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21st Jan 2014

Syria: Assad says losing war means “chaos” across the region

[A handout picture released by the Syrian Presidency Media Office on January 20, 2014 shows Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaking during an interview with AFP in at the presidential palace in Damascus on the weekend. (Photo: AFP/Syrian Presidency … Continued

21st Jan 2014

Geneva II: Stifling Syrian voices

By Yazin al-Saadi (Al-Akhbar): The Geneva II conference, set to take place on January 22, is billed as a historic moment for Syrians to come together and put an end to a devastating conflict. But as the date draws … Continued

20th Jan 2014

Syria: US opposes to UN’s invitation to Iran for Geneva II

WASHINGTON, (Xinhua): The United States said Sunday that a UN invitation to Iran to participate in this week’s Syria peace conference in Geneva should be rescinded unless Tehran “fully and publicly” accepts the Geneva Communique. The invitation should be withdrawn … Continued

20th Jan 2014

Syrian opposition threatens to withdraw from peace talks after Iran invitation by UN

Opponents of the Syrian government have threatened not to attend peace talks in Switzerland after UN chief Ban Ki-moon extended an invitation to Iran. The Syrian National Coalition demanded the invite be retracted. Syria’s political opposition has said it will … Continued

20th Jan 2014

Iraqi forces launch major assault on rebel-held Anbar city

Iraqi forces launched a major assault Sunday on a city partially in the control of anti-government fighters in a bid to end a weeks-long crisis ahead of elections. The operation, which involved police, pro-government militiamen and SWAT forces, sought to … Continued

19th Jan 2014

UAE: Israeli minister attends UAE energy summit

Israeli Energy Minister Silvan Shalom attended a meeting Saturday of the International Renewable Energy Agency in the United Arab Emirates, which has no diplomatic relations with the occupying force. It is the first time Israel has sent a minister to … Continued

19th Jan 2014

The Netherlands: Hariri Tribunal threatens to raise UN complaint against Lebanon

By Hassan Illeik The Hague, (Al-Akhbar): In Lebanon, no one would cause a stir over the lack of governmental cooperation with the defense team in the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. Yet at The Hague, this is not the case. … Continued

18th Jan 2014

Afghanistan: 21 people killed in Kabul restaurant terror attack

(Xinhua & Agencies): Four UN staff members were amongst 21 killed Friday in a terrorist attack in the Afghan capital of Kabul, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon confirmed. A total of 21 people, including 13 foreigners, … Continued

18th Jan 2014

The Netherlands: Prosecution: Assassins anticipated Hariri’s fateful route

The prosecution in the case over the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik Hariri resumed its indictment of four suspects and a fifth “co-conspirator” it argued had orchestrated the crime during the second day of the trial Friday. Prosecutor … Continued

18th Jan 2014

Lebanon: Syria rocket fire kills nine in East Lebanon

Tensions spread throughout the northern and eastern parts of Lebanon after six rockets fired from war-torn Syria killed at least nine people, including seven children, and injured 15 others when they rained down on the Lebanese border town of Ersal … Continued

17th Jan 2014

Lebanon: Al-Nusra Front claims responsibility for deadly Hermel blast

The al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front’s Lebanon branch claimed responsibility on Thursday evening for a powerful car bomb that exploded earlier that day in the Bekaa valley town of Hermel in eastern Lebanon. In a message shared on the group’s Twitter account, … Continued

17th Jan 2014

The Nethelands: Prosecution: Hariri’s killers stalked him for months

By Marc Abizeid Prosecutors in the trial of four Hezbollah members accused of orchestrating the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri laid out their evidence Thursday that allegedly shows the suspects stalking the former Lebanese premier in the months leading up … Continued

16th Jan 2014

Iraq: Bomb attacks shake Iraq, killing around 75

A series of attacks have left dozens of people dead in Iraq. The worst single attack came at a funeral service, while a series of car bombs in the capital Baghdad added to the death toll. At least six … Continued

16th Jan 2014

Afghanistan: President Karzai says US strike responsible for children’s death

Afghanistan’s president has said seven children were killed as a result of a United States military attack. The NATO-led coalition in Afghanistan, however, said the operation was under the supervision of Afghan forces. Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai said via a … Continued

16th Jan 2014

Hariri murder trial opens in The Hague

Former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri was on his way home for lunch when a van full of explosives equivalent to 2.5 tons of TNT detonated as his armored convoy passed in downtown Beirut. (Photo: Haitham Moussawi) The … Continued

14th Jan 2014

Syrian women demand role at Geneva II

Syrian women activists meeting in Geneva are demanding they be given a key role at peace talks set to begin in Switzerland next week. The UN says massive funds are needed to aid Syrians affected by three years of war. … Continued

14th Jan 2014

Syria: Yarmouk starves as relief convoys attacked

By Laith al-Khatib Al-Akhbar: In Damascus’ Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp, the specter of death from hunger continues to threaten lives. The Palestine Liberation Organization will try again to bring in a convoy of humanitarian aid to the camp, after five previous … Continued

13th Jan 2014

Saudi Arabia: Riyadh records half-a-million traffic offenses in 2 months

By Sharif M Taha Riyadh, (Arab News): Some 505,173 traffic violations were recorded in Riyadh in the past two months, local media reported quoting monthly data released by the Riyadh Traffic Department. The traffic offenses included inter-city over-speeding (72,483 … Continued

13th Jan 2014

Iraq: 34 killed across Iraq’s violence as battles persist in Anbar

BAGHDAD, (Xinhua): Violence across Iraq killed 34 people and wounded some 94 on Sunday, while fierce clashes continued against al-Qaida militants in the country’s western province of Anbar, police and officials said. Armored vehicles and tanks backed by helicopters continued … Continued

13th Jan 2014

Iran and P5+1 say nuclear deal to take effect this month

Iranian state media has reported that Tehran and the P5+1 – the permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany – have agreed on deal to scale back its nuclear program. The deal is to go into … Continued