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Ban: Al-Qaeda behind Syria blastsThe UN chief Ban Ki-moon says that Islamist militants from al-Qaeda must be behind two recent devastating suicide car bomb attacks in Syria.
news.bbc.co.uk | 18-May-2012 12:04
Bomb blasts at bird market in Baghdad kill 5
Three bombs struck near simultaneously at a busy bird market in eastern Baghdad on Friday morning, killing five people and wounding dozens, police and health officials said.
topix.net | 18-May-2012 11:54
Queen's monarch lunch criticised
Swaziland's King Mswati III is among controversial monarchs expected at a Diamond Jubilee lunch hosted by The Queen later.
BBC News | 18-May-2012 11:45
UN says al Qaeda behind Syria suicide bombs death toll from civil war reaches 10,000
UN leader Ban Ki-moon has said he believes al-Qaeda committed a major bomb attack in Damascus that left dozens dead, and that up to 10,000 people have now been killed in Syria.
telegraph.co.uk | 18-May-2012 11:30
UN Chief Blames al-Qaida for Syria Attack
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he believes al-Qaida is behind twin bombings in Damascus, last week, that killed 55 people. He said Thursday the terror group's possible involvement in Syria's unrest had "created again very serious problems." In comments at a U.N. youth event, he also said Syria's death toll from 15 months of anti-government related unrest may have reached 10,000. Two car bomb explosions rocked the capital on May 10, resulting in the ...
voanews.com | 18-May-2012 11:00
US giving Israel $70 million more for Iron Dome
The U.S. plans to give Israel the extra $70 million that Jerusalem asked for this year for short-range missile defense, officials said today.
topix.net | 18-May-2012 10:53
Baghdad pet market bombs kill five: officials
Three near-simultaneous bomb blasts at a pet market in east Baghdad killed five people on Friday, officials said, just hours after an attack in the city's southeast left five dead.
The explosions, which occurred at around 7:00 am (0400 GMT) in the Maamal area, also wounded at least 31 other people, the security and medical officials said.
"At least five people were killed and 31 others were wounded when three bombs exploded in sequence inside a pet market," an interior ministry official said.
france24.com | 18-May-2012 10:05
Iran summons Bahrain envoy over union row
Iran summoned Bahrain's ambassador in Tehran after his foreign minister told the Islamic republic to stop interfering in his nation's internal affairs, state media reported on Friday.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmad al-Khalifa on Thursday warned Iran to stop meddling over a proposal for Bahrain to form a union with Saudi Arabia.
Tehran "rejects comments made by the Bahrain foreign minister and hopes that the Bahraini government finds a suitable solution towards the developments there," the reports quoted a foreign ministry official as saying.
france24.com | 18-May-2012 09:05
SYRIA: Ban Ki-moon suspects al Qaeda in Syria attacks
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he believed al Qaeda was behind two deadly suicide attacks in Syria's capital Damascus last week, while announcing the death toll from the country's 14 month-long conflict had risen to 10,000.
france24.com | 18-May-2012 08:47
Polls give few clues to Egypt vote
Contradictory opinion polls give few clues on Egypt's election
BBC News | 18-May-2012 08:22
Al-Qaeda leader Ayam al-Zawahri calls on Saudi Arabia to rise up
Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri has urged Saudis to follow the example of the Arab Spring and rise up against their rulers.
telegraph.co.uk | 18-May-2012 08:00
Toll climbs in Yemen's fight against al-Qaeda
ADEN, Yemen - Samir al-Mushari pushed his wheeled walking frame down the hospital corridor.
topix.net | 18-May-2012 06:38
Syrian opposition council appears to crumble as infighting
In this Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012 file photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad deliver a speech at Damascus University, Syria.
topix.net | 18-May-2012 04:35
US envoy to Israel: US ready to strike Iran
In this Monday, April, 9, 2007 file photo, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, speaks at a ceremony in Iran's nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz, 300 Kilometers south of capital Tehran, Iran.
topix.net | 18-May-2012 00:24
US strike plan on Iran 'ready'
The US has plans in place to attack Iran if other measures fail to stop it developing nuclear weapons, Washington's envoy to Israel says.
news.bbc.co.uk | 17-May-2012 23:25
US Boosts Funding for Israel's 'Iron Dome' Defense System
The United States has fulfilled Israel's request for another $70 million to pay for Iron Dome, a missile defense system aimed at protecting Israelis from rockets fired by militants in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak came to the Pentagon Thursday, the latest of several visits in recent months to ask for additional funding for the surface-to-air missile system that already has stopped several militant rocket attacks on southern Israel. In a statement, U.S. ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 22:36
US to bolster Israel's 'Iron Dome'
The US will bolster an Israeli anti-rocket system with $70 million (£44 million) in assistance this year, with more funding likely in the future, Leon Panetta, the Defence Secretary said.
telegraph.co.uk | 17-May-2012 22:07
Libya faces daunting task of vetting candidates
Libya faces the daunting task of vetting thousands of candidates wishing to compete in June elections for a constituent assembly, with several bodies involved in the process.
