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Eight candidates for Iranian presidential race

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

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

Construction begins on new island off Jumeirah Beach in Dubai

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

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

Afghanistans Helmand Province Sees Fresh Clashes Conflicting Claims

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:15:19 -0400

Fighting between Taliban militants and Afghan government forces has erupted in a highly-volatile corner of Helmand province. Afghan officials claimed victory Wednesday in southern Helmand province, saying they turned back a series of attacks by Taliban militants in Sangin. A spokesman for the provincial governor estimated the number of attackers at close to 1,000, including Arabs and ...

UAE leaders hold talks with foreign officials

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:50:01 -0400

Leaders of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have met senior officials of the US, the Czech Republic and Kenya and held talks on enhancing ties. Lt. Gen. Obaid Mohammed Al Ka'abi, undersecretary of the UAE ministry of defence, met US Assistant Secretary of Defense (Logistics amp; Material Readiness) Alan F. Estevez. Ras Al Khaimah ruler Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi met visiting First Deputy ...

Indian passport problem in Saudi Arabia resolved

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:10:01 -0400

The problem of Saudi Arabian immigration authorities not accepting newly designed Indian passports has been resolved, according to the Indian embassy in Riyadh. India's Ambassador Hamid Ali Rao raised the issue during a meeting with Saudi Deputy Minister of Interior Ahmed Bin Mohammed Al-Salem Tuesday and the matter was clarified, local media reported Wednesday "Some cases were reported in ...

UAE China discuss economic relations

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:40:01 -0400

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and China have held talks over their bilateral economic relations. The talks were held Tuesday between Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansouri, the UAE's minister for economy and deputy governor of Chinese Anhui province. Mansouri said huge potential and opportunities were still untapped for the advancing of economic relations between the UAE and China as trade between the ...

Saudi Arabia nabs 10 over spying for Iran

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:20:01 -0400

Saudi Arabia has arrested 10 people on suspicion of espionage for Iran, the interior ministry announced Tuesday. "Following an initial investigation, the security forces arrested 10 more suspects over involvement in the espionage acts for an Iranian espionage cell, reported Xinhua citing a spokesperson for the ministry. The arrestees, comprising eight Saudis, a Lebanese and a Turk, are linked ...

Kerry Mideast Talks on Syria to Include Russian Call for Involving Iran

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:15:03 -0400

STATE DEPARTMENT U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in the Middle East this week for talks to promote an international peace conference on Syria. Russia wants Iran to be part of the process. In this fight for control of Syria, Iran is one of the biggest backers of embattled President Bashar al-Assad. So Russia says Iran should be part of the peace process. "Iran has ...

UAE Singapore discuss global development

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:40:01 -0400

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore have held talks over international development. The talks were held between UAE's minister for international cooperation and development, Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid al-Qasimi and visiting Singaporean minister for foreign affairs K. Shanmugam and his delegation. Both sides discussed ways to support efforts in international development, stimulating the ...

Transitional Justice Elusive in Arab Spring Nations

Wed, 22 May 2013 17:51:47 -0400

Egyptian riot police take up positions outside the building where former president Hosni Mubarak is being tried in connection with the killing of Arab Spring ...

Egypt leader claims victory in captives release

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

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

Tunisia Salafist spokesman released on bail

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

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

Egypt to boost fuel supply to ease power shortages

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

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

Kerry in Oman praises Raytheon defense contract

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

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

Abdullah bin Zayed participates in Friends of Syria meeting in Jordan

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:57:23 -0400

Amman, 22 May 2013 (WAM) - Foreign Minister H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan took part in the meeting of the 'Friends of Syria' group, held today in Amman. The meeting discussed the current situation in Syria after the Syrian army regained large part of the strategic city of Al Qussair and after a call by Qatar to held an emergency meeting of the Arab League to discuss means ...

Emiratis are stars of Ramadan TV

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:29:23 -0400

ABU DHABI // A series of Emirati-made and themed programmes will be broadcast for the first time during Ramadan. Local content is being prioritised by the Abu Dhabi Al Emarat channel over the Holy Month. New shows include Zaman Lol, a light drama about two friends who meet again after years apart and remember their youth in the 1970s. The programme will star Emirati actor Ghanem Al Sulaiti. A ...

Egypt law cuts tax rates for low income earners

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:14:50 -0400

CAIRO--Egypt's president signed a new tax law Tuesday that cuts the amount paid by poorer Egyptians in the latest move aimed at reforming the country's ...

Majid Al Futtaim acquires full ownership of Carrefour in the Middle East

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:15:13 -0400

Carrefour 's 25 per cent stake in its hypermarket business for EUR530 million (Dh2.50 billion). Under the deal signed today, Majid Al Futtaim will own 100 per cent of Majid Al Futtaim Hypermarkets' shares, the Dubai-based retailer said in a statement. At the same time, MAF extended its exclusive franchise partnership with the Carrefour Group until 2025. The pair have been partners ...

Bahrain opposition group snubs crisis talks

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:13:00 -0400

MANAMA, Bahrain -; Bahrain's main Shiite opposition group says it will temporarily boycott talks aimed at easing the Gulf nation's more than two-year unrest because of increased crackdowns by security ...

Bundesliga boss attacks Fifa decision to hold 2022 World Cup in Qatar

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:05:23 -0400

The Bundesliga chief executive Christian Seifert said moving the 2022 World Cup to winter could leave Fifa open to a legal challenge. Photograph: Thomas ...

Friends of Syria meet amid conflict

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:05:03 -0400

Britain and Qatar urged President Bashar al-Assad to step down, as major world powers gathered on Wednesday to seek ways toward a peaceful end to Syria's conflict.And the United States urged Assad to make a "commitment to find peace" in a country whose conflict has killed more than 94,000 people and threatens to spill beyond its borders."It is the long-standing view of the UK ...

Natanz speeds up IAEA

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:05:02 -0400

Iran has accelerated the installation of advanced nuclear machines at its Natanz plant in the last three months, the UN atomic agency said in a report Wednesday.The International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran has installed at Natanz almost 700 IR-2m centrifuges and empty centrifuge casings, used to enrich uranium, compared with just 180 in ...

Ahmadinejad to contest vote ban

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:05:01 -0400

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday he will ask supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to reverse what he branded the unjust disqualification of a close aide from next month's presidential election.The conservative-dominated Guardians Council on Tuesday eliminated the aide, Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, and ex-president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani from a list of eight candidates ...

Michael Jordan Brings The Buzz Back To Charlotte

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:04:46 -0400

" Well it applies here. Once upon a time, the Hornets posted 364 straight sold-out games. And some of most recognizable and marketable players in the NBA played in Charlotte. The list includes Muggsy Bogues standing 5'3" was the biggest little man in the league; Larry Johnson, nicknamed Grandmama, once signed the most lucrative contract in the NBA and was the first to make bling ...

General says Israel ready to attack Syria should Assad fall

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:03:14 -0400

An Israeli soldier stands on top of a tank with other tanks parked at a training ground in the Israeli controlled Golan Heights, near the border with Syria Wednesday, May 22, 2013. (AP Photo/Ariel ...

