South Africa begins World Cup party
JOHANNESBURG: South Africa brimmed with pride and anticipation Thursday on the eve of the first World Cup on African soil as the nation's icon Nelson Mandela said the tournament would…
Israel police restrict access to Jerusalem mosque
JERUSALEM: Israeli police were on alert Friday against possible demonstrations by Arabs over last week's deadly assault on a Gaza aid ship and have banned access to the Al-Aqsa mosque…
Sarkozy to discuss Gaza with Palestinian leader
PARIS: French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas next week to discuss events in Gaza and the stalled Middle East peace process, his office said Friday. Sarkozy…
Senior Iranian official rules out US hikers exchange
GENEVA: A senior Iranian official on Friday ruled out an exchange of three American hikers held by Tehran for Iranians detained in the United States, saying that such a swap…
Wife of Lebanese psychic appeals for his release
BEIRUT: The wife of a Lebanese TV psychic convicted in Saudi Arabia on charges of witchcraft appealed for her husband's release on Friday, just months after he escaped beheading in…
Australian woman freed, leaves Yemen with her kids
SAN'A, Yemen: Yemen on Friday released an Australian woman detained as part of an investigation into Al-Qaeda's increased activity in the country and allowed her to fly home with her…
Ruckus at climate talks over vandalism of Saudi nameplate
BONN, Germany: UN climate talks in Bonn were rocked by angry outbursts on Friday after Saudi Arabia's conference nameplate was vandalized and its national flag was said to have been…
Emotional start to World Cup, grieving Mandela missing
JOHANNESBURG: Africa's first football World Cup began in an explosion of color and emotion at an opening ceremony in Johannesburg's Soccer City Friday, blighted by the absence of a grief-stricken…
11 activists detained for protesting alleged manslaughter in Alexandria
CAIRO: Eleven activists were arrested for protesting the alleged killing by police of a 28-year-old man in Alexandria, lawyer at El-Nadim Center for the Rehabilitation of Violence Victims Mohamed Abdel-Aziz…
Egypt accepts 21 out of 25 human rights recommendations at UN
CAIRO: Egypt accepted 21 out of 25 recommendations for human rights reforms made to it by members of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) on Friday as part of…
