Sudan accuses Clooney of stoking tension in Sudan
WASHINGTON: Sudan on Monday accused US actor George Clooney of encouraging "the drums of war" ahead of January referendums in southern Sudan and the oil-rich Abyei region that could split…
Blom bank sees 2010 growth, Mideast expansion
BEIRUT: Blom Bank, one of the top two banks in Lebanon, expected its 2010 results to be a "major improvement" as the country's economy improves and said it was looking…
CBQ Q3 profit jumps to 508 mln riyals
DOHA: Commercial Bank of Qatar (CBQ) reported a 28.9 percent jump in third-quarter net profit on Tuesday, beating analysts' expectations on average on increased loan activity and deposits. Qatar's third-largest…
Kuwait’s Gulf Bank expects turnaround in Q3
KUWAIT: Kuwait's Gulf Bank expects the third quarter of this year to be a turnaround quarter as it executes a two-year plan to rebuild itself, its chief executive said on…
Palestinian rivals postpone reconciliation talks
DAMASCUS: The Islamist Hamas movement which rules Gaza said on Tuesday that planned reconciliation talks with the Fatah faction of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas have been postponed at its rival's…
Iraq to auction gas fields despite uncertainties
BAGHDAD: Energy companies face tough terms, shaky security and local opposition when they fly to Baghdad this week to take part in a gas bidding round. Iraq's plan to auction…
Iran says consular access granted to detained Germans
TEHRAN: Iran said on Tuesday it has granted consular access to two Germans arrested in the Islamic republic while they were reportedly interviewing the son of a woman sentenced to…
Rights groups wary on South Africa return to UN Security Council
JOHANNESBURG: Rights groups will keep a close eye on South Africa's return to the UN Security Council, where the country's last term drew complaints it had betrayed the legacy of…
Iran doesn’t need nuclear weapons, says Pakistan
WASHINGTON: The foreign minister of Pakistan said Monday that Iran had no justification to pursue nuclear weapons and urged the neighboring country to embrace overtures from the United States. In…
Anti-Qaeda militiamen defecting in Iraq hotspots, say commanders
BAQUBA: Members of the Sunni Arab militia credited with turning the tide against Al-Qaeda in Iraq are rallying to the jihadists in some key hotspots amid unhappiness with their treatment…