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Israel concerned Russian arms will reach enemies

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:24:01 -0400

Israel has warned Russia about sending arms to Syria. Justice Minister Tzipi Livni has spoken on Channel Two television's Meet the Press to condemn shipments of arms from Russia that she said may be used against Israel. She said: "These are not just any weapons, they are tie-breakers, and that's why there is a responsibility with all world powers, certainly Russia, not to supply such ...

Syrian bomb disposal experts on high alert

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:19:24 -0400

At least eight people have been killed and ten others injured in a bomb attack in the Syrian capital, Damascus. The incident took place in the north of the city, where cars and buildings were set alight by a bomb. The bomb had been concealed in another car which was parked near a school in the Rukn Eddin neighbourhood. Another explosive device was defused by military experts who had ...

Egyptian Police Block Israel Border Crossing in Fury at Kidnapping

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:15:09 -0400

CAIRO Egyptian police enraged by the kidnapping of seven of their colleagues by Islamist gunmen in the Sinai Peninsula blocked a commercial border crossing with Israel on Sunday, security sources said. Police have been blocking another border post, the Rafah crossing into the Gaza Strip, since Friday to press the government of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, who belongs to the Muslim ...

Netanyahu Takes Aim at Weapons Leakage in Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:15:08 -0400

JERUSALEM Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held out the prospect on Sunday of further Israeli strikes inside Syria, pledging to act to prevent advanced weapons from reaching Hezbollah and other militant groups. Although Israel has not publicly taken sides in the civil war between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels trying to topple him, Western and Israeli sources say it has ...

Internet in Iran goes into coma ahead of presidential elections

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:40:01 -0400

Iran has reportedly gone into 'internet coma' by tightening internet controls ahead of next month's presidential election, mindful of violent protests inspired last time around over claims of fraud. Authorities refuse to officially confirm the new restraints, but former officials and media reports have accused the Supreme Council of Cyberspace of ordering them, reports News.com.au. According to ...

Saudi clerics blame Twitter for immoral souls

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:40:05 -0400

A leading senior religious clerics in Saudi Arabia has said that Saudi citizens using Twitter will risk damnation. Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh's declaration comes as a move to attack the US-based microblogging service, the Huffington Post reports. According to the report, Saudi leaders fear that Twitter and other social media services are platforms for making the dissidents voice out their ...

Iran executes two spies working for CIA Mossad

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:00:01 -0400

Two Iranian spies, allegedly working for America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Israel's Mossad were Sunday hanged in Iran, state-run IRIB TV reported. Mohammad Heidari, one of the executed men, had prepared information in a number of security issues and had given them to Mossad in several meetings outside the country, Xinhua cited the report as saying. Heidari received money in return ...

Conference on Syria settlement very soon UN chief

Sun, 19 May 2013 05:50:01 -0400

After consultations with UN Security Council permanent members, a conference on the Syrian settlement will take place "very soon", possibly at the beginning of June, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said here Sunday. "As I have been asked by the parties to convene this conference on the auspices of the United Nations, I'm now actively engaging with all the parties I have spoken to: the US, ...

Assad blasts West claims of chemical weapons in Syria as pretext to wage war

Sun, 19 May 2013 04:10:01 -0400

Syrian president Bashar Assad has said that claims of the West that the Syrian government used weapons of mass destruction against its countrymen are nothing but a pretext for waging war against Syria. The statement comes after US, Britain and Israel strongly put forth their opinions that there is evidence of chemical weapons being used in Syria, News 24 reports. However, Assad said that the ...

Car bomb kills eight in Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 03:00:02 -0400

At least eight people were killed and 10 others wounded when a car bomb ripped through a Damascus district Saturday night, local media and activists said. A huge explosive device was planted under a car in the northeastern district of Ruken Addien, the state media said, adding that bomb squads dismantled another explosive device in the same area, reports Xinhua. Meanwhile, the oppositional ...

Ozzy Osbourne moves back in with wife Sharon

Sun, 19 May 2013 01:40:02 -0400

Sharon Osbourne, who was snapped wearing a huge diamond on her wedding finger again, is apparently giving her marriage another chance by letting her wild-man husband, Ozzy Osbourne, move back in with her. The couple, who were reportedly living apart with their marriage in shambles, is spending nights under the same roof once again, the Sun reported. The star's assistants were spotted moving ...

Suspected U.S. drone attack in Yemen kills 4 Al Qaeda militants

Sun, 19 May 2013 01:40:02 -0400

A suspected American drone attack has reportedly killed four Al Qaeda militants in the southern province of Yemen according to security officials. A fight between Yemeni forces and Al Qaeda in Abyan province last year had drove away militants from several cities that the outfit had ruled over for a brief period in 2011, Fox News reports. According to some security officials, the attack took ...

Ajloun Castle in Jordan

Sun, 19 May 2013 23:29:14 -0400

Tourists visit the Ajloun Castle, some 73 km north of the capital Amman of Jordan on May 19, 2013. Ajloun Castle, better known as Qal'at Ar-Rabad, was built by one of Saladin's generals in 1184 AD to control the iron mines of Ajloun, and to deter the Franks from invading the ...

Scenery of Israels el-Wad Cave

Sun, 19 May 2013 23:29:12 -0400

Sites of human evolution at Mount Carmel, including the caves of Tabun, Jamal, el-Wad and Skhul, were recognized as World Heritage Site by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in ...

Arab League organises emergency Syria meeting

Sun, 19 May 2013 23:27:43 -0400

The flag of the Syrian opposition is shown at the seat of the delegation representing Syria at the Arab League summit in Doha in March. Image courtesy of The Daily ...

More Israeli attacks inside Syria possible Israel

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:35:37 -0400

/enpproperty--> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held out the prospect on Sunday of further Israeli strikes inside Syria, pledging action to prevent advanced weapons from reaching Hezbollah and other militant groups. Although Israel has not publicly taken sides in the civil war between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and rebels trying to topple him, Western and Israeli sources say ...

Sectarian clashes in Tripoli northern Lebanon kill two injure six

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:33:53 -0400

A Sunni Muslim gunman sits with his child on Syria Street during fighting in the Bab al-Tebbaneh neighbourhood of the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. AFP Photo/Getty ...

Policemen Killed in Iraq Attacks - Report

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:30:39 -0400

MOSCOW, May 20 (RIA Novosti) - At least three policemen have been killed as gunmen launched an attack on their station in the north of Iraq, media quoted local officials as saying. Two police officers were also wounded in the town of Rawa about 260 kilometers (160 miles) northwest of the capital Baghdad, the BBC reported late Sunday. According to reports cited by the British broadcaster, another ...

