Zooming through the dusty streets of the Sudanese capital driving a motorized rickshaw, illegal Eritrean immigrant Ahmed Abdu waves his hand at building sites lining the road. "The city is growing and growing," said Abdu, a former conscript soldier who
France celebrated Bastille Day on Monday under a cloud of controversy as Syrian President Bashar Assad joined dozens of leaders to watch the traditional military parade on the Champs Elysees. UN chief Ban Ki-moon was the guest of honor at
Hundreds of militants stormed a remote military outpost in Afghanistan and briefly entered the base in a ferocious attack that left nine US soldiers dead, officials said Monday. Dozens of insurgents were also killed in hours of fighting sparked after
Kurdish rebels in Iraq said three Germans abducted in Turkey last week were in good health but demanded that Ankara halt military assaults in the area where they were seized. "They are in good health," Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) spokesman
An indictment of Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for alleged Darfur war crimes could bury peace hopes for the ravaged region or push an international pariah into making goodwill gestures, analysts said on Monday. The naming of Bashir by the
US Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama vowed Monday not to seek permanent US military bases in Iraq and reiterated his pledge to pull out the bulk of US forces by mid-2010. But he insisted on keeping "a residual force" in
Iran has arrested two prominent student activists, the latest in a string of detentions following the anniversary of student protests nine years ago, the press reported on Monday. Mohammad Hashemi and Bahareh Hedayat were arrested and sent to Evin Prison
The International Criminal Court's (ICC) top prosecutor Monday sought the arrest of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. Bashir had "personally instructed" his forces to annihilate three ethnic groups in the western
A top prosecutor announced a long-awaited indictment on Monday against 86 individuals suspected of involvement in a coup plot against Turkey's Islamist-rooted government. The document is the first to emerge from a year-long investigation into an alleged ultra-nationalist network in
Two Turkish soldiers were killed in a clash with separatist Kurdish rebels in the country's southeast near the border with Iraq, a security source said Monday. Fighting erupted late Sunday against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) on Mount Cudi in
A senior Iranian official criticized Syria in remarks published Monday, warning that Damascus' close ties with Tehran could be damaged if it reached a full-fledged peace deal with Israel. "Deep changes will affect the nature of Iranian-Syrian relations if Damascus
While the formation of a national unity government is an important step toward stability in Lebanon, the country's political crisis is far from resolved, analysts warn. A new 30-member Cabinet that gives the Hizbullah-led opposition veto power on decisions and
Syria must stop arms smuggling across its border with Lebanon if it wants to continue to emerge from international isolation, Germany's deputy government spokesman Thomas Steg said Monday. Steg said German Chancellor Angela Merkel held impromptu talks with Syrian President
Senior Lebanese politicians voiced mixed reactions Monday to the announcement that Syria and Lebanon have agreed to establish formal diplomatic relations, with some leaders from the March 14 coalition voicing skepticism about Damascus' intentions. The announcement was made Sunday after
Israel and Lebanon were making final preparations on Monday for a high-profile prisoner swap, with Hizbullah ready to celebrate a major victory over its Israeli foes. Israel is to free five Lebanese prisoners on Wednesday in exchange for two soldiers
Beirut- As a follow up to the agreement between Syria and Lebanon ( to establish diplomatic ties, opening embassies in each other's capital for the first time since their independence from French colonial rule) , Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem
Beirut- Hezbollah has reportedly set up radar-guided missile positions in Mount Sannine, commandeering the 7,800-foot mountain range, according to an Israeli news report.
Beirut - President Michel Suleiman said he would be visiting Damascus "soon" to discuss ways to improve relations between the two countries after a three-year break following the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri, which was blamed by many on
