Latest in Region Highlight
Latest in Region
Suicide car bomb kills 12 soldiers, civilian in Yemen
AFP – A suspected Al-Qaeda suicide bomber Sunday killed 12 soldiers and a civilian in an attack on a military base in southeast Yemen, officials said, as government forces pursued jihadists in three restive provinces. The bombing came just hours after three gunmen were killed when they attacked a checkpoint close to the presidential palace …
Syria presidential campaign launches despite war
The election is being staged despite a raging civil war, with dozens of people dying across the country every day.
Israel closes Golan zone adjacent to Syria
Rebels in southern Syria set up earlier this year the so-called Southern Front, including some 30,000 fighters from more than 55 mainstream rebel groups, and have claimed successes, notably in Quneitra.
Israeli FM Lieberman slams Arab Israelis over Nakba protest
Around 10,000 protesters, many waving Palestinian flags, joined a rally in northern Israel on Tuesday to remember 530 villages from which some 760,000 people fled or were expelled following the creation of the Jewish state in 1948.
Lebanon rapped for blocking Palestinians fleeing Syria
AFP – Human Rights Watch and a UN refugee agency expressed concern on Tuesday that Lebanon was blocking Palestinians fleeing Syria from entering the country. UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, said it was “concerned about the increased restrictions on Palestine refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria from entering Lebanon”. “We are monitoring the …
South Sudan army battles rebels for key oil town
Bentiu fell into rebel hands last month, and opposition forces were accused by the United Nations of massacring hundreds of civilians.
Libya assembly speaker confirms Miitig as premier
AFP – The speaker of Libya’s General National Congress confirmed Ahmed Miitig as the country’s prime minister Monday, after approving his appointment following a chaotic session of the interim parliament. “Ahmed Omar Miitig was appointed head of the transitional government, and asked to form his cabinet and present it to the GNC for a confidence …
Rebels to leave Syria’s Homs in deal in 48 hours: Governor
The agreement involves the fate of about 2,250 fighters, civilians and injured people, according to the opposition.
Deal clinched for rebel retreat from Syria’s Homs: negotiator
Around 2,250 people, mostly fighters, will evacuate the Old City area, which lies in the heart of Syria’s third city Homs
Assad to face two candidates in Syria presidential vote
Twenty-three candidates had initially registered to run against Assad, but most did not meet election criteria to run for office in a vote that has been mocked by the opposition and the West as a “farce”.
Libyan MPs try again to elect a PM
AFP – Libya’s parliament met on Sunday to decide between two candidates for the post of prime minister after an earlier gathering was broken up by gunmen. Deputies said members of the General National Congress (GNC) would choose between Misrata businessman Ahmed Miitig and Benghazi academic Omar al-Hassi. They won Tuesday’s first round from an …
Iraq violence kills over 30 people in 24 hours
The bloodshed comes as officials count ballots from the 30 April general election, the first since US troops withdrew in late 2011, and amid a protracted surge in nationwide unrest that has sparked fears of a return to the sectarian killing sprees of 2006-2007.
Army kills 37 Qaeda suspects in south Yemen: ministry
Residents there told AFP on Sunday of “exceptionally” heavy artillery fire and air raids targeting Al-Qaeda hideouts in the region.
Hamas won’t recognise Israel, accept Quartet terms
AFP – Hamas will never recognise Israel and will not accept the conditions laid out by the Middle East peacemaking Quartet, according to the Islamist movement’s deputy leader. Speaking late on Saturday, Mussa Abu Marzuq said Hamas, which recently signed a reconciliation deal with the Western-backed Palestinian leadership in the occupied West Bank, would never …
UN chides donors for not enough aid to Syrian refugees
Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh and his counterparts from Turkey and Iraq, Ahmet Davutoglu and Hoshyar Zebari respectively, attended the talks.
At least seven killed in Mogadishu bombing: Somali police
The attack is the latest in a string of bombings in the city attributed to Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels, who are battling to overthrow the war-torn country’s internationally-backed but fragile government.
Deal for Syria rebels to withdraw from Homs bastion
Militants said the talks between representatives of the warring parties centred on whether the rebels would be allowed to pull out with their weapons.
Yemen army kills Al-Qaeda commander with Chechen links
News of his death came as officials blamed AQAP for a suicide bombing at an intelligence post that wounded two guards, and after gunmen killed an army officer in Aden.
A timeline of the deadly MERS virus
The virus is mainly focused on Saudi Arabia
Iraq attacks kill 20 as security forces cast ballots
The bombings in Baghdad and north and west Iraq raise serious concerns about the ability of the country’s security forces to protect voters during Wednesday’s general election,
Iran ex-president urges freedom for political prisoners
He was referring to Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi, reformists held incommunicado since February 2011
Syria bars refugees who fled via unofficial posts from voting
“Syrians who left Syria illegally do not have the right to vote in host countries,” Hisham Shaar was quoted as saying by pro-regime newspaper Al-Watan on Monday.
Five key questions on Iraq’s election
AFP – Five key questions about Iraq’s general election on Wednesday. Who are the candidates? 9,039 candidates from 277 political blocs are standing for a seat in the 328-strong parliament. More than 20 million Iraqis are eligible to vote, with 48,796 polling stations nationwide. Tribal allegiances and sectarian affiliations play a key role in voting. …
Factfile on Iraq
AFP – Basic facts about Iraq, where the first parliamentary election since 2010 will be held on Wednesday amid the country’s worst violence in years. Geography: Bordered by Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Kuwait, Iraq has a narrow outlet to the sea on the Gulf, and a surface area of 438,317 square kilometres …
Key dates in Iraq since US 2003 invasion
AFP – Iraq, where legislative elections take place on Wednesday, has for more than a year seen an upsurge of violence. The unrest has been principally driven by anger in the Sunni Arab community over alleged mistreatment at the hands of the Shi’a-led government and security forces, as well as a spillover from the civil …
Key players in Iraq’s election
Profiles of five key players
Iraqis vote with violence high and tensions rising
The month-long campaign has seen Baghdad and other cities plastered with posters and decked out in bunting
Israel cabinet divided over Palestinian unity deal
Wednesday’s surprise deal was denounced the next day by the Israeli security cabinet
Key dates since Syria’s 2013 chemical attack
AFP – A timeline of the main events since chemical weapons attacks near Damascus on August 21, 2013: August 2013 21: Syrian troops launch an offensive in the Damascus suburbs. The opposition accuses the army of chemical weapons strikes east and southwest of the capital, including in Moadamiyet Al-Sham where hundreds are killed. The government …
Syria chemical deadline passes, 8% of arms remain: OPCW
Under a US-Russian deal negotiated last year, Syria signed up to the Chemical Weapons Convention and agreed to hand over its entire chemical weapons arsenal by 30 June of this year