Israel favors interim deal with Palestinians

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:20:44 -0400

JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's senior coalition partner says that reaching a final peace agreement with the Palestinians is unrealistic at the current time and the sides should instead pursue an interim ...

PMW Accuses UNRWA for Exposing Map Erasing Israel

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:20:30 -0400

reported that the Director of UNRWA Affairs in Lebanon, Ann Dismorr, posed with a map that erases the State of Israel and presents all of it as "Palestine," at an UNRWA event in Lebanon. These pictures were broadcast on Palestinian Authority TV and on the Palestinian news site pn-news.net, corroborating PMW's ...

Egypt’s NGO Funding Crackdown

Sun, 19 May 2013 22:13:31 -0400

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are essential to democracy and a key way for people of all political views to band together to influence public debate. But once more, the Egyptian government is threatening to restrict NGOs that receive foreign funds. Exercised about criticism from some of these groups, the ruling party is pushing a bill that would empower the government to decide which ...

Intertwined fates The Lebanon-Syria-Iran axis

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:47:11 -0400

The instability rocking Syria has caused three critical security arenas - Lebanon, Syria and Iran - to become more closely intertwined than ever before.As has been widely reported, Hezbollah, acting on Iranian orders, has mobilized a significant portion of its fighting force to Syria to help secure a turnaround for the regime of President Bashar ...

Assad Hezbollah forces advance into Qusair

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:43:32 -0400

Hezbollah fighters have reportedly advanced into the main square of besieged Qusair, with fierce battles continuing overnight Monday for control of the strategic city near the Lebanese border. At least 40 people were killed, activist organizations said, in battles that saw forces loyal to ...

Gunmen abduct father of Syria deputy FM official

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:43:31 -0400

Faisal Mekdad Saturday, apparently in reprisal for the arrest of one of their relatives, according to a government source and an activist. "Today armed men abducted Mr. Mekdad’s father from his home in the village of Ghossom," in the southern province of Deraa, the government source said on condition of anonymity. "They beat him up in front of his family then took him ...

Riyadh strives to avoid Afghan-style blowback from conflict

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:43:30 -0400

RIYADH: Chastened by the experience of Afghanistan, where hundreds of Saudis fought before returning to sow terror at home, the kingdom is battling to avoid similar blowback from the conflict in Syria, analysts say.In recent months, Saudi officials have issued increasingly stern warnings against volunteers from the conservative Sunni Muslim kingdom heading off to fight alongside the mainly Sunni ...

Salafist protester killed in clashes with Tunisia security forces

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:43:29 -0400

Radical Islamist movement Ansar al-Shariah supporters clash with Tunisian police officers after Tunisia's Interior Ministry on Friday banned their annual conference supposed to be held in Kairouan, in Ettadhamen, near Tunis, Sunday May 19, 2013. Around 11,000 police officers and soldiers blocked an annual conference Sunday at Tunisia's main religious center by a radical Islamist ...

Oxfam warns of health risks to Syria refugees

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:42:21 -0400

Aid organisation Oxfam warned on Monday that the warmer weather will increase health-related risks for hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, and appealed for urgent ...

Lebanon wins World Bank $30 million soft loan

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:41:09 -0400

The World Bank has approved a $30 million soft loan aimed at supporting a government initiative to improve access to basic services in impoverishedparts of the country."The Social Protection and Promotion Project approved by the World Bank Board of Directors will expand the coverage of Lebanon's National Poverty Targeting Program from 93,900 to 160,700 people over the next five ...

Qatars spending returns home

Sun, 19 May 2013 21:35:37 -0400

While the funds bought the Gulf emirate the regional leadership role long held by Saudi Arabia and Egypt, it's also turned it into the lightning rod for rebellion against new governments. In recent weeks, protesters burned Qatari flags in countries whose revolts it helped fund. A Qatari plan to invest in some French suburbs last year spurred lawmaker Lionel Luca to seek an investigation ...

Syria may be Obamas real headache

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:59:11 -0400

A trifecta of domestic headaches confronts President Obama these days. They’ve shaken his self-confidence, thrown his second-term agenda off track, and given Republicans seemingly endless opportunities to hammer him.And yet a fourth headache looms not at home; but abroad, a migraine really, potentially more painful than the ...

USD16b to be invested in Irans South Pars field

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:14 -0400

(MENAFN) Pars Oil and Gas Company Managing Director Mohammad-Reza Zohairi said that USD16 billion will be invested in Iran's South Pars gas field during this Iranian calendar year, which started on March 21st, reported Tehran Times.He also said that a major part of this investment will come from domestic sources.The South Pars field is producing 300 million cubic meters of gas per ...

Two airlines to open this fiscal year in Iran

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:14 -0400

(MENAFN) Iranian Civil Aviation Organization head Hamidreza Pahlavani declared that two new Iranian airlines should begin their services during this Iranian fiscal year, reported Tehran Times.With 19 planes added in the last fiscal year, Hamidreza said that a new number of planes will be added to the national fleet.He also said that the country has added two Airbus 340 planes, three Fokker 100 ...

Oman raises crude oil exports in Q1 by 14.8

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:13 -0400

(MENAFN) Oman's National Center for Statistics and Information announced that the country's exports of crude oil during the first quarter climbed by 14.8 percent to 74,803.5 barrels from 65,133.3 barrels in 2012's same period, reported Times of Oman.The agency said that exports to China grew by 31.8 percent, reaching 42,001.5 barrels, ranking the country as the largest buyer of ...

Oman- Galfar Engineering secures USD38.85m contract

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:13 -0400

(MENAFN) Galfar Engineering and Contracting Company's chairman, Sheikh Salem Al Araimi, announced that the Omani company has secured a 2-year USD38.85 million contract, reported Times of Oman.The company will be in charge of establishing a pipeline and carrying out fabrication works at Safah and Wadi Latham Oilfield of Occidental of Oman.Furthermore, the biggest contracting firm in Oman has ...

US receives request from Qatar Oman to buy military equipment

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:12 -0400

(MENAFN) The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency stated that it has notified the Congress about a possible USD210 million arms deal with both Oman and Qatar, reported Arabian Business.The two Gulf governments are most likely to by two Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems.The deal will include all the parts, trainings, tools, and repairs, according to the Agency ...

Rafsanjani bid for Irans presidency elicits hope

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:11 -0400

(MENAFN - Arab News) Persians are known for their patience, a quality that has rigorously been cultivated through the centuries-old art of rug making. Not only does rug making demand patience but also unconsciously teaches the importance of mediation. Hashemi Rafsanjani, an influential Iranian politician, writer, and the fourth president of Iran (1989-1997), supports a free market economy and ...

