Syria tries to halt UN action over Hariri murderSYRIA: In a bid to stave off UN action against his country, Syria's president, Bashar al-Assad, decreed on Saturday the creation…Mon Oct 31 2005 - 00:00
Arab media not optimistic about Iraq's future after referendumIRAQ: Arab media did not take an optimistic view of the future of Iraq following the expected adoption of the constitution in…Tue Oct 18 2005 - 01:00
Iran works assiduously to secure interests in IraqIRAN/IRAQ: Tehran's interest in, and influence of, the new Iraq is hugely important, writes Michael Jansen.Tue Oct 04 2005 - 01:00
US marines try to root out al-Qaeda near SyriaSYRIA: US forces yesterday fought insurgents in the village of Sada in a fresh offensive to prevent infiltration by militants…Mon Oct 03 2005 - 01:00
Sistani to tell Iraqis to vote for constitutionIRAQ: Iraq's most senior Shia cleric, Ayatollah Ali Sistani, is expected to issue an edit calling on the faithful to vote in…Sat Sept 24 2005 - 01:00
Iraq's divided police force lacks drive of a single visionIRAQ: The storming on Monday of Basra's police headquarters by British forces to rescue two undercover servicemen detained by…Fri Sept 23 2005 - 01:00
Iraq pursues former minister for $1.3bn corruptionIraq: Iraq's Commission on Public Integrity revealed yesterday that Baghdad will soon issue a warrant for the arrest of Hazem…Tue Sept 20 2005 - 01:00
Abbas seals Gaza-Egypt borderMiddle East: Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that Gaza's frontier with Egypt had been sealed six days after…Mon Sept 19 2005 - 01:00
Views differ on source of Arafat's fatal illnessMIDDLE EAST: The mystery surrounding the death of former Palestinian president Yasser Arafat was partially resolved yesterday…Fri Sept 09 2005 - 01:00
Gunmen murder ex-security chief in GazaMIDDLE EAST: Former Palestinian security chief Moussa Arafat was assassinated before dawn yesterday by 100 masked gunmen armed…Thu Sept 08 2005 - 01:00
Arab world unites to criticise Iraq constitutionIRAQ: Officials and commentators in the Arab world yesterday poured scorn on Iraq's new constitution, arguing that it does not…Wed Aug 31 2005 - 01:00
Sunnis reject Iraq's constitutionIRAQ: Iraq's constitution was formally presented to parliament yesterday in spite of its rejection by Sunnis on the drafting…Mon Aug 29 2005 - 01:00
'Judaising' of Jerusalem continuesMIDDLE EAST: Palestinian children formed a conga line behind a youth from Italy pushing a boy in a wheelchairWed Aug 24 2005 - 01:00
Confronting Israelis with bandanas and onion slicesMIDDLE EAST : They gather every Friday after communal prayers at the mosque in Bi'lin 20 minutes west of Ramallah: Palestinians…Sat Aug 20 2005 - 01:00
The party spirit fades because of a misused democracyIraq Letter: A year ago I attended the inaugural meeting of a women's movement launched by Iraq's Independent Democrats, a secular…Wed Aug 10 2005 - 01:00
Ability of Palestinian forces questionedPalestine: Palestinian security services may not be able to counter threats to Israel's troops and settlers as they withdraw…Thu Aug 04 2005 - 01:00
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia dies after long reignSAUDI ARABIA: King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, the kingdom's fifth monarch, died early yesterday and was succeeded by his half-brother…Tue Aug 02 2005 - 01:00
Lebanon, Syria try for better relationsMIDDLE EAST: Lebanese prime minister Fuad Siniora and Syrian president Bashar Assad have called for relations between their …Mon Aug 01 2005 - 01:00
Mubarak calls Arab summitEGYPT: Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak, yesterday announced the convening of an Arab summit next week at the Red Sea resort…Fri Jul 29 2005 - 01:00
Former warlord freed in LebanonLEBANON: A former Lebanese Maronite Christian warlord was freed yesterday after serving 11 years in prison for crimes committed…Wed Jul 27 2005 - 01:00
Bombings linked to Taba attack last year, say policeEGYPT: The bombings in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula early on Saturday morning had considerable resonance in Egypt and the Arab world…Mon Jul 25 2005 - 01:00
Sunnis suspend talks on constitution after killingIRAQ : Sunni participation in the commission drafting a constitution for Iraq has been suspended, following the assassination…Thu Jul 21 2005 - 01:00
Is Iraq drifting towards a bloody civil war?IRAQ : Iraq's senior Shia cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, has warned of "genocidal war" if the current high level of violence…Wed Jul 20 2005 - 01:00
Insurgents target Shia areas as death toll risesIRAQ: The increase in suicide bombings which killed at least 160 people and wounded 400 since last week came soon after US and…Mon Jul 18 2005 - 01:00
Car bomb in Beirut wounds ministerLEBANON: Lebanon's outgoing deputy premier and defence minister, Elias Murr, was wounded yesterday when a car bomb exploded …Wed Jul 13 2005 - 01:00