Turkey foils alleged attacks on Syrian refugees

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:03:12 -0400

In this photo taken Sunday, May 12, 2013, Syrian refugees shelter in a two-story wedding ceremony hall in the Turkish town of Reyhanli, near the border with Syria. (AP Photo/Burhan ...

Bahrain To Take Part In Afro-Arab Parliamentary Conference

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:01:21 -0400

Manama, May 22 (BNA)-- A Bahraini parliamentary delegation will take part in the 13th Afro-Arab Parliamentary Conference set to be held in Rabat, Morocco, on June 26 and 27, Representatives Council Speaker and Head of the Parliamentary Delegation Executive Committee Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Dhahrani announced as he chaired today the committee's meeting. The delegation will be headed by ...

Al Dhahrani We Look Forward To Boosting Cooperation Between Arab Legislative Councils

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:01:21 -0400

Manama, May 22 (BNA)-- Representatives Council Speaker Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Dhahrani stressed the key role played by the Arab Parliament in boosting cooperation between the Arab legislative councils and caring for human rights issues. He was speaking as he received today members of the Arab Parliament Legislative, Legal and Human Rights Affairs Committee, in the presence of Representatives ...

Bahrain hosts of US Navy fleet claims Iranian drone recovered

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:44:02 -0400

MANAMA, Bahrain - Bahrain's Interior Ministry says an Iranian drone has been found in the strategic Gulf kingdom that hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. The statement Wednesday gave no other details. Bahrain has repeatedly accused Shiite Iran of encouraging the more than 2-year-long uprising in Bahrain by its majority Shiites. Iran denies it has any direct role. Iran has recently ...

UPDATE 1-Carrefour sells stake in Middle East venture for $683 mln

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:37:04 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 1:37pm EDT * Dubai-based MAF to buy Carrefour's 25 pct stake * MAF to pay 530 million euros for stake - statement * MAF to issue hybrid bond to fund deal - sources (Recasts with MAF statement and details on hybrid bond) By Praveen Menon and Dinesh Nair DUBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - Carrefour, Europe's largest retailer, agreed to sell its remaining 25-percent stake in a ...

Friends of Syrian Opposition Meet in Jordan

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:58:16 -0400

Amman, May 22 (Prensa Latina) Delegates from 11 countries supporting irregular armed groups in Syria began a meeting today in this capital, to discuss the current context and adopt decisions on the beginning of talks with the government of the Arab country. Diplomats from the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia are attending the ...

Manama Declared Capital of Arab Media for the Years 2013 and 2014

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:47:02 -0400

Manama, May 22. (BNA) -- Minister of State for Information Affairs Samira Ibrahim bint Rajab and the Secretary-General of the Arab Media Forum Madhi Abdulla Khamis have signed a Cooperation Protocol on declaring Manama as capital of Arab Media for the years 2013-2014. On the occasion, the Minister of State affirmed that Manama was worthy of being chosen as Capital of Arab Media, adding that ...

Middle Easts killer virus whats in a name

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:45:53 -0400

For a pathogen with such a short history, the mysterious new virus killing people in the Middle East and Europe has already had an amazing array of ...

Egypt court sentences four men to hang for killing priest

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:31:07 -0400

CAIRO (Reuters) - An Egyptian court sentenced four men on Wednesday to death by hanging for the 2011 killing of a Coptic Christian priest in his apartment in the southern city of Assiut, state news agency MENA ...

US Oman talk $2.1 billion defence deal

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:38 -0400

The vote followed the committee's decision to embrace a Republican move to ease restrictions on high-tech US companies that want to hire more skilled workers from countries like India and ...

Egypt kidnapped security personnel freed in Sinai

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:22:07 -0400

"The seven security personnel have been released by their kidnappers in Sinai," military spokesman Ahmed Aly said in a statement carried by the official MENA ...

Musical Arab-Jewish youth seek the key to coexistence

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:19:27 -0400

A Yale University alumnus and veteran of the school's famed a capella groups has brought his talents to Jerusalem, where he launched an Arab-Jewish youth ...

Asia Crude-MRPL bought Oman oil to replace Iran oil

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:01:29 -0400

NEW DELHI | Wed May 22, 2013 12:01pm EDT NEW DELHI May 22 (Reuters) - India's MRPL has bought 600,000 barrels of Omani crude oil from trader Vitol for lifting in the first half of July, two sources with knowledge of the deal said, as the refiner avoids Iranian oil due to western sanctions. Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) has also bought about 600,000 barrels of ...

Long road to transition for Arab countries

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:49:03 -0400

The past two years have been difficult for the Arab countries in transition - Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen - and the situation will remain difficult in the near term. Unless countries adopt a comprehensive policy package that aims to maintain macroeconomic stability and lays the foundations for job-creating growth, the hopes and aspirations of people will be dashed, with ...

With 66 growth Patrol sets pace for Nissan sales in Middle East

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:48:51 -0400

Sales of Nissan cars increased across the Middle East by more than a quarter in the past financial year, slightly outpacing the overall market. The 26.2 per cent rise helped the company capture a market share of 14.4 per cent in the Arabian Gulf during the period. It is estimated that the market grew by about 25 per cent in 2012. "It would be difficult not to be pleased with 26 per cent ...

Qatar Petroleum Takes 15 Stake in Total EP Congo

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:45:42 -0400

Qatar Petroleum International (QPI) and Total announced the signing of a framework of Agreement whereby QPI will participate in Total E&P Congo through its subscription to a 15 percent share capital increase of this company. This participation reinforces Qatar's commitment to invest in Africa and illustrates Congo's willingness to welcome Qatar as a new partner. Furthermore, thanks ...

Egypt-Gaza Crossing Reopens after Liberation of Hostages

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:45:07 -0400

Cairo, May 22 (Prensa Latina) The border crossing at Rafah city, linking Egypt and Gaza, reopened today after five days of being shut down by soldiers due to the kidnapping of seven guards. The crisis involving seven members of the Egyptian security corps, kidnapped six days ago in the Sinai Peninsula, ended today in an anti-climax, their liberation achieved through the mediation of Bedouins. The ...

Middle East North Africa - Rights situation in post-revolutionary Arab countries remains dire

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:39:40 -0400

Two years after the "Arab Spring" swept the Arab region and led within months to the ouster of the autocratic rulers in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, and Yemen, the state of human rights in these countries remains dire and the chances for democratic transition face major challenges. Arab countries which were less affected by the "Arab Spring" also continue to witness serious human ...

Iran qualifies 8 candidates bars 2 hopefuls ahead of

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:38:50 -0400

Iran's Guardian Council of Constitution announced the names of eight eligible candidates for the upcoming presidential election while barring two major political figures from running for presidency.Among the qualified candidates, nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, Tehran Mayor Mohammad-Baqer Qalibaf, former foreign minister Ali- Akbar Velayati, senior lawmaker Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel, and ...