Rescuing the revolution in Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:11 -0400

(MENAFN - Arab News) Having started the grueling process of choosing a new head of their government in exile two months ago, Syrians are likely to decide on a new leader next week.The process began following a disagreement over Ghassan Hitto as the leader. Hitto was not considered a very popular personality among the rank and file of the Syrian opposition.During the period that followed his ...

Qatar Holding may invest in Versace Report

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:07 -0400

(MENAFN) Qatar Holding is said to be eying an investment in Versace, the famous Italian fashion house, reported Reuters citing Italian daily Il Sole 24 Ore.According to the report, Qatar Holding, the investment vehicle of the rich GCC state, is considering the investment along with FSI, an Italian state-controlled investment fund that inked a joint venture deal in November with the Qatari company ...

Qatar Finance and Business Academy Unveils Kawader Program

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:07 -0400

(MENAFN - Qatar News Agency) Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA) has recently unveiled its new program 'Kawader', which targets Qatari students attending universities or colleges in their third year as well as fresh graduates in order to persuade the most talented young Qataris to choose a career in the financial sector. It is anticipated that the program will motivate and empower ...

Kuwait- 400 Haj visas for Expats

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:57:01 -0400

(MENAFN - Arab Times) The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs intends to increase the number of pilgrims per caravan from 50 to 70; while confirming the allotment of 400 visas for expatriates, reports Al-Seyassah daily quoting sources. Sources said the ministry received requests from the caravan owners to increase the number of pilgrims to 100. Sources added a committee has been formed to ...

Netanyahu says further strikes on Syria a possibility

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:47:49 -0400

Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu: "The Israeli government is acting in a responsible and measured way". Reuters/Ronen ...

Oxfam warning on Syria refugee health

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:14:15 -0400

AID organisation Oxfam has warned that warmer weather will increase health-related risks for hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees in Jordan and Lebanon, appealing for urgent funds. With temperatures set to soar up to 40C, and as refugees continue to flee to Jordan and Lebanon, "the health risks must be urgently addressed," Oxfam said in a statement on Monday. "Increased cases of ...

In Syria winning is a relative term

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:05:50 -0400

Syrian army soldiers taking position in the Jarba area in rural Damascus, Syria, in this photo released May 13 by the official Syrian Arab News ...

Egypt-Israel border blocked in support of kidnapped soldiers

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:02:55 -0400

Egyptian police climb the gates at the main Egyptian crossing point into the Gaza Strip on May 19, 2013. Egyptian police closed a commercial passage with Israel in support of colleagues who shut down a crossing with Gaza to protest the abduction of policemen, state media reported. (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty ...

Irans Guard warns against polls unrest

Sun, 19 May 2013 20:00:50 -0400

/enpproperty--> A senior commander in Iran's Revolutionary Guard has warned that his forces will be on watch for possible unrest after next month's presidential election, calling the outcome "unpredictable" and sending the strongest message yet against any attempts to revive street protests, media reported on Sunday. The entry of former president Akbar Hashemi ...

Syria war Israel warns of more strikes

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:58:00 -0400

Syria to rein the militia in, highlighting the risks of a wider regional conflict if planned peace talks fail. Activists said it was the fiercest fighting in Syria's two year-old civil war involving Hezbollah, a Shi'ite group backed by Iran which they said appeared to be helping ...

Will we reach a tipping point with Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:56:13 -0400

Shibley Telhami, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and author of the upcoming book "The World Through Arab Eyes: Arab Public Opinion and the Reshaping of the Middle East," and MSNBC Contributor Rula Jebreal talk with MSNBC's Craig Melvin about the ongoing conflict in Syria and Secretary of State John Kerry's upcoming trip to the Middle East and ...

Outlook dim as Syria diplomacy gathers force

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:46:44 -0400

John Kerry is expected to explain the plans for talks at a meeting in Jordan on Wednesday of the "Friends of Syria" club of countries seeking Assad's downfall, many of which are skeptical of the peace initiative. Syria's opposition will meet on Thursday in Istanbul to announce its stance, and the Arab League's Syria committee will also meet on Thursday in Cairo at the ...

The Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov confirmed on Wednesday that in conversations with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry they came to an agreement to organize a new international conference on the conflict in Syria. Moscow and Washington agree

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:35:24 -0400

The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, confirmed on Wednesday (8th) that in conversations with U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, they came to an agreement to organize a new international conference on the conflict in Syria. Moscow and Washington agree that the meeting will take place in May in Geneva with the participation of both parties Moscow and Washington agree that the meeting will ...

How The Syria Debate Is Playing Out In The Middle East

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:16:45 -0400

Copyright © 2013 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required. RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: That concern is reflected in the Arab media. Ramez Maluf, head of the Department of Journalism at Balamand University in Lebanon, has been tracking that reaction. He joined us from our bureau in Beirut. And I asked him how invested people in the region ...

Syrian Troops Target Key Rebel-Held Town

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:16:45 -0400

Syrians inspect Saturday the rubble of buildings damaged by government airstrikes in Qusair, Syria. The image was provided by Qusair Lens, and was authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting. Dozens of people are dead in heavy fighting around the Syrian rebel-held city of Qusair where troops loyal to President Bashar Assad are making a strong push. News reports say as ...

Iranian Candidate Hopes To Take International Viewpoint Home

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:16:44 -0400

Copyright © 2013 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required. RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm Rachel Martin. We begin this hour in the Middle East, first Iran. This week, the religiously based Guardian Council is expected to announce the final roster of candidates in that country's ...

Militants kill 10 Iraq policemen in checkpoint attacks

Sun, 19 May 2013 19:08:50 -0400

Sectarian violence flares in Iraq Militants have killed at least 10 Iraqi policemen in a series of attacks on checkpoints in the West of the country, police and local officials said. Sectarian tensions in Iraq have been amplified by the conflict in neighbouring Syria, where mostly Sunni rebels are fighting to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad who is backed by Shi'ite Iran. There was no ...

UAE tops Middle East with $10 billion in tourism receipts

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:57:27 -0400

The UAE has topped the Middle East region for international tourism receipts in 2012, according to data released by the UN's World Tourism Organisation. The UAE was ranked 31st in global list with receipts of about $10bn, just ahead of Saudi Arabia which was placed 35th, with revenues of $7.4bn. Middle East tourism receipts totalled $46.7bn last year, the Arabian Business quoting UNWTO ...

Health Ministry Lebanon has excellent health sector

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:23:12 -0400

Lebanon has one of the most outstanding health sectors in the Arab world. The comments were made by Mohammad Abu Haidar, a representative for the caretaker health minister, during a conference at ...