Arab world unites to express its revulsionArab reaction Media commentators across the Arab world echoed official spokesmen by expressing severe condemnation and revulsion…Sat Jul 09 2005 - 01:00
Syrian leader gives backing to AbbasMIDDLE EAST: Syrian president Bashar Assad yesterday reiterated his country's support for the struggle of the Palestinian people…Fri Jul 08 2005 - 01:00
Hamas refuses Fatah's offer to govern jointlyMIDDLE EAST: The Islamic movement Hamas yesterday turned down an offer from the ruling Fatah movement to form a national unity…Wed Jul 06 2005 - 01:00
From 'Arabia felix' Yemen has become impoverished cul-de -sacLetter from Sanaa: Only 20 people disembarked from the Syrian Airways flight at Sanaa and lined up to have their passports stamped…Tue Jun 28 2005 - 01:00
Syria separates party and stateSYRIA: The 10th congress of Syria's ruling Baath party concluded yesterday after adopting modest but significant reforms.Fri Jun 10 2005 - 01:00
Syrian vice-president to resign after criticising Lebanon policySYRIA: Vice-president Abdel Halim Khaddam, Syria's number two political figure, has declared his intention to resign from the…Wed Jun 08 2005 - 01:00
Palestinians mark 57th anniversary of their 'catastrophe'PALESTINE: Palestinians marked the 57th anniversary of the proclamation of the state of Israel yesterday by observing a two-…Mon May 16 2005 - 01:00
Problems for Iraq cabinet as post is rejectedIraq: Iraq's parliament approved six remaining cabinet appointments yesterday, but one nominee refused to accept his ministry…Mon May 09 2005 - 01:00
Exiled Aoun returns to LebanonLebanon: Former army chief Michel Aoun returned to Lebanon on Saturday to a hero's welcome from thousands of flag-waving supporters…Mon May 09 2005 - 01:00
Iraqi government sworn inIraq: Iraq's first elected government in nearly half a century took office yesterday at a ceremony in the fortified Green Zone…Wed May 04 2005 - 01:00
Abbas names new teamMIDDLE EAST: Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has reshuffled his security chiefs in an effort to change top personnel before…Mon Apr 25 2005 - 01:00
Mikati's new cabinet boosts hopes for an early electionLEBANON: Lebanon's prime minister designate Najib Mikati yesterday formed a cabinet of businessmen, politicians and technocrats…Wed Apr 20 2005 - 01:00
Palestinians still don't view US as honest brokerMIDDLE EAST: The Palestinian Authority yesterday expressed satisfaction at the US demand for a freeze on Israeli settlement …Wed Apr 13 2005 - 01:00
Huge rally presses for US withdrawal dateIraq: Demonstrations organised by dissident Shias in Baghdad on Saturday were designed to exert pressure on the new Iraqi government…Mon Apr 11 2005 - 01:00
Lebanese premier defers resignation until he meets pro-Syrian partiesLebanon: Lebanese prime minister Omar Karami yesterday postponed his previously announced resignation until he meets members…Thu Mar 31 2005 - 01:00
Arabs reject softer approachMiddle East: Arab foreign ministers meeting in Algiers on Saturday rejected a Jordanian proposal to soften the long-standing…Mon Mar 21 2005 - 00:00
Opponents fear giving too much to KurdsIRAQ: In the negotiations which are now under way in Baghdad, Iraq's Shias and other Arabs are prepared to accept the principle…Thu Mar 17 2005 - 00:00
Pro-Syrian government steps down in LebanonMIDDLE EAST: Lebanese prime minister Omar Karami announced his pro-Syrian government's resignation yesterday under pressure …Tue Mar 01 2005 - 00:00
Mubarak says he will allow democratic electionsEGYPT: In a dramatic reversal of policy Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak has asked parliament to amend the constitution to provide…Mon Feb 28 2005 - 00:00
Shia group chooses Jaafari as choice for prime ministerIRAQ: After a week of intensive negotiations, the United Iraqi Alliance, the largest bloc in the new Iraqi parliament, yesterday…Wed Feb 23 2005 - 00:00
Leaders warn region could be destabilisedMIDDLE EAST: Arab leaders and commentators condemned Monday's assassination of the former Lebanese premier, Mr Rafiq Hariri, …Wed Feb 16 2005 - 00:00
Hariri was killed for ties with Saudi monarchy: tapeMIDDLE EAST: Of all the parties that might have been responsible for the death of Lebanon's former prime minister, an apparent…Tue Feb 15 2005 - 00:00
Abbas to press for active US peacemaking roleMIDDLE EAST: When they meet today, the Palestinian leader, Mr Mahmoud Abbas, is expected to press the US Secretary of State, …Mon Feb 07 2005 - 00:00
Shia clerics insist on the adoption of Islamic lawIRAQ: As the vote count indicated a landslide victory for the Shia religious party list in last Sunday's parliamentary poll, …Mon Feb 07 2005 - 00:00
Nation's 20th election since days of Ottoman empireIRAQ: Tomorrow's Iraqi election is the 20th national consultation since the country emerged from the Ottoman empire in the wake…Mon Jan 31 2005 - 00:00