"If a person committed a criminal offence or had ties to the former regime he is excluded," Al-Taher Qraf, the deputy head of the electoral commission said on Thursday, the final deadline for candidates to register.
Libyans are on track to vote for a 200-member constituent assembly in June. A total of 120 seats are reserved for independent candidates and the remaining 80 open to political parties.
france24.com | 17-May-2012 22:05
Regional Crises Boost Turkey's Ties With Iraq's Kurds
ISTANBUL, Turkey -The prime minister of Iraq's Kurdistan autonomous region is visiting Turkey - his first trip there since taking office in March. The visit is expected to build on the growing rapprochement between Turkey and Iraq's Kurds. That process is being enhanced by deepening crises in Iraq and and mutual neighbor Syria. Political analysts in Turkey see the visit by Iraqi Kurdish Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani as a sign of the growing importance of his Turkish neighbor. ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 21:10
'Resignation' exposes rifts in Syrian opposition
Syrian opposition chief's offer to quit highlights rifts in group
news.bbc.co.uk | 17-May-2012 21:02
Turkey Protests Israeli Flyover of North Cyprus
Turkey is demanding that Israel explain an alleged incursion by an Israeli aircraft into northern Cypriot airspace. In a statement Thursday, the Turkish military said the Israeli plane violated the airspace five times on Monday. The statement did not identify the type of aircraft. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said it has contacted Israel's mission in Ankara to get an explanation. Israel's military has declined to comment on the allegation. Cyprus has been divided ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 20:59
VOA Interview: Egypt Presidential Hopeful Outlines Vision
Egyptian presidential hopeful Dr. Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh is a practicing physician with extensive experience in international relief work. A former leading figure of the Muslim Brotherhood, he is also a prominent Islamic activist. Known for his relatively liberal positions on social issues, he is supported by young Islamists, liberals and even Egypt's Copts. (You can listen to the full podcast in Arabic here .) Elshinnawi: If you are elected president, what will ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 20:53
Syria opposition head 'to resign'
The head of Syria's main opposition umbrella body, the Syrian National Council, says he will resign amid growing criticism and rifts within the group.
news.bbc.co.uk | 17-May-2012 20:28
Bahrain's Khawaja well, to continue hunger strike: lawyer
Jailed Bahraini dissident Abdel Hadi Khawaja, on hunger strike for more than three months, is well but still continues his fast to protest a life sentence, his lawyer said on Thursday.
"Abdel Hadi can walk. He is conscious and moves around normally," the lawyer, Mohammed al-Jishi, told AFP after meeting with his client for the first time in more than 45 days.
"He is pursuing his hunger strike and subsides on liquids for his survival," said Jishi.
He said he met Khawaja at Jaw prison, south of Manama.
france24.com | 17-May-2012 20:25
Iran 'to sue Google' over Gulf
Google is facing legal action for not labelling the body of water separating Iran and neighbouring Arab Gulf states on its map service.
news.bbc.co.uk | 17-May-2012 20:24
Jailed US businessman on hunger strike in Dubai
An American businessman jailed for more than four years in Dubai under suspicion of corruption has started a hunger strike to push for a trial and seek greater U.S. diplomatic pressure in his case.
topix.net | 17-May-2012 20:15
Israel grooms ties with EU member Czech Republic
Israel and the Czech Republic inked a raft of inter-governmental deals on Thursday as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began a two-day visit to Prague.
Israel has "no better friends in Europe than the Czech Republic," Netanyahu said following talks with his Czech counterpart Petr Necas in Prague.
"The Czech people understand what it's like to be a believer in democracy in a hostile region," he added.
Necas told reporters at the joint press conference: "We absolutely reject the de-legitimisation and any boycott of the state of Israel."
france24.com | 17-May-2012 20:05
Egypt Brotherhood flexes muscle in election stunt
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood organised on Thursday a kilometres-long rally to support its candidate in next week's presidential election, displaying the potent network of activists it counts on to win.
Islamist activists stood side by side for kilometres through Cairo and north of the capital holding posters of Mohammed Mursi, who sketchy polls suggest is trailing behind in the May 23-24 election.
Mursi was the movement's fallback choice after the election committee disqualified the Islamists' deputy leader Khairat El-Shater over a previous military court conviction.
france24.com | 17-May-2012 20:05
US admits it has military plan to attack Iran
The United States has acknowledged the existence of a fully-fledged military plan to attack Iran, significantly increasing tensions with Tehran ahead of crucial nuclear negotiations next week.
telegraph.co.uk | 17-May-2012 20:01
Syria opposition chairman resigns, throwing campaign into disarray
Syria's main opposition council was thrown into disarray on Thursday as its chairman Burhan Ghalioun announced his intention to resign and one of its most powerful factions threatened to withdraw.
telegraph.co.uk | 17-May-2012 19:56
US Military Role Deepens in Yemen
The United States is expanding its military role in Yemen. Yemeni officials say U.S. forces assisted Yemeni troops in launching a wide air and land offensive against militant groups in the south of the country. The United States has a long history of advising and assisting Yemen in that country's fight against the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula group. That cooperation was suspended during Yemen's recent political turmoil, in which violent protests led to the ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 19:45
Qatar eyes Bulgaria investment possibilities
Qatar eyed Bulgaria investment opportunities on Thursday as the two countries signed a framework agreement at the start of a visit here by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani.