Young faces enliven Kuwaits faded art scene

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:30:21 -0400

View Photo Reuters/Reuters - Kuwaiti graphic designer Mohammad Sharaf talks about his work in his office in Hawalli, May 1, 2013. After two lackluster decades, Kuwait is experiencing a quiet revival of an arts scene ...

Kerry warns Syrias Assad against rejecting political solution

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:27:00 -0400

AMMAN, May 22 (Reuters) - Western governments are ready to increase support to opponents of President Bashar al-Assad if he rejects a political solution to Syria's civil war, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday. Kerry said recent military gains by Assad's forces were only temporary and that if he believed the counter-offensives against the rebels would be ...

How Soccer Can Help Us Predict the Next Arab Spring Revolution

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:19:28 -0400

In some countries, those engaging in public forms of dissent are often tortured and "disappeared." Soccer fans, in contrast, are allowed to vent as much as they want, and in large ...

Russia says Assads foes lack commitment to peace talks

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

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Wednesday that the Syrian opposition had not yet shown enough commitment to efforts to arrange a peace conference with ...

In Brotherhoods Egypt blasphemy charges against Christians surge ahead

Wed, 22 May 2013 11:07:09 -0400

A blasphemy trial against a Christian teacher in this Egyptian city renowned for its Pharaonic monuments is among a wave of cases that have Egyptian Christians worried they can be jailed for insulting Islam on the flimsiest of ...

UN emergency fund provides $9.8 million to assist Syrian refugees in Jordan

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:36:52 -0400

CERF ) has provided $9.8 million to support the establishment of a new camp for Syrian refugees in Jordan and to help meet the growing needs of those fleeing the ongoing conflict. ';With this CERF funding, UN agencies will be able to better meet the needs of the influx of people fleeing the increasingly desperate situation in Syria,'; said the ...

Shlomo Maoz Arabs pay higher interest rates

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:26:47 -0400

"If I live in Israel and I'm Bedouin or Arab, the interest rate I pay is higher. The closer I get to the White Men and Tel Aviv, the interest rate I pay ...

Iran Hezbollah increasing support for Assad U.K.

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:24:15 -0400

Hezbollah were "propping up" Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and giving him increasing support. "It is very clear that Syrian regime is receiving a great deal of support, increasing support in recent months from ...

QRail to render Qatar unrecognisable by 2019

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:23:53 -0400

A senior executive at Qatar Rail (QRail) has revealed the staggering statistics behind the $40bn slew of rail-based contracts now getting underway across the State of Qatar, in a Qatar University seminar dedicated to the national endeavour. Broken down the programme includes a light rail transit linking Lusail and West Bay to be completed by 2017, the first phases of both the long-distance ...

Human Rights Minister Bahrain Has Presented Itself as a Model in Implementing BICIs Recommendations

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:22:12 -0400

Rabat, May 22. (BNA) -- On the sidelines of the Kingdom's human rights delegation's visit to Morocco, at the invitation of the Inter-ministerial Delegation on Human Rights here, Human Rights Affairs Minister Dr. Salah bin Ali Abdulrahman met here today with the Attorney General of the King at the Court of Cassation Mustafa. During the meeting, Mustafa Maddah welcomed the ...

Deputy Premier Receives British Ambassador to Bahrain

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:22:12 -0400

Manama, May 22. (BNA) -- Deputy Premier Shaikh Mohammed bin Mubarak Al Khalifa received here today the British Ambassador to Bahrain Iain Lindsay. They reviewed the positive outcomes of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa's recent visit to the United Kingdom and the warm welcome and hospitality accorded to him by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and British senior officials. The ...

Qatar hits fresh 28-month high UAE markets mixed

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:21:01 -0400

Elsewhere, Dubai's benchmark gained 0.2 percent to finish at 2,323 points, giving back some early-session gains as investors booked some gains in UAE stocks. Abu Dhabi's index slipped 0.2 percent to 3,503 points, down for a third session since Monday's 54-month ...

Crowell Moring Cairo advises ADIB-Egypt on landmark Islamic Finance deal

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:17:50 -0400

) in connection with a landmark Islamic Finance facility extended to Maridive and Oil Services SAE. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank- Egypt was the Initial Mandated Lead Arranger (IMLA) and the global coordinator in the deal, coordinating the financing with Abu Dhabi Islamic bank (UAE), Arab African International Bank, Banque du Caire and Arab International Bank. The deal is the first Islamic Ijara ...

MIDEAST STOCKS-Kuwait dips from 4-yr high as rally stalls mkts mixed

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:12:57 -0400

By Nadia Saleem DUBAI | Wed May 22, 2013 10:12am EDT DUBAI May 22 (Reuters) - Kuwait's rally stalled on Wednesday as investors booked profits in bluechip and mid-cap stocks, while other Middle East markets were mixed in lacklustre trade. Kuwait's index fell 0.3 percent, easing from Tuesday's near four-year high. Telecom operator Zain and National Bank of Kuwait shed 1 and ...

MIDEAST WEEKAHEAD-Slow progress on development projects puts Kuwait stock market boom at risk

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:12:28 -0400

By Nadia Saleem DUBAI | Wed May 22, 2013 10:12am EDT DUBAI May 22 (Reuters) - Kuwait's stock market boom could run out of steam if the government doesn't push ahead soon with long-delayed infrastructure projects aimed at diversifying the oil-reliant economy. Turnover on the Kuwait Stock Exchange has tripled from six months ago as reduced political unrest and an improved economic ...

U.S. stands by Yemen Kerry says

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:55:32 -0400

John Kerry said. Kerry said Yemen has made important strides in transitioning toward a democratic government. "Yemenis from all walks of life have come together to chart a new course for their country through their National Dialogue, setting an example for the region of meaningful change through negotiation, inclusion and reconciliation," he said in a statement. Yemeni President Abdu ...

Iranian unmanned aircraft found in Bahrain

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:55:31 -0400

An Iranian unmanned aircraft was discovered in northern Bahrain near Saudi Arabia, the Bahraini interior ministry said in a statement. In the statement issued late Tuesday, Interior Minister Sheik Rashid bin Abdullah al-Khalifa condemned Iranian spying efforts and accused Tehran of interfering with the internal affairs of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The minister expressed gratitude to Saudi ...

Syria to reject outcome of Friends of Syria meeting envoy

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:08:11 -0400

Syrian Ambassador to Jordan Bahjat Suleiman said Wednesday that his country will reject the outcome of the "Friends of Syria" meeting slated to open soon in Amman.Speaking at a press conference, Suleiman said "we cannot accept any of the results of the so-called Friends of Syria meeting."The diplomat slammed the countries that will partake in the meeting as "Friends of ...

Syrian army advances in Qussair city amid rebels strong resistance

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:08:11 -0400

The Syrian army continued on Wednesday its wide-scale operation in the central strategic city of al-Qussair amid a strong resistance from the rebels.The governmental troops have restored security and stability to Al-Akari and Tal Sar villages and hunted down rebels in the town of al-Hamidieh on the outskirts of al-Qussair, state-run SANA news agency said Wednesday.The army pushed its way into ...