Israel demands French TV change 13-year-old report on boys death

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:20:24 -0400

Israel strikes open up 'all possibilities' - Syrian minister Israel has demanded a French television station correct a report from nearly 13 years ago which helped fuel anger across the world and ignite a bloody uprising against the Jewish state. Twelve-year-old Mohammed al-Dura and his father, Jamal, were filmed crouching in terror by a wall in the Gaza Strip in September 2000, ...

Kerry heads to Middle East focus on Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 18:04:48 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to the Middle East this week to meet with leaders in the area. It is expected that Syria will be a major point of discussion. Shibley Telhami of the Brookings Institute and journalist Rula Jebreal join MSNBC with ...

Deke Sharon Makes A Cappella Cool Again

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:38:40 -0400

On how he got involved in a cappella: "Well, it is easy to say I was the kid in the back of the class making funny noises like Robin Williams, but I was actually the kid sitting in the front row, snotty and sucking up to the teacher. So, all of these sounds were developed slowly over time. I think all people who sing a cappella sing along with the radio, but they don't sing the melody, ...

PM Israel has no ‘favorite’ in Syrian civil war

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:36:51 -0400

Israel is not taking sides in the Syrian civil war, but will act if necessary to prevent game-changing weapons from being transferred to Hezbollah, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.Speaking at the outset of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said Israel was closely monitoring the developments and changes in Syria, and was "prepared for any ...

Tunisia PM links Ansar al-Sharia Islamists to terror

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:33:54 -0400

Ansar al-Sharia that fought street battles in the capital with security forces on Sunday of being "involved in terrorism". "Ansar al-Sharia is an illegal organisation... it has ties to and is involved in terrorism," Larayedh told state television. The Islamists clashed earlier with security forces ...

Pertamina eyeing oil and gas acquisitions in Oman

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:31:43 -0400

Indonesia's PT Pertamina has said it is considering the acquisition of an oil and gas asset in Oman, as the energy firm seeks to boost production at home and overseas, Muscat Daily has reported. State-owned Pertamina is currently in talks with Omani officials for the takeover of an oil and gas asset, expecting to seal an agreement by year's end, said the firm's chief executive, ...

Stocks to Soccer Add Up for Qataris Needing $200 Billion at Home

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:26:18 -0400

After paying for stakes in European companies, landmarks in London, uprisings in the Middle East and a soccer title in France, Qatar may be getting ready to go home. The $60 billion-a-year spree by the world's richest country, dominated by holdings in companies such as British ...

The Spreading Consequences of Syria’s Civil War

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:49:28 -0400

In March, 2012, I visited Hatay, a region in the south of Turkey that borders Syria, to report on Syrian refugees. The conflict in Syria had been in full force for a year then, and the border remained open. Syrians poured into Hatay’s camps and cities, moving their families into tents or—if they were lucky or connected or had a little bit of money—into apartments. Work had begun ...

Syrian army Hezbollah kill over 30 in border town

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:47:49 -0400

AMMAN - Syrian troops supported by Hezbollah operatives launched an offensive to retake a major town near Lebanon from rebels on Sunday, the heaviest fighting yet involving Lebanese armed group, opposition activists said.At least 32 people were killed when rebel fighters clashed with mechanized Syrian army units and Hezbollah guerrillas in nine points in and around the town of Qusair, 10 km (six ...

Bahrain slams claims about the non implementation of the BICI recommendations

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:43:13 -0400

Manama, May 19 (BNA)--Bahrain's Attorney General slammed as untrue a newspaper report that claimed that recommendations by a fact-finding panel on freedom of expression had been ignored by the state's legal authorities. "The report by the local daily about the non-implementation of the recommendations by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) to drop the ...

Palestinian kids swept up in wave of Israeli arrests

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:25:18 -0400

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

Bahrains Rights Britains Failure

Sun, 19 May 2013 16:23:49 -0400

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

Report Palestinian lost speech ability after PA torture

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:58:04 -0400

A Palestinian man who was detained by the Palestinian Authority security forces in Hebron has lost the ability to speak as a result of severe torture, according to a report released by the Independent Commission for Human Rights.Mohamed Abdel Karim Dar of Hebron was hospitalized after being tortured while in detention, the report, which documented 28 cases of torture in PA prisons in the ...

Egypts Morsi rules out talks as hostage video appears

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:53:33 -0400

CAIRO: Egypt's President MohamedMorsion Sunday ruled out negotiating with the kidnappers of three policemen and four soldiers who appeared to plead for their release in an online video.The abductions on Thursday in the Sinai Peninsula prompted angry police to shut down border crossings with Gaza and Israel, piling the pressure onMorsito secure the hostages' release."There are no ...

Russia to Sell Air-Defense System to Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:53:24 -0400

JERUSALEM, Israel -- Two days after American and Russian leaders met in Moscow to talk about restoring peace in war-torn Syria, Russia announced plans to sell advanced anti-missile defense systems to the Syrian government, ...

Israel’s ‘illegal’ military entry permit bars selected tourists from West Bank - report

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:50:43 -0400

Tourism Many tourists hoping to visit the West Bank are finding it impossible to do so - because Israel requires certain visitors to have an entry permit. Obtaining permission is anything but easy, because Tel Aviv doesn't explain the process, Haaretz reported. The requirement for military entry permits reportedly began at the beginning of 2013. However, not everyone is required to obtain ...

Key Israeli leader calls for interim peace deal with Palestinians

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:39:26 -0400

File - In this Jan.16, 2013 file photo, Yair Lapid, popular former TV anchorman and head of the new centrist party Yesh Atid, poses for a portrait at his house during an interview for the Associated Press, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Lapid, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior coalition partner, said in a published interview Sunday, May 19, 2013, that reaching a final peace agreement with ...

FM seeks enhanced bilateral cooperation with Qatar

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:37:37 -0400

Indian economy and its vast potential for the gulf country's firms. Chidambaram, who is on an official visit to Qatar, met with the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and the country's Minister of Economy and Finance Yousef Hussain Kamal in Doha, ...

In Israel a modern wall is halted by ancient terraces

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:31:08 -0400

Israel's high court has issued an injunction against extending the separation barrier through the Palestinian village of Batir, famed for its 2,500-year-old terraces and ...

Egypt hit with security abductions in Sinai

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:13:32 -0400

Security sources identified the abductors as members of the Al Qaida-aligned Tawhid W’al Jihad, which also maintains a presence in the neighboring Hamas-ruled Gaza ...

Netanyahu warns of more Israeli strikes on Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:12:02 -0400

JERUSALEM // Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu held out the prospect yesterday of further Israeli strikes inside Syria, pledging to act to prevent advanced weapons from reaching Hizbollah and other militant groups. Although Israel has not publicly taken sides in the civil war between Syrian ...