"I believe that there are viable opportunities to invest in Bulgaria," Sheikh Hamad told a press conference after signing an investment framework agreement with his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov, adding that the government in Sofia "interacts with us seriously and responsibly."
france24.com | 17-May-2012 19:45
VIDEO: Could Egypt elect an Islamist president?
Egypt's first multi-candidate presidential elections since the uprising will take place on the 23rd and 24th of May. What could be in store for the country?
news.bbc.co.uk | 17-May-2012 19:39
UN Observers Face Daunting Challenges in Syria
UNITED NATIONS - The United Nations has deployed more than 200 unarmed observers to Syria who are monitoring a month-old cease-fire that appears to be in jeopardy of collapse. Increasingly, the U.N. monitors are getting caught up in the violence. The U.N. Security Council has authorized a monitoring mission of 300 unarmed military observers to be on the ground in Syria for an initial period of only 90 days. The council has also demanded that they be given free ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 19:32
Leader of Syria's Fragmented Opposition to Resign
Syria's fragmented opposition has suffered a further setback, with the newly re-elected head of the main exiled coalition offering to resign due to criticism of his leadership and infighting that has plagued groups trying to oust President Bashar al-Assad. Syrian National Council chief Burhan Ghalioun said Thursday he does not want to be a cause of division in the opposition coalition and will step down as soon as a replacement is chosen through consensus or ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 19:11
Yemeni Forces Recapture Territory from Al-Qaida
CAIRO - Yemeni government forces reportedly recaptured territory from al-Qaida militants in southern Abyan province Thursday, amid fighting around the provincial capital of Zinjibar. Troops with local militiamen fighting alongside them chased al-Qaida militants from one of their strongholds in Abyan province overnight, forcing them to flee into nearby hills. The bodies of dead soldiers and militiamen, reportedly executed by al-Qaida, were found after the militants fled. Yemeni state ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 18:47
Yemen army pushing into south al-Qaida stronghold
Mary Richardson Kennedy's life had both highlights and troubled moments, and they played out publicly because of the famous political family she married into in 1994.
topix.net | 17-May-2012 16:05
Syrian opposition chief Ghalioun resigns
The head of Syria's main opposition bloc, Burhan Ghalioun, has announced that he is resigning, demonstrating the disarray among groups working to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.
telegraph.co.uk | 17-May-2012 15:47
Syrian opposition chief Ghalioun to resign
The head of Syria's main opposition bloc, Burhan Ghalioun, has announced that he is resigning, demonstrating the disarray among groups working to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.
telegraph.co.uk | 17-May-2012 15:47
Aboul Fotouh Courts Egypt's Broad Political Base
CAIRO - Islamist Abdel Moneim Aboul Fotouh is being touted as a frontrunner in next week's presidential election in Egypt. It will be the first presidential vote since Hosni Mubarak was forced from office last year. Aboul Fotouh was a longtime Muslim Brotherhood member who broke with the group to run his independent campaign. He has done what few Egyptians thought possible, by projecting a calm and unifying presence during a tense and polarized time. A ...
voanews.com | 17-May-2012 15:16
Drone hits al-Qaeda cell in Yemen
A drone strike in eastern Yemen has killed two suspected al-Qaeda militants, a Yemeni security official says.
news.bbc.co.uk | 17-May-2012 15:00
Turkey jets 'pursue Israel plane'
Turkey says it scrambled two military jets to chase away an Israeli plane which allegedly violated the airspace of Turkish-held northern Cyprus.
news.bbc.co.uk | 17-May-2012 14:49
Who are the Alawites of Syria?
The minority religious group that dominates Syrian politics
news.bbc.co.uk | 17-May-2012 12:48
Al-Qaida calls for Yemen uprising
Al-Qaida's leader is calling for the Yemeni people to rise up against the country's new president, portraying him as the stooge of the unpopular former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the United States.
topix.net | 17-May-2012 11:56
LEBANON: Death toll mounts in Tripoli as clashes erupt again
At least one person was killed in Lebanon’s northern port city of Tripoli on Thursday after fresh clashes erupted between residents in pro and anti-Syrian neighbourhoods. The fighting, which began earlier this week, has claimed a total of nine lives.
france24.com | 17-May-2012 11:27
US is ready to attack Iran, says ambassador
US plans for a possible military strike on Iran are ready and the option is "fully available", Washington's ambassador to Israel has said, days before Tehran resumes talks with world powers which suspect it of seeking to develop nuclear arms.
telegraph.co.uk | 17-May-2012 11:25