Sri Lanka to resume refinery on Friday with Oman light crude

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:06:57 -0400

Wed May 22, 2013 9:06am EDT * Oman crude shipment of 1 mln barrels expected on Friday * Refinery built to process Iranian oil, yields low from Omani * Sri Lanka decides to import Murban light - minister * Sri Lanka has been buying Iran oil in mid sea - opposition MP By Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal COLOMBO, May 22 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's sole refinery, which was closed last week due to a ...

Sembcorp opens $1bn plant in Omans Salalah

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:03:22 -0400

The facility includes a gas-fired power plant and seawater desalination plant, and will provide water and power to the Gulf country under a 15-year purchase ...

Chevron to sell downstream assets in Egypt Pakistan

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:03:19 -0400

Chevron is the second largest oil company in US Chevron Corp is in advanced talks to sell most of its downstream assets in Egypt and Pakistan, three sources said, with the planned disposals seen raising around $300 million for the U.S. oil major.Chevron, the second-largest U.S. oil company, is conducting a separate sale process for its assets in both countries, the banking sources said, speaking ...

Egypt Central Bank to auction $800 million forex again

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:03:16 -0400

Street vendor distributing bread in Egypt Egypt's central bank said on Tuesday it would offer $800 million to banks at an exceptional auction of foreign currency on Wednesday to cover the country's strategic import needs.The auction will be the central bank's second exceptional sale of foreign exchange. In April, it sold $600 million to pay for wheat, meat, cooking oil and other ...

France beefs up Africa Middle East embassy security

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:56:16 -0400

PARIS, May 22 (Reuters) - France will invest about 20 million euros ($25 million) to increase security for diplomats and embassies in the Middle East and Africa after its mission in Libya was targeted by a car bomb in April, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. Spokesman Philippe Lalliot confirmed an email sent by Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius to staff on Tuesday saying the measure ...

Statement by Bishops and Representatives of Jordan on Kidnapping of Syrian Prelates

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:48:12 -0400

Here is a statement released by the Bishops and Representatives of the Churches in Jordan regarding the kidnapping of two Metropolitans in Aleppo, ...

Iranian drone spotted in Bahrains airspace

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:57:27 -0400

Bahrain's Interior Minister on Wednesday said an Iranian drone was spotted in Bahrain's airspace in the northern part of the country near Saudi Arabia.Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said that Iran is increasingly meddling in the internal affairs of both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, adding that Bahrain has uncovered a terror cell linked to Iran."Iran's ...

Kerry hails tentative $2.1bn arms sale to Oman

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:52:33 -0400

US Secretary of State John Kerry hailed on Wednesday what US officials said was an estimated $2.1bn deal for Oman to buy a ground-based air defence system from US defence contractor Raytheon ...

Mobinil Ericsson to bring next generation internet technology to Egypt

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:49:01 -0400

Growing consumer demand for mobile connectivity in Egypt has resulted in a new agreement between Mobinil and Ericsson whereby Ericsson will modernize Mobinil's ...

To locate the next Arab Spring revolution look to the soccer stands

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:44:12 -0400

globalization . Now a Singapore-based bloggersays soccer can tell us which Middle East or North African government will be the next to blow. At the top of the list: Algeria and Saudi Arabia. Over at his ...

EURCHF hits a new high this year pushed by SNBs Jordan

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:37:40 -0400

Legal disclaimer and risk disclosure Forex trading carries a high level of risk and may not be suitable for all investors. It could also result in losses equalling or exceeding your initial investment. Before deciding to invest in Forex trading, you should carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience and risk appetite. You are strongly advised to carry out your own ...

Michael Jordan summons Hugo the Hornet to Charlotte

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:34:09 -0400

NBA franchise's application Tuesday to re-claim the name of the city's original basketball team : the Hornets. A name change requires approval from the 30 members of the NBA board of governors. The league will vote on the name change in July. If approved, Charlotte would play one more season as the Bobcats and become the Hornets for the 2014-15 season. Until last month, New Orleans was ...

Arab Parliament Decries Iranian Foreign Ministrys Bahrain Statement

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:24:29 -0400

WAM CAIRO, May 22nd, 2013 (WAM)-- The Arab Parliament expressed its objection to what it called blatant Iranian intervention in Bahraini domestic affairs. The statement made recently by Hussain Amir Abdallahyan, Iran's Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, was deemed "a brazen intervention" and an "unusual behavior " that contradicts all international ...

Oman confirms they are free of Coronavirus

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:24:26 -0400

WAM MUSCAT, May 22nd, 2013 (WAM) -- Oman has confirmed that the country is free of the Coronavirus. The Oman News Agency (ONA) quoted from an official source at the Ministry of Health, saying it has not recorded any cases of the virus so far. The Ministry of Health formed a clinical technician working group to deal with any cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by infections of the ...

SNC urges world to stop Hezbollah Iran invasion of Qusair

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:46:42 -0400

Iran invasion of Qusair.In a statement, Acting SNC chief George Sabra called on the U.N. Security Council to convene an emergency meeting to address the "violations" of Syrian's sovereignty and the lives of its ...

Oman Air places order for Airbus planes

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:43:40 -0400

The order will grow the airline's A330 fleet to a total of 10 Airbus aircraft. The aircraft will be operated on long haul routes and will seat close to 300 passengers, Airbus said in a ...

Rent up 30 in Saudi Arabia

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:43:30 -0400

It is expected that the rents of apartments in the south and east of Jeddah to drop In a surprising move, rent prices for apartments and villas shot up by 30 percent, according to real estate experts.Experts say the rent hikes were due to rising costs of building and renovation, and the increase in the wages of workers in the construction and management of building. In Jeddah, for example, it is ...

Egypt Security Officers Kidnappers Must be Pursued and Captured

Wed, 22 May 2013 06:22:55 -0400

Cairo - Supreme Guide of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, extended his greetings to President Mohamed Mursi, the Armed Forces and the Bedouins of Sinai on Wednesday for their efforts in releasing the seven kidnapped security officers. Badie stressed through his Twitter account the necessity to hold the perpetrators of this abduction accountable. "Congratulations to the ...

Arab Idol competition fiercer after double elimination

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:50:43 -0400

The Emirati judge Ahlam reminisced on her two times performing in the Palestine Territories, and promised to sing alongside Assaf the next time she performs there. Her fellow judge Ragheb Alama, from Lebanon, also showered the 22-year-old with praise, comparing his voice to "fragrant jasmine" and calling him "a gift to the Arab ...

Life in Jordans desert city

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:49:04 -0400

Jordan's Zaatari refugee camp is home to 170,000 people from Syria who have fled the fighting. While camps are the more visible part of the refugee crisis, the majority of refugees in Jordan live in towns and cities where they face different problems. Rents have tripled over the past six months as landlords cash in on the new demand for housing. Swiss photographer Olivier Vogelsang visited ...