Israel denies its forces killed Palestinian boy

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:12:01 -0400

JERUSALEM // Israel has completed an investigation into a decade-old French TV report that claimed Israeli forces killed a Palestinian boy in a gunbattle with Palestinian militants, saying the video was misleading and unfairly blamed Israel. France 2's images from September 2000, days after a Palestinian uprising erupted, allegedly showed the death of Mohammed Al Dura, cowering with his ...

Israel to return settlements land to Palestinian owners

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:07:01 -0400

Jerusalem, May 19 : The state of Israel has said it would return the lands of a settlement evacuated in 2005 back to its original Palestinian owners, an Israeli daily said ...

Hezbollah takes fight to rebels as Syria’s war spills into Lebanon

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:55:57 -0400

Hezbollah launched a major offensive in support of the Assad regime today, with fighters from the Lebanese militant group playing their most significant role yet in Syria's two-year-old civil ...

Analysis West learns to jaw not war on Syria as the countrys civil war destabilises the region

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:55:56 -0400

Sunday's reports that the Syrian conflict was spilling over into Lebanon can be taken as further evidence that the sectarian civil war is destabilising the region. There are also signs that the unending strife is pushing the two players who really matter, America and Russia, towards trying for negotiations and a ceasefire based on the Geneva Accord signed last ...

Syria army in centre of Qusair amid assault on rebel town

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:47:32 -0400

Syrian government forces have launched a major offensive to retake the strategically important rebel stronghold of Qusair, near Lebanon. Syrian officials say the army have taken control of key points in the the city centre. According to opposition activists, government troops are being supported by militants from the Lebanese Hezbollah movement. More than 30 people are reported killed, mostly ...

EU delays plans to label West Bank settler goods

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:41:02 -0400

JERUSALEM, - The European Union has postponed plans to introduce separate labelling for products from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported on ...

Israel acts to deny Hezbollah arms says PM Netanyahu

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:08:35 -0400

Israel is "acting" to prevent weapons from Syria from reaching Lebanon's Hezbollah and will continue to do so, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on ...

UAE Foreign Minister Criticises Iranian Foreign Ministrys Statements Regarding Bahrain

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:08:04 -0400

Abu Dhabi, May 19 (BNA)-- UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan strongly criticised the statements issued by the Iranian Foreign Ministry regarding Bahrain yesterday. He said the Iranian neighbours have got a real problem which is understanding how to deal with their neighbours. He added it is understood that Iran has local elections but still continues to throw its internal ...

Hezbollah steps up Syria battle Israel threatens more strikes

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:55:48 -0400

AMMAN (Reuters) - Lebanese Hezbollah militants attacked a Syrian rebel-held town alongside Syrian troops on Sunday and Israel threatened more attacks on Syria to rein the militia in, highlighting the risks of a wider regional conflict if planned peace talks ...

Cairo airport baggage handlers end strike that left passengers on 20 flights waiting

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:54:37 -0400

CAIRO - Cairo airport officials say baggage handlers have resumed work after a strike that left passengers on 20 international flights from Europe and Arab countries waiting several hours for luggage. Baggage handlers went on strike Saturday afternoon to demand stronger safety measures after a colleague died when a conveyer belt used to unload luggage fell on his head. His EgyptAir co-workers ...

Tough measures against expatriates raise concerns in Kuwait

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:49:05 -0400

Deportations of hundreds of expatriates coupled with controversial decision to limit morning hospital check-ups for Kuwaitis raise fears among ...

Oversupply from North America pushes oil prices lower

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:49:04 -0400

"Crude oil prices have continued their recent declines, despite the IEA increasing its forecast for oil demand for 2013," said CMC Markets analyst Michael ...

Syrian army storms rebel stronghold Qusayr

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:47:13 -0400

SYRIAN troops backed by Lebanon's Hezbollah have entered Qusayr, a strategic rebel stronghold linking Damascus to the coast, a day after President Bashar al-Assad insisted he would not quit. The advance came as Assad's opponents warned his regime's "barbaric and destructive" assault on Qusayr could torpedo US-Russian attempts to organise a conference on ending more than two ...

Pope Appeals for End of Violence in Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:46:56 -0400

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

NZ ready to aid Middle East deal

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:30:00 -0400

Foreign Minister Murray McCully will tomorrow offer the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, New Zealand's assistance in the event that he can broker a breakthrough agreement between Israel and Palestine on a two-state solution. Mr Kerry has had an intense focus on the region with three visits there since taking over from Hillary Clinton in February. Mr McCully is scheduled to have his first formal ...

Iran tycoon may have to dump Mercedes for presidency

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:27:53 -0400

One of Iran's wealthiest men might have to wave a wistful goodbye to his armour-plated Mercedes if he wants to become president. Hardline media critical of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani have spliced images of him ensconced in a gleaming Mercedes with shots of another heavyweight candidate, Saeed Jalili, driving a locally assembled Kia Pride with, well, pride. The unspoken message: Mr Jalili, ...

Ori Allon to visit Israel to invest in start ups

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:20:14 -0400

After receiving investment proposals from over 1,000 Israeli start ups, Dr. Ori Allon, the former Israeli serial entrepreneur, will visit Israel at the start of June to look more closely at some of the entrepreneurs that have most impressed him. Last month, "Globes" revealed that Allon who has sold companies to Google and Twitter plans investing in Israeli start ups. Allon explained ...

Regime in biggest push yet for strategic city

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:18:25 -0400

Hezbollah made a huge push to retake the strategic city of Qusair from rebel forces Sunday, killing at least 32 people, opposition activists reported. Fierce shelling began to slam into the city near the Lebanese border around 10 p.m. Saturday and continued unabated throughout the next day, an activist told The Daily Star. "It is the biggest assualt yet, they [the regime] are using all ...

Likely US Drone Adds to Tally of Extrajudicial Killings in Yemen

Sun, 19 May 2013 13:17:50 -0400

A drone flying over southern Yemen bombed a passenger van on Saturday, killing at least four people and wounding several others, a local ...

Netanyahu Israel will take action to prevent Syrian weapons leakage to Hezbollah

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:56:21 -0400

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel would prevent the movement of weapons from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime to Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. He made no mention of past or future air ...

Abdullah bin Zayed strongly denounces Irans statement on Bahrain

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:55:01 -0400

WAM Abu Dhabi, 19th May 2013 (WAM) -- The UAE Foreign Minister, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, today strongly criticised a statement issued yesterday by Iran's foreign ministry on sisterly Bahrain. ''Our Iranian neighbours have a real problem in understanding and identifying the way in which they deal with their neighbours,'' Sheikh Abdullah told a press ...

