On Friday, June 1, the first video of BBC reporter Alan Johnston was released, since he was kidnapped 80 days ago. Palestinian government and his family made pleas for his immediate release. “First of all, my captors have treated me very well,” said a pale Johnston, wearing a red sweatshirt …
Read More »Gaza boys ‘shot dead by Israelis’
Two Palestinian boys have been shot dead by Israeli troops in the northern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources say.
Read More »Lebanon army advances on Islamic militants
TRIPOLI, Lebanon – Advancing under a blanket of artillery and tank fire, Lebanese troops overran positions held by al-Qaida-inspired militants at a Palestinian refugee camp on Friday, reportedly killing 18 people.
Read More »Syria Will Not Cooperate With UN Hariri Tribunal
Syria says it will refuse to cooperate with a new U.N.-backed tribunal for suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Read More »Sino-Egyptian joint oil rigs plant set up in Egypt
AL-EIN AL-SOKHNA, Egypt, May 31 (CEIS): Chinese and Egyptian officials yesterday laid foundation stone for a joint project to manufacture oil drills, which is the first land oil rigs plant in the Middle East region.
Read More »Reporter’s notebook: Egypt’s greatest fear: New Israeli immigrants
 The warm smile, anecdotal stories and freshly-squeezed lemonade almost make me miss the fact that I have just been told I am more dangerous than Iran’s nuclear program.
Read More »Turkey beefs up military presence on Iraqi border
Turkey sent more tanks and troops to its border with Iraq on Wednesday (May 30th), fuelling speculation about an imminent military offensive against Kurdish rebels based in the neighbouring country’s north.
Read More »UN Hariri court raises stakes for Syria
DAMASCUS — Syria is digging its heels in for a long confrontation with the United Nations after the Security Council voted to set up a special court to try suspects in the assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri.
Read More »Saudi Arabian Guantanamo detainee dies in ‘apparent suicide’
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A Saudi Arabian detainee died Wednesday at Guantanamo Bay prison and the US military said he apparently committed suicide.
Read More »Israel may agree to release Palestinian funds
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (Reuters) — Israel is prepared to transfer withheld tax revenues to the Palestinians through a mechanism that guarantees none of the money will go to the Hamas-led government or fighters, Israeli officials said on Thursday.
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