Diplomats Iran expands nuke technology

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:48:28 -0400

Herman Nackaerts, left, Deputy Director General and Head of the Department of Safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, shakes hands with Iran's Ambassador to the IAEA, Ali Asghar Soltanieh, after their talks at the permanent mission of Iran in Vienna, Austria, Wednesday, May 15, 2013. U.N. nuclear agency officials are meeting with Iranian counterparts in a renewed attempt ...

WEF on ME North Africa to open in Jordan

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:45:32 -0400

The three-day meeting, convening under the theme Advancing Conditions for Growth and Resilience, will focus on shaping the region's economic, social and governance systems of the future. The meeting will convene over 900 leaders from the Gulf region, the Levant, North Africa and internationally. Representatives of business, government, civil society, youth and media will come together to ...

SNC urges Syrian rebels to join Qusair battle

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:39:13 -0400

Syrian National Coalition urged Wednesday rebel forces to join the battle in Qusair and appealed to the world to stop what it said was an "invasion" of the border town ...

Syria’s Mekdad heads to Moscow

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:39:10 -0400

Geneva next month.European diplomatic sources said Tuesday the Syrian regime has put forward a list of five officials as potential negotiators in talks with the opposition.They said the list, provided to Moscow in early March, includes Prime ...

Gaza-Egypt crossing at Rafah reopens witnesses

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:39:08 -0400

In this Monday, Aug. 6, 2012 file photograph, the Rafah border terminal between Egypt and Gaza, and the only gateway for Gaza's people, is closed and guarded by Egyptian border guards in Rafah, Egypt. (AP Photo/Ahmed Gomaa, ...

Damac emerges from Egypt tussle poorer but clean

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:38:38 -0400

with Egypt’s government, but at a significant cost, according to figures published by an Egyptian newspaper. Under the terms of the deal, Damac will pay an additional $20.77m to reclaim the right to construct its "Park Avenue" mall and commercial project on the Cairo-Alexandria road, while it will forfeit its stake in local developer, ‘Hyde Park Properties for Development ...

Events industry on Middle East carbon footprint

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:38:38 -0400

Members of the professional sound and light industry tackled the issue of carbon footprint produced by events held in the Middle East. During a panel discussion at PALME Middle East 2013, experts looked at whether the massive amount of energy needed to put on everything from spectacular launch parties to concerts and shows can be justified. The event industry is a significant energy consumer ...

World Bank pledges financial support to Jordan

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:35:51 -0400

World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. Image courtesy of The Telegraph On Tuesday, the World Bank announced that it will supply Jordan with "substantial funds" to help the country cope with the huge influx of Syrian refugees that it has been receiving since the start of the conflict.Since the onset of violence in ...

Bahrain MPs vote to ban pork in kingdom

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:28:23 -0400

Lawmakers in Bahrain have approved a change in legislation that would criminalise the sale, import, export, production and possession of all pork products, it was ...

Dare to dream Everest climber tells Arab girls

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:11:54 -0400

"Thank you very much. I’m at the Everest Base Camp waiting for my helicopter," said a voice battered into weak decibels by wind and altitude, but still resonating with the excitement of a world ...

Irans Ahmadinejad denounces election decision

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:40:44 -0400

TEHRAN, Iran -; Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says a decision by election overseers to disqualify his top aide from an upcoming presidential race is an act of "oppression" and he will take the case to the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali ...

Egypts EFG Hermes says Q1 net profit jumps 27 pct

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:40:39 -0400

CAIRO | Wed May 22, 2013 4:40am EDT CAIRO May 22 (Reuters) - EFG Hermes, Egypt's biggest investment bank, saw net profit jump 27 percent in the first quarter from the same period a year earlier, the bank said on Wednesday. Net profit for the period increased to 98 million Egyptian pounds ($14 million) from 77.0 million pounds in the first quarter of 2012, the bank said in a ...

Iranian president to challenge ban against aide from

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:33:29 -0400

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that he will take up the ban against his top aide, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaei, from running in the upcoming presidential election with supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, semi-official ISNA news agency ...

Iraqi PM orders reshuffle of top security officers

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:33:28 -0400

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki ordered a reshuffle of top security officers after recent attacks left hundreds of people killed and wounded, a government statement said on Wednesday."The Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces Nuri al-Maliki today after consultation with security officials issued decrees of changes in the operations command and the commands of divisions," ...

AP condemns Irans interference in Bahrains internal affairs

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:29:55 -0400

Cairo, May 22 (BNA) - The Arab Parliament denounced the remarks said by Iranian Assistant Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hussain Amir Abdullahyan on the Kingdom of Bahrain, considering the same as unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and uncharacteristic behavior in international relations and contrary to all international laws and ...

Top US official in Oman for $2.1bn arms deal signing

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:28:53 -0400

US Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Oman on Tuesday for Raytheon Co's signing of an estimated $2.1bn arms deal and to consult on Syria and Iran, US officials ...

Why have Syrian refugees stopped entering Jordan

Wed, 22 May 2013 04:28:49 -0400

The number of Syrian refugees entering Jordan has almost ground to a halt over the last four days, with conflicting reports coming from the border as to ...

Bicycle bomb kills 1 wounds 5 in Afghanistans Ghazni

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:26:45 -0400

One Afghan civilian was killed and five others were wounded Wednesday morning when an improvised bomb went off in Ghazni city, the provincial capital of eastern Ghazni province, police said."An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) attached to a bicycle exploded at around 8:40 am local time in third police district in Ghazni city, killing one civilian and wounding five others," deputy ...

Turkeys TAV to bid for Kuwait Bahrain airport contracts

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:21:41 -0400

Middle East director Yusuf Akcayoglu told Construction Week the company is waiting for the release of tender documents for the new passenger terminal building project at Kuwait International Airport and for the Bahrain Airport expansion ...

Virtual Job Fair for The Middle East

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:07:31 -0400

Monster Gulf, an online career and recruitment solutions providers in the region announced its Virtual Job Fair for The Middle East, taking place from 26th – 30th ...

Irans Ahmadinejad says will challenge allys ban from election

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:06:58 -0400

Iran's electoral watchdog on Tuesday disqualified Esfandiar Rahim Mashaie, Ahmadinejad's former chief of staff, from running in the June 14 presidential vote. "In my opinion there will be no problem with the Leader and I will take up this issue until the last moment with him," Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday, according to the ISNA news agency. "I am hopeful the problem ...

Hunger poverty rates rise in Egypt over the past three years UN

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:24:37 -0400

New York, May 22 : Poverty and food insecurity in Egypt have risen significantly over the last three years, according to a joint reports released Tuesday by the United Nations food agency and ...

10 insurgents killed in E. Afghan raids

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:19:48 -0400

Ten insurgents have been killed in eastern Afghan provinces during operations started on Tuesday, said the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on Wednesday."Afghan National Security and Coalition Forces killed 10 insurgents, detained four suspected insurgents and safely cleared six improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during operations in eastern Afghanistan throughout the ...