Video Netanyahu takes aim at weapons ‘leaks’ in Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:37:12 -0400

As fighting intensifies in Syria, Netanyahu says Israel aims to prevent a leak of advanced weapons from Syria to "terror organisations." Sunita Rappai ...

Report Iran hangs 2 alleged spies working for Israel US

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:32:36 -0400

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

HSBC Bank of Israel could cut interest rate again next week

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:29:42 -0400

HSBC analyst Jonathan Katz told "Bloomberg" that the Bank of Israel wants to drive home the message that they are determined not to let the shekel appreciate ...

Lavrov Discussed Iranian Role in Syria Peace Talks

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:23:20 -0400

MOSCOW, May 19 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov revealed on Sunday that he had discussed Iran's possible involvement in a conference to resolve the war in Syria, when he met his US counterpart John Kerry early in May.The Russians and Americans agreed during Kerry's visit to Moscow to set up a conference of international players to end the war in Syria. Moscow ...

Syria accused of ‘disappearing’ thousands

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:15:00 -0400

Former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s private disco featured not only aspiring showgirls performing striptease acts as sexy nuns and nurses, but one woman dressed up as President Barack Obama and a prominent Milan prosecutor whom the billionaire media mogul has accused of persecuting him, ...

Egypt police close Israel border crossing to protest kidnapping of 7 colleagues in Sinai

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:13:59 -0400

CAIRO - Scores of Egyptian police have blocked a commercial border crossing with Israel to protest the abduction of their colleagues in the volatile Sinai peninsula. The closure Sunday left around 40 trucks stranded at Awja crossing, according to Ahmed Osman, a civil servant there. Suspected militants abducted seven Egyptian policemen on Thursday. Security officials said the kidnappers are ...

UN report said more than 80 percent of Palestinian children suffered from povert…

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:10:09 -0400

UN report said more than 80 percent of Palestinian children suffered from poverty in East Jerusalem GENEVA - United Nations (UN) criticized Israel`s segregation policies over East Jerusalem and said that more than 80 percent of Palestinian children in the region suffered from poverty.UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) released its report titled "Palestinian Economy in East ...

Syrian Revolution General Commission stated mobile phone and internet were all down across Syria…

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:10:07 -0400

Syrian Revolution General Commission stated mobile phone and internet were all down across Syria DAMASCUS - Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC) stated that mobile phone and internet were all disconnected across Syria since Tuesday.SRGC, a Syrian coalition of 40 Syrian opposition groups, indicated on Wednesday that there had not been an internet and cell phone connection in any of the ...

Egypts new Justice Minister Suleiman said he would take Turkish judical system as model…

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:10:07 -0400

Egypt's new Justice Minister Suleiman said he would take Turkish judical system as model CAIRO - Egypt's newly appointed Minister of Justice Ahmed Suleiman has said, "I will work for our citizens to ease their proceedings at the courts by taking Turkey as a model."Ahead taking his new office, Suleiman spoke to Anadolu Agency and said that before he was appointed as a minister, ...

Assad forces enter centre of Qusayr with troops raising Syrian flag over recaptured municipality building.

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:08:26 -0400

DAMASCUS - Syrian troops backed by Lebanon's Hezbollah on Sunday entered Qusayr, a strategic rebel stronghold linking Damascus to the coast, a day after President Bashar al-Assad insisted he would not ...

Assad Hezbollah forces launch their promised assault on Qusayr

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:08:25 -0400

BEIRUT - Syrian troops backed by fighters from Lebanese militant group Hezbollah launched an assault on the rebel-held central town of Qusayr on Sunday, after months of fierce fighting in the area, a watchdog ...

UAE top MidEast performer for tourism receipts in 2012

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:04:30 -0400

WAM ABU DHABI, 19th May, 2013 (WAM) -- The UAE has topped the Middle East region for international tourism receipts in 2012, according to data released by the UN's World Tourism Organisation. The UAE was ranked 31st in global list with receipts of about $10bn, just ahead of Saudi Arabia which was placed 35th, with revenues of $7.4bn. Middle East tourism receipts totalled $46.7bn last ...

Rising Dubai land values boost worth of Kuwaits IFA

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:47:08 -0400

Rising Dubai land values helped the Kuwaiti resort developer IFA Hotels & Resorts almost double the value of its investment portfolio during the first quarter of the year. The company, which owns the recently opened Fairmont on the trunk of the Palm and the under- construction Kingdom of Sheba hotel on the crescent, said the value of the resorts it owns increased from 30.5 million Kuwaiti ...

Bahrain e-Content Award 2013 Launched

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:35:27 -0400

Manama, May 19. (BNA) -- Under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa - Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Information and Communication Technology (SCICT); Bahrain Internet Society (BIS) in collaboration with the eGovernment Authority (eGA) announces the launch of Bahrain eContent Award 2013. The award, an integrated part of the World ...

Egypt Police Mistreats Stranded Palestinians - Gaza

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:19:13 -0400

A Gazan official has said that hundreds of stranded Palestinians, including members of parliament and patients, were mistreated by Egyptian police during their return from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after performing hajj (Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca). Interior Ministry Spokesman Islam Shahwan told Asharq Alawsat on Sunday that he received complaints from stranded citizens who said they were ...

Egypt Judges Elect New Constitutional Court Chief

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:19:13 -0400

The general assembly of the High Constitutional Court approved Adly Mansour's appointment as Chief Justice on Sunday. Mansour will replace Maher al-Behiery who retires on June 30. A 2011 amendment to the law states that the president chooses the Chief Justice of the HCC from the three top deputies following the approval of the court's general assembly. Before the amendment, ...

Hundreds of Ansar al-Sharia supporters erect barricades in streets of Ettadhamen hurl rocks at police.

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:16:54 -0400

Clashes broke out between radical Islamists and police on Sunday after Salafist movement Ansar al-Sharia told its followers to gather "in large numbers" near Tunis for its annual congress, defying a government ...

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

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:11:47 -0400

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

NGO Monitor Church of Scotland Fails to Correct a Terrible Wrong

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:11:47 -0400

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

PMW Bulletin PA daily Palestinians are Jesus descendants

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:11:47 -0400

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

Boy not killedIsrael Government Review France 2 Al-Durrah Report

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:11:47 -0400

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

Cabinet Approves Establishment of Two Committees to Strengthen

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:11:46 -0400

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

Kuwait condemned over deporting expatriates for traffic offences

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:56:31 -0400

newspaper cited yesterday a senior interior ministry official as saying that as many as 1,258 foreigners have been deported for traffic violations since a crackdown began about a month ago. Foreign residents caught driving without a licence, using their cars to carry paying passengers, jumping a red light for a second time, or breaking the speed limit by more than 40kph, can be deported without ...

