city of Daleh, sources tell Al Jazeera....
Chile struggles to reach survivors
Rescue workers in central Chile are searching for survivors under the rubble of collapsed buildings, a day after one of the world's most powerful earthquakes struck the South American country....
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Cairo protest over anti-women vote
Dozens of Egyptian women and human rights activists have staged a protest in Cairo against a recent decision that bars women from holding judicial positions....
US names new envoy to Syria
The United States has moved to mend diplomatic ties with Syria, appointing a new ambassador to Damascus five years after withdrawing the last envoy....
Jordan and France sign uranium deal
Jordan has signed an agreement with France's nuclear giant Areva, giving the company exclusive uranium mining rights....
Arab press glee over 'Mossad exposed' in Dubai
Dubai police are praised by Middle East commentators for their investigations into the death of a senior Palestinian militant in Dubai last month, and for apparently unmasking the elite Israeli secret service, Mossad....
Algeria police chief shot dead at force headquarters
The chief of Algeria's national police force, Ali Tounsi, has been shot dead in the capital, Algiers, officials say....
UN slams Libya anti-Swiss 'jihad'
A top UN official has condemned as "inadmissible" Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's call for a jihad, or holy war, against Switzerland....
Syria and Iran defend strong ties
Syria and Iran have defended their strong ties and dismissed US efforts to break up the 30-year-alliance, saying America should not dictate relationships in the Middle East....
Trainer killed at Sea World
In the renowned US theme park "Sea World", Dawn Brancheau, a professional trainer, was killed on Wednesday by a killer whale while playing with it from a poolside platform. ...
Oil price reaches six-week high as dollar weakens
The price of oil has risen to a six-week high as reports of a rescue for debt-laden Greece lifted the euro and helped push the US dollar lower....
Saudi women to be allowed to argue cases in court
Saudi Arabia is planning to bring in a new law to allow women lawyers to argue cases in court for the first time....
Iran's role model and inspiration - on skis
The first Iranian woman to take part in the Winter Olympics says she hopes she will be able to inspire Muslim women all over the world to get involved in sport....
Unearthing Ur riches in Iraq
Archaeologists believe buried antiquities of Ur could one day outshine those of ancient Egypt....
Body falls from cargo plane leaving D.R.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - The body of a young man fell from a cargo plane as it was starting to take off for Miami, Dominican officials said....
'Malaria' killed King Tut
King Tutankhamen, Egypt's best-known pharaoh, was a frail youth who died due to "severe malaria" more than 3,000 years ago, researchers have said, following extensive DNA analysis on his remains....
Saudi religious policeman lashed for having six wives
A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a man to 120 lashes for having six wives at the same time....
Cairo protest over anti-women vote
Dozens of Egyptian women and human rights activists have staged a protest in Cairo against a recent decision that bars women from holding judicial positions....
Saudi grand mufti denounces terrorism
Sheikh Abdul Aziz condemns terror attacks against innocent civilians, calls them ‘un-Islamic’....
Malaysian Women Caned for Extramarital Sex
(AP) Authorities in Malaysia caned three Muslim women for having extramarital sex, making them the first women in the country to receive such punishment under Islamic law, an official said Wednesday. ...
'Saudi royal link' in London Landmark hotel murder
A 33-year-old being questioned over the murder of a man in London's Landmark hotel could have links with the Saudi royal family, it is understood....
Israeli FM vague over Dubai murder
Israel's foreign minister has said there is "no reason" to believe that his country's spy agency was behind the killing of a senior Hamas figure in the United Arab Emirates, but did not explicitly deny involvement....
Britain to investigate link in Hamas man murder
Brown pledges 'full investigation' into use of fake British passports by suspected Mossad agents....
Obama names first envoy to Syria since 2005
Washington (CNN) -- President Obama is ending the United States' five-year diplomatic absence in Syria by formally nominating veteran diplomat Robert Ford to serve as U.S. ambassador there, a sign of thawing relations between the two nations....
End of free health care hits Egypt’s poor hardest
Millions of poor Egyptians with no health insurance bear brunt of government’s empty coffers....
Clinton warns Iran 'becoming a military dictatorship'
Iran is "becoming a military dictatorship", US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said....
Dubai stock market falls on debt fears
Dubai's stock market fell 3.5% after a report said the government's investment vehicle Dubai World may offer only 60 cents on the dollar to creditors....
Valentine's black market fights Muttawa in Saudi
Valentine’s Day is annual battle between Saudi romantics and feared Islamic police in Saudi Arabia....
Gathafi ‘persona non grata’ in Switzerland
Report that among 188 blacklisted Libyans are lawmakers, people from PM's office, military, security, economic officials....
Israeli cult leader charged with enslavement, rape
Jerusalem (CNN) -- An Israeli man accused of having 23 wives and fathering 59 children was charged Sunday in a Tel Aviv court with multiple counts of sexual assault, rape, sodomy and enslavement....
An obstacle to better US-Muslim relations?
Dialogue between the US and the Muslim world is important even if the US is a country/superpower and the Muslim world is divided and spread over at least 56 countries that are more in need of dialogue amongst themselves than with Washington....