Egyptian army says security officers kidnapped in Sinai released

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:17:51 -0400

Sinai last week have been released and are on their way to Cairo, army spokesman Ahmed Ali said on his Facebook page on Wednesday."The seven kidnapped Egyptian soldiers are on their way to Cairo after their release thanks to the efforts of the Egyptian military intelligence in coordination with the elders of the tribes and families of Sinai," he ...

Gulf pension funds ramp up assets amid Arab Spring

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:14:57 -0400

State pension funds in the Gulf are sharply increasing their investments in new assets on the back of the Arab Spring and demographic shifts, a report ...

Qatar wins green light for London Shell Centre

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:14:57 -0400

Qatar's sovereign wealth fund has secured local government approval to build almost 900 homes and eight office blocks at the site of Royal Dutch Shell's London ...

Eastday-Arab League warns against foreign interference in Syrian conflict

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:07:32 -0400

CAIRO, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The Cairo-based Arab League (AL) warned against the interference of foreign parties, directly or indirectly, in the ongoing military conflict in Syria, a statement said ...

Study says India Jordan Bangladesh Hong Kong worlds most racially intolerant

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:22:39 -0400

INDIA, Jordan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong are among the the most racist countries in the world - but Britain is among the most accepting of different races, a survey has found. The World Values Survey asked people in more than 80 countries what type of people they did NOT want as neighbours. More than 40 per cent of those quizzed in India, Jordan, Bangladesh and Hong Kong said they didn't ...

17 of Egypts population suffered food insecurity

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:06:04 -0400

Average Egyptian household spends 40.6 percent of its expenditures on food The World Food Programme (WFP) in Egypt released a report on Tuesday showing that 17 percent of Egypt's population, an estimated 13.7 million people, suffered from food insecurity in 2011, compared to 14 percent in 2009.According to the joint report by the World Food Programme, the International Food Policy Research ...

Armed man threatens to shoot himself at Jordan Hospital www.privateofficer.com

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:00:30 -0400

A Marshfield man threatened to shoot himself at Jordan Hospital Monday after being told he'd missed his appointment for treatment of pain. Police said the 66-year-old man told a nurse he had a gun in his pocket and was going to shoot himself in the head if he did not get help soon. The man never showed the weapon or threatened anyone else, but he was carrying a .380-caliber semi-automatic ...

Burundi enacts new air services agreement with Qatar

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:50:38 -0400

(eTN) - The Burundi government has formally signed a new air service agreement with Qatar Airways, allowing the two national airlines (Qatar Airways and Air Burundi) to fly up to seven times a week between Doha and Bujumbura. The agreement covers passengers and cargo services and allows for intermediate stops enroute from and to Bujumbura. Burundi is currently the least-connected country in ...

Senior PGA player practices with Ranken Jordan patients

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:05:13 -0400

ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KSDK) - In golf, major championships are a big deal and so are the practice sessions leading up to them. On Tuesday, golfers continued their practice rounds at Bellerive, perfecting their swings for the Senior PGA Championship. Veteran golfer Scott Simpson is in the field for the Senior PGA Championship. NewsChannel 5's Art Holliday asked him about giving back, the thrill ...

Syria on target U.S. wants 20000 troops arriving in Jordan

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:25:47 -0400

The Pentagon plans to relocate an effective military force beginning with 200 then up to 20 000 soldiers and station them in Jordan in order to be prepared for a possible military intervention in ...

World Briefing | Middle East Egypt Security Forces Fire on Funeral

Tue, 21 May 2013 23:02:31 -0400

Egyptian officials say soldiers and police officers mistakenly fired on a Bedouin funeral in the Sinai Peninsula during a search for kidnapped security personnel. The officials say the troops thought the funeral convoy was carrying gunmen who refused to ...

15 killed 90 wounded in fresh attacks in Iraq

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:49:23 -0400

A car bomb went off near the Abu Ghraib Grand Mosque, a Sunni mosque in Abu Ghraib area, 25 km west of the capital Baghdad, on Tuesday evening, killing eight people and injuring 15 others, a police source told Xinhua on condition of ...

Debate in Egypt as IMF official urges govt to cut

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:42:54 -0400

The statement of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) official urging the Egyptian government to cut energy subsidies has stirred up debate among local experts.On Tuesday, Masood Ahmed, IMF chief for the Middle East and Central Asia, told reporters in Dubai that Egypt should cut energy subsidies and spend more in other fields to reinvigorate its ailing economy.Ahmed said Egypt spends on energy ...

Syrian missiles in Israeli cities a matter of time Israeli

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:42:25 -0400

Syrian missile strikes on major urban centers in Israel are "just a matter of time," Israel's Home Front Defense Minister Gilad Erdan said Tuesday ahead of a national civil defense drill scheduled for next week."It is no longer a question of whether missiles will be fired toward dense population centers, but when. My answer is that it doesn't really matter. It can happen ...

Irans Hashemi-Rafsanjani Rahim-Mashaei barred from

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:42:24 -0400

In a statement issued by Iranian Interior Ministry on Tuesday, the presidential hopefuls Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, former moderate president, and Esfandiar Rahim- Mashaei, top aide of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, were not qualified for the country's upcoming presidential election.The statement said that Iran's Guardian Council of Constitution, the high legislative body of the country, ...

Israeli minister nuclear Iran poses largest threat to Israel

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:42:24 -0400

Israeli Minister of Strategic and Intelligence Affairs, Yuval Steinitz, said on Monday that the most critical issue threatening Israel's security is a nuclear Iran.Steinitz made the comments in a speech given at an international security conference called the C5I (Command and Control, Computers, Communications, Cyber and Intelligence), which is aimed at sharing knowledge and ideas on ...

1 militant killed 3 arrested in Egypts Sinai

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:42:23 -0400

One militant has been killed and three others arrested in a military campaign in the Egyptian governorate of North Sinai on Tuesday, a security official told Xinhua."During a military campaign in southern Rafah in North Sinai, the security forces were surprised by heavy gunfire at Al-Barth area and exchanged fire with the militants," the security source said.Afterwards, the security ...

Iran bars Rafsanjani Mashaei from election

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:40:22 -0400

This combination of eight pictures shows eight candidates approved Tuesday, May 21, 2013 for Iran's June 14 presidential election to replace Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who cannot run again because of term limits, clockwise from left: Mohammad Gharazi, Mohsen Rezaei, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, Saeed Jalili, Ali Akbar Velayati, and Hasan Rowhani, taken between May 9 and May 11, ...

Syrian rebels put up fierce resistance in Qusair

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:40:20 -0400

This citizen journalism image provided by Qusair Lens, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Syrian citizens inspecting the rubble of damaged buildings that were damaged from a Syrian forces air strike in the town of Qusair, near the Lebanon border, Homs province, Syria, Tuesday, May 21, 2013. Several members of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group ...

Opposition demands guarantees Assad will quit

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:40:19 -0400

National Coalition – which Khatib has left – would be "the legitimate representative" of Syrian opposition forces in any negotiations. "Bashar Assad and his security regime are not a part of any transitional phase, and they have no role in Syria’s future," the document said, adding that there needed to be "international guarantees" for his ...