Paul Libya like Iraq

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:53:02 -0400

The guarding of U.S. diplomatic outposts like the consulate Benghazi in Libya should be treated like Baghdad with more military force, Sen. Rand Paul said Sunday. Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union," the Kentucky Republican said his focus isn't on the Benghazi talking points, but on not guarding the outpost more heavily. That decision was a "tragic error," he ...

Iran Presents Advances Applicable to Renewable Energy

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:52:56 -0400

Tehran, Amy 19 (Prensa Latina) A fuel cell battery that turns hydrogen into electricity and a treatment for solid waste that were used in plasma, are two of the technological advances presented today by the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Those inventions, applicable to the exploitation of renewable energy, had been announced some days ago. Other innovations include a 100-watt battery of ...

Hamas confiscates rockets from Fatahs armed wing

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:50:03 -0400

Hamas has confiscated rockets and other types of weaponry belonging to Fatah's armed wing, Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Palestinian sources revealed Sunday.The sources told the Fatah-affiliated Palestine Press News Agency that Hamas confiscated 100 rockets and 500 "combat units" when Fatah tried to move them from one location to another in the Gaza ...

Report Egyptian army pushes to attack kidnappers

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:50:02 -0400

The Egyptian army is pushing president Mohamed Morsi for a green light to attack the kidnappers of seven security officers, which have been held since last Thursday, according to a report in ...

Syria in frame Netanyahu vows ‘continued’ protection of Israel against ‘leakage of weapons to Hezbollah’

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:42:56 -0400

Syria Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting that he will prevent the transfer of weaponry to Hezbollah, implying Syria could be struck in the process. Fatal blasts battered Damascus in early May, allegedly executed by Israel. In public remarks made at his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said with great emphasis that the Israeli government would "continue to ...

Pakistans Elections Turning Over a New Leaf

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:26:28 -0400

Pakistan's elections come at a key junction in the region's geopolitics, with the public firmly opposed to the US 'war on terror' being conducted on Pakistani soil with no regard for its sovereignty. ...

Iran Announces Execution of Spies

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:02:32 -0400

Tehran, May 19 (Prensa Latina) Iran announced the execution by hanging of two prisoners fund guilty of spying, one for Israeli secret services and the other for the US Central Intelligence Agency. The two men were sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, said the official Press TV network. The Israeli Mossad agent, identified as Mohammad Heidari, gathered classified information ...

Teva CFO I hope we can move more activities to Israel

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:58:19 -0400

"We'll have to examine the new tax environment. Israel is a priority, and over the years we've moved as much activity here as possible, partly because of the tax breaks. I hope we can continue to do this," ...

Former settlement to return to Palestinian hands NGO

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:56:58 -0400

A Palestinian woman gestures in front of graffiti sprayed on the wall of a mosque in the West Bank village of Burka, near Ramallah. The graffiti reads in Hebrew "War." (REUTERS/Mohamad ...

Assad says no info on journalists missing in Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:56:54 -0400

In this photo, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, right, speaks during an interview with the Argentine newspaper Clarin and the Argentine state news agency Telam, in Damascus, Syria on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (AP ...

Al Dussari Condemns Blatant Iranian Threats against Bahrain

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:55:34 -0400

Manama, May 19. (BNA) -- The First Deputy Speaker of the Representatives Council Abdulla bin Khalaf Al Dussari has condemned the blatant threats made by an Iranian Foreign Ministry's official against the Kingdom of Bahrain. Al Dussari said the security bodies in Bahrain were fully authorised by the Constitution and the law to take any procedures they deem necessary against any Bahraini ...

Sixteen killed in Syria offensive

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:42:08 -0400

The Syrian military today launched an offensive to retake a strategic rebel-held town near the Lebanese border, a government official said, as activists reported that regime airstrikes and shelling of the town have killed at least 16 people, including opposition fighters.The western Syrian town of Qusair, home to about 20,000 residents, has been besieged for weeks by government troops.According ...

Assad casts doubt on US-Russian peace initiative

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:36:15 -0400

"To resign would be to flee," Assad said in an interview with the Argentine newspaper Clarin when asked if he would consider stepping aside as called for by US Secretary of State John ...

15 killed in suicide car bomb blast in NW Pakistan

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:29:50 -0400

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

Syrian army pushes assault on rebel-held town

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:13:03 -0400

This citizen journalism image provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows black smoke rising from what rebels say is a helicopter that was shot down at Abu Dhour military airbase which is besieged by the rebels, in the northern province city of Idlib, Syria, Friday May 17, 2013. Rights activists have found torture devices ...

McCain Strikes Could Force Obamas Hand on Syria

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:04:31 -0400

JERUSALEM, Israel -- GOP Sen. John McCain said Israel's second airstrike Sunday in Syria could be the incentive President Obama needs to take action in the wartorn country. "We need to have a game-changing action, and that is no American boots on the ground, establish a safe zone and to protect it and to supply weapons to the right people in Syria who are fighting, obviously, for the ...

General Motors Celebrates 10th Anniversary of Middle East Parts Distribution Center

Sun, 19 May 2013 09:04:10 -0400

Dubai, May 19. (BNA) -- General Motors has passed a major milestone with the 10th anniversary of its Middle East Parts Distribution Center (MEDC) located in the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai. The MEDC was initially leased from DHL, when it first opened in 2003. The center stocks and supplies GM service parts for its lineup of vehicles sold under the Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC brands. It ...

Algeria censors dailies over Bouteflika coma reports

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:56:41 -0400

Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has been transferred to France for further medical tests after suffering a minor stroke. File photo: Louafi Larbi, ...

Tunisian police clash with Islamists over banned rally

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:55:26 -0400

KAIROUAN, Tunisia (Reuters) - Supporters of the hardline Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia clashed with Tunisian police on Sunday after the government banned its annual rally, saying it posed a threat to ...

Syria rebel removes bites soldiers heart group says

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:45:32 -0400

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

Syrian forces launch airstrike on rebel-held city of Qusayr

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:45:07 -0400

Syrian forces launched an attack Sunday on the rebel-held city of Qusayr, killing at least 13 people, opposition leaders and state-run media said. The airstrikes came after months of fighting on the outskirts of the city in Homs province near the Lebanese border, ...

Saudi vegetable seller dies from self-immolation

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:22:50 -0400

A Saudi newspaper says a vegetable seller who set himself on fire in Riyadh after police confiscated his goods for standing in an unauthorized area has ...

Agricultural Charity Gives Aid to Israels Poor

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:14:07 -0400

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

Amir of Qatar meets Indian Finance Minister

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:13:42 -0400

Doha, May 19 (BNA) - The Amir of Qatar Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani met here today with Indian Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on the occasion of his visit to Qatar. Talks during the meeting dealt with relations between the two countries and matters of mutual concern, particularly financial and investment issues. EM E M BNA 1120 GMT ...

