Wikio - Middle East

RUSSIA - SYRIA: Possible Russia-Syria arms deal irks Israel (France24)

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:11:34 GMT

Reports that Russia is in favour of supplying new weapons to Syria has raised concern in Israel. Israeli President Shimon Peres along with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni warned that such a deal could further destabilise the region.

Source : France24 (subscribe)

Explore : Bashar al-Assad, Israel, Russia, Syria

Israel's Livni downbeat on peace (BBC News )

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:26:00 GMT

The front-runner to become Israel's next PM, Tzipi Livni, plays down hopes of reaching a Mid-East peace deal this year.

Source : BBC News (subscribe)

Explore : Israel

Iraq / United States - Iraqi journalist freed after 26 days in US base - 21.08.2008 (Reporters sans frontières)

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:15:24 GMT

Reporters Without Borders calls on the US authorities in Iraq to put a stop to their arbitrary arrests of journalists after Ali Al-Mashhadani (photo), a cameraman employed by several news organisations, was released today from Camp Cropper, a US base near Baghdad airport where he had been held for 26 days. ©REUTERS/Thaier al-Sudani/Files (IRAQ)It was Mashhadani’s third spell in US detention centres...

Source : Reporters sans frontières (subscribe)

Explore : Iraq

Deal on US troops in Iraq 'close' (BBC News)

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:14:33 GMT

Iraq says a deal on the future of US forces is "very close" after talks with the US secretary of state in Baghdad.

Source : BBC News (subscribe)

Explore : Baghdad, Iraq

Israel/ Palestinian Territories - Letter to Israeli general about decision not to prosecute soldiers who killed Palestinian cameraman - 21.08.2008 (Reporters sans frontières)

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:52:54 GMT

Reporters Without Borders has written to Brig. Gen. Avihai Mandelblit, military advocate general of the Israel Defence Forces, voicing concern about his decision not to prosecute the soldiers responsible for the death of Palestinian cameraman Fadel Shanaa in the Gaza Strip last April.

Source : Reporters sans frontières (subscribe)

Explore : Gaza Strip, Israel

USA -IRAQ: Iraq 'very, very' close to deal on future of US forces, says Rice (France24)

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:14:40 GMT

On a surprise visit to Baghdad, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the US and Iraq were "very, very close" to clinching a security deal on the presence of US soldiers in Iraq.

Source : France24 (subscribe)

Explore : Baghdad, Iraq

SYRIA - RUSSIA : Syria to expand military ties with Russia (France24)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:23:24 GMT

On a visit this week to Russia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is expected to expand military ties with Moscow. Israel and the United States have long urged Russia not to sell weapons to Syria -a key Soviet ally during the Cold War.

Source : France24 (subscribe)

Explore : Computer industry, Equipment, Moscow, Russia, Semi-Conductors

Yemen - Surveillance of foreign press tightened, two fixers held by security services for past month - 20.08.2008 (Reporters sans frontières)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:59:06 GMT

Reporters Without Borders has written to Yemeni interior minister Mutahar Rashad Al-Masri calling for the immediate release of two brothers, Ali Nasser Kaid Al-Bokheiti and Mohammed Ahmed Hassan Al-Bokheiti, who were arrested on 21 July at a military roadblock with a British freelance journalist for whom they working as fixers.

Source : Reporters sans frontières (subscribe)

Explore : Arabian Peninsula, Yemen

Tunisia - Government continues to hound online newspaper editor, this time preventing her from taking international flight - 20.08.2008 (Reporters sans frontières)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:44:34 GMT

Reporters Without Borders condemns the government’s constant harassment of freelance journalist Sihem Bensedrine, who was yesterday prevented by plain-clothes police from boarding a flight to Vienna from Tunis-Carthage international airport.“This is the second time this year that Bensedrine has been subjected to arbitrary police controls,” Reporters Without Borders said. “There seems to be no limit...

Source : Reporters sans frontières (subscribe)

Explore : Africa, Tunisia

Tanks running dry (BBC News)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:47:39 GMT

Drought heightens West Bank water woes

Source : BBC News (subscribe)

Pakistan coalition working to smooth rifts (IOL)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:07:53 GMT

Members of Pakistan's ruling coalition say they are trying to resolve a split over the reinstatement of judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf.

Source : IOL (subscribe)

Explore : Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf

Morgue baby loses fight (IOL)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:10:36 GMT

A senior gynaecologist who had helped deliver the 610g baby had erroneously declared the girl stillborn because he had found no pulse.

Source : IOL (subscribe)

US ex-marine faces Iraq charges (BBC News)

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:51:59 GMT

The civil trial opens of an ex-US marine accused of killing unarmed Iraqi detainees in Falluja, in the first case of its kind.

Source : BBC News (subscribe)

Explore : Iraq

Bahrain wins first Olympic gold (BBC News)

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:46:41 GMT

Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi holds off Asbel Kiprop down the final straight to win the 1500m at the Beijing Olympics.

Source : BBC News (subscribe)

Explore : Arabian Peninsula, Bahrain, China, Olympics, Sport

Iran builds more nuclear power plants (IOL)

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:17:38 GMT

Iran is reportedly preparing to build more nuclear power plants.

Source : IOL (subscribe)

Explore : Iran

Iraq governor's office attacked (BBC News)

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 09:53:21 GMT

The governor of the Iraqi province of Diyala says his secretary was killed in an attack by a unit of the security forces on his office in Baquba.

Source : BBC News (subscribe)

Explore : Iraq

World Briefing | Middle East: Israel: Prisoners to Be Released (New York Times)

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:35:26 GMT

Israel said that it would free two prominent Palestinian prisoners among 199 inmates to be released as a good-will gesture to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president.

Source : New York Times (subscribe)

Explore : Israel, Mahmoud Abbas

Kurdish Control of Kirkuk Creates a Powder Keg in Iraq (New York Times)

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 05:35:08 GMT

The explosive ethnic quarrels over the oil-rich city is a major barrier to creating stable political structures in Iraq.

Source : New York Times (subscribe)

Explore : Iraq, Kurdistan

Egyptian septuplet mother asks for help to bring up her brood (BBC News)

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:44:24 GMT

An Egyptian woman who gave birth to septuplets says she might need financial support to help raise them.

Source : BBC News (subscribe)

He must like her new wheels (IOL)

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 13:32:51 GMT

A female tortoise is now getting around her new enclosure, and putting her customised skateboard to good use.

Source : IOL (subscribe)