Russia opposes forced Syria regime change

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:40:18 -0400

Hezbollah in Syria and the potential regional fallout, Zasypkin also assured that Russian missiles supplied to Syria will not reach Hezbollah. "I don’t know the details of the contracts [for supply of weapons to Syria] but I can confirm that the contract states those missiles must not reach a third party," he said. "Our utmost priority is stability and security in ...

Jordan’s border clampdown shuts out refugees

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:40:17 -0400

U.N. figures show. All four unofficial crossing points used by refugees trying to escape bombardments in the southern province of Deraa have been closed for the past six days, refugees and aid workers say, although the official frontier post at Jaber remained open. They said Syrian families trying to pass into Jordan from the rebel-held border villages of Nasib and Tel Shehab had been turned ...

Egypt tourist arrivals rise but not by enough

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:40:05 -0400

Egypt rose in the first four months of 2012, the Cabinet said Tuesday, but analysts say the sector is still suffering from the aftermath of the country’s 2011 uprising. The revolt that ousted ...

Egypt passes new tax law in bid for economic reform

Tue, 21 May 2013 20:33:26 -0400

according to the Associated Press , describing the measure as one that will shift the burden on the poor to that of the nation's struggling small business sector. As for the nation's powerful and wealthy elite, the new law won't touch ...

Third Time Wasn’t The Charm John Kerry Returns To The Middle East For A Fourth Go-Round

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:25:50 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry , embarking on yet another trip to the Middle East, where he has already been three times since assuming office at the end of ...

Saipem awards Oceaneering Egypt offshore deal

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:20:02 -0400

Italian oil and gas industry contractor Saipem has awarded Oceaneering International the contract to supply umbilicals for the Burullus West Delta Deep Marine Phase IXa development located offshore Egypt. The order includes 10 subsea production control umbilicals totalling approximately 84km in length and two electrical power cables totalling around 55km in length. The project is set to be ...

DSI awarded $460m contract in Saudi Arabia

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:20:01 -0400

Dubai-based Drake & Scull International has announced its general contracting unit has won a SR1.73bn ($460m) contract from Lamar Investment and Real Estate Development Co in Saudi Arabia, Zawya Dow Jones has reported. DSC Saudi Arabia will oversee and undertake construction work on the Lamar Towers project in Jeddah, the company said. The project, halted in 2009, was restructured and ...

Oman warns firms against violating midday break rule

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:20:00 -0400

Oman's manpower ministry has warned of legal action against private sector companies who are found to be flouting norms regarding the midday break for construction workers during the months of June, July and August, Muscat Daily has reported. "Work should be stopped for three hours, from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, during these three months," said the director general of labour welfare at ...

Jordan says Bobcats to become Hornets in 2014

Tue, 21 May 2013 19:16:03 -0400

A side-by-side look at jerseys for the Charlotte Bobcats (left) and Hornets. (Dan Lippitt & Andy Hayt / Getty Images & NBA E) Charlotte Bobcats owner Michael Jordan announced Tuesday that the franchise has officially submitted paperwork to the NBA to change its name to the ';Hornets'; for the 2014-15 season. ';Let’s bring the buzz back,'; Jordan said at a press ...

Staying at the Burj Al Arab Enjoy a 24-karat gold iPad

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:52:44 -0400

iPad for the hotel last October in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. "The Gold & Co. London 24-carat gold iPad is the ultimate in luxury accessories, hence we wanted it to be paired with Burj Al Arab, the world's most luxurious hotel," Amjad Ali, CEO of Gold & Co. London, said in a release. "The symmetry is obvious, as both the gold iPad and the hotel are ...

A Tunisian man died of SARS-like virus after Mecca pilgrimage

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:43:29 -0400

A Tunisian man died after a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, and two adults children tested positive for SARS-like virus, health officials say. World Health Organization officials said Tuesday the 66-year-old Tunisian man was the second pilgrim to the Muslim holy city to be sickened with the SARS-like virus novel coronavirus, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Tunisian man returned from a ...

Car bomb other attacks kill 20 in Iraq

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:09:28 -0400

In this photo taken on Monday, May 20, 2013, Ali Karim weeps over his daughter's coffin before her burial in the holy Shiite city of Najaf, 160 kilometers (100 miles) south of Baghdad, Iraq. A wave of car bombings across Baghdad's Shiite neighborhoods and in the southern city of Basra killed and wounded dozens of people, police said. (AP Photo/ Alaa ...

Smit Tugs Move Crippled UASC Ship to Saudi Arabia

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:03:24 -0400

has been moved to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by two tugs from Smit Salvage.Prior to the arrival of the tugs, UASC vessels Ain Snan and Jebel Ali had, in turns, extended emergency support to the vessel.Full power was restored to the generators prior to the beginning of towage on May 13, and towage operations began on May 15. The vessel was cast off by the Smit tugs at Jeddah on May 18, when four tugs ...

Crime Rate Explodes in Post-Revolutionary Egypt

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:57:09 -0400

, saying the police inherited "this mess." According to the report, armed robberies rose from 233 in 2010 to 2,807 in 2012. Break-ins in private homes went from 7,368 in 2010 to 11,699 in 2012. There have also been increasing numbers of firearms coming into the country, Osman said. Human rights activists in Egypt said the thousands of criminals released during the revolution factored ...

Bahrain Ambassador Receives Arab Parliament Secretary General

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:56:41 -0400

Cairo-May-21(BNA) Bahrain Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the Arab League Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulrahman Al-Khalifa today received Arab Parliament Secretary-General Dr Abdel Nasser Janahi and discussed ways of enhancing cooperation between Arab Parliament and the Kingdom. The ambassador commended the crucial role of the Arab Parliament in addressing the regional ...

Islamists in Egypt Threaten Copts and Judicial Integrity Says Ex-Court Official

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:41:19 -0400

Morsi Sheikh, former head of the Appellate Court and director of the Center for Justice and Democracy of Human Rights, stated that Copts in Egypt face continual threats and violence from ...

Egyptian troops mistakenly fire on Sinai funeral in sweep against militants behind kidnapping

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:40:43 -0400

An Egyptian Army vehicle with a tank heads to the closed Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza strip, in Sheikh Zuweyid, northern Sinai, Egypt, Monday, May 20, 2013. Security officials said 17 military and more than 20 police armored vehicles were deployed in northern Sinai Monday as a response to the kidnapping by suspected militants of six policemen and a border guard there last ...

Forklift operator survives collapse of New Jersey warehouse floor

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:32:23 -0400

A forklift driver in an East Rutherford, N.J., food warehouse escaped injury when a 40-foot-wide hole opened in the warehouse floor, witnesses said. Driver Danny Rodriguez was moving pallets with his forklift Monday afternoon when the hole, 30 to 40 feet wide, 6 to 10 feet deep, opened suddenly, The (Hackensack, N.J.) Record reported Tuesday. Rodriguez and the forklift fell into the hole and ...