If youre touring the Middle East youre likely going to UAE

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:12:49 -0400

UAE's international tourism receipts are somewhat close to $10 billion The UAE is the world's 31st popular tourism destination and the most popular in the Arab World, ahead of Egypt -- ranked 32nd and Saudi Arabia ranked 35 -- in terms of tourism receipts, United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) data shows.In the Middle East, Turkey outranks the UAE, retaining 12th position ...

Join Oman Air See the world Get training worth over $5 million

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:12:47 -0400

Ever wondered why Oman Air cabin crew were so nice? Oman Air has committed RO2mn to staff training in 2013, having already invested more than RO3.3mn over the previous two years.In addition, Oman Air's Board of Directors has approved plans to fund full scholarships for 100 employees, enabling them to improve their academic qualifications in a range of administrative and technical ...

Iran road crash kills smuggled Afghanis

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:11:10 -0400

A CAR packed with Afghanis smuggled into Iran has collided with another vehicle and burst into flames, killing nine Afghanis and five Iranians, media reports say. The IRNA news agency said the crash occurred shortly after midnight in the southeastern province of Sistan Baluchistan, on a route Afghanis use to illegally cross the border in the hope of finding work in the Islamic republic. "The ...

16 killed in Syria offensive

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:09:41 -0400

18 May 2013 The Syrian military has launched an offensive to retake a strategic rebel-held town near the Lebanese border, a government official said, as activists reported that regime airstrikes and shelling of the town have killed at least 16 people, including opposition ...

Egyptian army mulls Sinai operation

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:07:42 -0400

President Mohamed Morsi has ordered the Egyptian army to free seven kidnapped Egyptian soldiers and police officers in the Sinai, officials said. Police and security officials in the Sinai planned a military operation during an emergency meeting Saturday, an unnamed military official told the Ma'an news agency. The army intends to carry out the operation only after intelligence has ...

ITP to publish Conde Nast Traveller Middle East

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:07:16 -0400

Arab Publishing Partners (APP), part of ITP Publishing Group, the Gulf region's largest consumer and business magazine publisher, and Cond Nast International, have announced the launch of international travel title Cond Nast Traveller Middle East. The magazine will be APP's first publication under licence agreement with Cond Nast ...

UN chief hopeful that international conference on Syria can take place in early June

Sun, 19 May 2013 08:00:33 -0400

MOSCOW - U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is holding out hope that an international conference to negotiate a peaceful resolution to the Syrian civil war will be held in early June. The U.S. and Russia have agreed to try to bring the Syrian regime and opposition to the negotiating table, but no date has been set. Neither Syrian President Bashar Assad nor the main Western-backed opposition ...

Tunisia Salafist movement calls on its supporters to gather in Tunis suburb after ban of its annual congress in central city of Kairouan.

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:54:21 -0400

TUNIS - Tunisian Salafist movement Ansar al-Sharia called on its supporters to gather in a Tunis suburb on Sunday, after the government banned it from holding its annual congress in the central city of ...

Bomb explodes near three embassies in Tripoli amid growing security fears

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:54:20 -0400

Latest bombings highlight inability of authorities to establish effective security in Libya, which has been awash since uprising with all sorts of ...

Iran hangs two spy suspects

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:54:14 -0400

Two Iranian nationals accused of spying for Israel and the United States were executed in Tehran at dawn Sunday, the prosecutor's office in Iran said. Mohammad Heidari was accused of collecting classified information and providing intelligence to Israel's Mossad agency, Iran's Press TV reported. The network said he allegedly received large sums of money from the Israeli spy agency ...

Report says Syria aims rockets at Israel

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:54:14 -0400

Satellite footage reveals Syria has surface-to-surface Tishreen missiles aimed at Tel Aviv, The Sunday Times reported. Reconnaissance satellites showed the Syrian army preparing to deploy missiles that carry a half-ton payload, the British newspaper said Sunday. The missiles have been put on standby and the military has orders to fire if Israel wages an attack on Syrian soil, the newspaper ...

Iran sanctions hurt Hezbollah and Assad report

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:34:59 -0400

Sanctions imposed against Iran are hurting the Islamic Republic's ability to support its regional allies Hezbollah and the Syrian government, U.S. Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David Cohen told Al Arabiya this ...

Iran said to execute two men for spying

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:22:24 -0400

Iran has in the past said it had successfully detected and dismantled spy networks operating inside the country. It has blamed the assassinations of scientists associated with its disputed nuclear programme on Western spy agencies, especially ...

Scottish News Yousaf on Middle East trade trip

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:17:03 -0400

May 19 2013 External Affairs Minister Humza Yousaf has travelled to Qatar to begin a three-day visit to promote Scottish exports and expertise in the Middle East. Humza Yousaf's trip follows First Minister Alex Salmond's visit to the country last October, and is aimed at further strengthening Scotland's economic, diplomatic and cultural links with the region. The Minister was ...

Syrian Troops Said to Strike Town Near Lebanon

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:13:54 -0400

AMMAN, Jordan -- The Syrian military on Sunday launched an offensive to retake a strategic rebel-held town near the Lebanese border, a government official said, as activists reported that regime airstrikes and shelling of the town have killed at least 16 people, including opposition ...

France in talks with U.S. Israel to buy drones minister

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:11:44 -0400

PARIS (Reuters) - France is in talks with the United States and Israel to buy intelligence-gathering drones to build up a modern fleet, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on ...

Paper Syrias Assad vows no dialogue with terrorists

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:04:44 -0400

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

Russia gives Assad sophisticated missiles to repel enemies coming from afar

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:04:23 -0400

WASHINGTON - Russia's shipment of anti-ship missiles to Syria will "embolden" the regime and fuel the country's civil war, the US military's top officer said ...

U.S. Develops Anti-Rocket Laser

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:04:16 -0400

WASHINGTON [MENL] -- A U.S. defense major, mindful of the threat to Israel,has overseen the development of a laser that could destroy missiles ...

Syria Army Storms Rebel Town - Report

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:39:17 -0400

Syrian government forces have surrounded the rebel stronghold of Qusair and are storming it from several directions, says Syrian state TV. Fighting has gone on around the town, near the Lebanese border, for weeks. Syrian opposition activists said government air strikes and heavy shelling had killed at least 16 people in the town so far. Opposition groups say militants from the Lebanese ...

DreamWorks Studios Signs Additional Foreign Output Deals

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:20:52 -0400

David Garrett's Mister Smith brokers deals for the studio's output across Europe, the Middle East and Africa including one with Samuel and Victor Hadida's Metropolitan ...