Oman to buy $2.1B Raytheon missile system

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:32:15 -0400

Raytheon Co. as part of a U.S. drive to install a coordinated air-defense system linking the region's Arab monarchies to counter Iran. Details of the contract, including the type of system involved, have not been disclosed, but Oman has been in the market for a medium-range surface-to-air missile system for some time. Raytheon executives are expected to sign a letter of intent -- the first ...

Arts of the Arab Spring

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:31 -0400

Jean-Pierre Filiu, a professor of Middle Eastern Studies at the School of International Studies, or Sciences Po. in Paris,was in Boston to lecture at Harvard University on the topic revolution, Islamism and jihad in North Africa. He stopped by our studio to talk with anchor Marco Werman about his other interest, hip hop, inspired by the Arab ...

New Zealand Football confirm Jordan clash

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:42:05 -0400

Source: Neil Emblem New Zealand Football has confirmed that a New Zealand selection coached by Neil Emblen will play Jordan at North Harbour Stadium on June 4. Jordan - ranked 77 in the world - is set to play Australia in an Asian World Cup qualifier in Melbourne on June 11, and will use the match against New Zealand 'A' at North Harbour Stadium in Auckland as preparation for the ...

Politics goes pop in ‘Arab Idol’ show

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:28:05 -0400

When speaking of Japanese art, people use words such as wabi and sabi, words that speak of a delicate sensibility and an ephemeral existence. Viewing the retrospective show of painter Toko Shinoda, the first word that comes to mind is ...

Egypt Sends Troops Into Sinai

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:19:20 -0400

CAIRO [MENL] -- Egypt has begun sending thousands of troops into theturbulent Sinai Peninsula. Officials said the Egyptian Army was sending scores of combat units inSinai for another counter-insurgency offensive. They said the armyreinforcements were searching for seven officers abducted on May 16 near theborder with Israel and the Gaza ...

Kerry Visits Oman Seeking Syria Peace Consensus

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:17 -0400

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has held talks in Oman on his latest stop in a campaign to help arrange an internationally-sponsored Syrian peace ...

Jordan Army Turns Back Syrian Refugees at Border

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:48:15 -0400

A girl wears a headband in the colors of the Syrian revolutionary flag and painted her face with hearts during a protest in front of the Syrian embassy in Amman, Jordan, May 17, ...

Horse racing Purebred Arabian horses are racing onto world stage

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:46:21 -0400

Female jockey Marta Pisarek, right, rides Altesse Kossack to a win in the British leg of the HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship on Saturday at Newbury Racecourse in England. ...

Hamas to close tunnels if Egypt will open border

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:37:08 -0400

Hamas said it would be willing to close all smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border upon opening of a commercial crossing, Palestinian news agency Ma'an cited Ghazi Hamad, Hamas undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as saying Tuesday. Egyptian police angered by the kidnapping of seven colleagues Thursday by Islamist ...

Bahrain Attends Arab League Meeting

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:30:09 -0400

Cairo-May-21(BNA) Bahrain Ambassador to Egypt and Permanent Representative to the Arab League Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulrahman Al-Khalifa today attended an urgent meeting to discuss the developments of the Syrian crisis, in the aftermath of the atrocities perpetrated in Al-Qassir . Egyptian delegate Amro Abul-Ata chaired the session in the presence of Arab League secretary-general Dr. Nabeel ...

Solar power brightens Oman oil output prospects

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:29:02 -0400

Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and US GlassPoint Solar have commissioned the Middle East's first solar enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project, the project partners said on ...

Saudi Arabia Five beheaded and ‘crucified’ amid ‘disturbing’ rise in executions

Tue, 21 May 2013 14:28:55 -0400

Saudi Arabia must halt a "disturbing" rise in death penalty usage that has resulted in at least 47 state killings in the country already this year, Amnesty International urged after six more people were executed today.Five Yemeni men were beheaded and "crucified" this morning in the city of Jizan, while a Saudi Arabian man was executed in the south-western city of ...

Saudi Arabia arrests more ‘Iran spy ring’ suspects

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:30:38 -0400

Saudi Arabia has arrested 10 more suspects in what it says is a spy ring linked to Iran, state media report. Those detained include eight Saudis, a Turk, and a Lebanese citizen. Eighteen people were arrested in the same case in ...

Soccer New Zealand A confirmed to play Jordan

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:30:00 -0400

New Zealand-based All Whites and fringe internationals will get a chance to stake claims for inclusion in the squad for November's intercontinental playoff when a New Zealand A side take on Jordan at North Harbour Stadium on June 4. New Zealand Football yesterday confirmed the match will take place and that All Whites assistant Neil Emblen will coach the side. Jordan, ranked 77 in ...

Qatar banks size up UAE and global investments

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:28:23 -0400

Qatar National Bank and Commercial Bank International, its UAE affiliate, on Tuesday lent US$350 million to Air Arabia, the Sharjah low-cost carrier. Emre Rende for The ...

Syria claims destroyed vehicle inside its territory

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:13:38 -0400

Mount Hermon is seen in the background as Israeli soldiers travel on mobile artillery units after an exercise on the Israeli occupied Golan Heights, close to the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria in this February 14, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Baz ...

Academy forward Jordan Morris on U.S. U-20 roster for pre-World Cup tournament

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:13:12 -0400

made the squad. The U.S., grouped with Colombia, Congo DR and host France, will be in action starting May 28 in Toulon, France, as both preparation for this summer’s FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey and one last evaluation toward that final roster. Morris, a Mercer Island native, is one of three academy players nationwide to make the team and had starred in a training camp earlier this year ...

Kerry in Oman to help ink $2.1b defence deal

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:12:20 -0400

US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived inOmanon Tuesday aiming to help finalise an estimated $2.1 billion deal to supply a US-made air-defence system to the Gulf ...

Bahrain-UAE Officials Hold Preparatory Meetings

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:11:44 -0400

Abu Dhabi-May-21(BNA) Senior officials' from the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates committee meetings took place today at the UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare for the meetings of the Higher Committee. Bahrain's delegation was chaired by Ambassador Hamad Ahmed Abdulaziz Al Amer, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Regional Cooperation and ...

State Minister for Communication Affairs Lauds Batelcos Role in Developing Bahrains Communication Sector

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:11:44 -0400

Manama, May 21 (BNA)-- State Minister for Communication Affairs Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa paid a visit today to Bahrain Telecommunications Company (Batelco) Network Operations and Customer Services Complex in Salmaniya where he was received by the company's Chief Executive Rashid Abdullah and a number of Directors General. He toured the complex and got informed about its ...

Bahrains Reaction to Irans Threats Report

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:11:43 -0400

Manama, May 21. (BNA) -- Bahrain's stance vis--vis the recent Iranian statement against it reflects the fact the kingdom will not tolerate any attempt to interfere into its domestic affairs, under whatever pretext, and resolve to ensure security and stability for its citizens. In this regard, the Foreign Affairs Ministry sent official letters to the secretaries-General of the United ...