Ahmadinejad thanks Pope for condemning Koran burning
TEHRAN: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has written a letter to Pope Benedict XVI thanking him for condemning an American pastor's threat to burn the Koran on the anniversary of the…
Yemen Children Caught in the Crossfire
Children are increasingly bearing the brunt of the violent clashes between government forces and rebels in Southern Yemen despite efforts by aid groups to help them. The most recent clashes…
UN envoys put spotlight on Sudan conflict fears
JUBA: Chanting crowds greeted UN Security Council ambassadors in the Sudan region that wants to become the world's newest nation as international leaders highlighted the risk of conflict there. Even…
Karzai inaugurates Afghan peace council
KABUL: President Hamid Karzai on Thursday inaugurated a peace council appointed to broker an end to the war in Afghanistan amid mounting reports about secret peace talks as the conflict…
South Lebanon eager to see Ahmadinejad at Israel’s doorstep
KFAR KILA: Residents of southern Lebanon are brimming with excitement ahead of a visit by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is expected to tour the border area with his arch-enemy…
Four wounded in Israeli raids on Gaza, say witnesses, Hamas
GAZA CITY: Israeli warplanes staged three raids in the Gaza Strip overnight wounding four Palestinians, Hamas security officials and witnesses said Thursday. Two people were wounded in strikes on the…
Abbas heads to Arab meet with backing to quit talks
RAMALLAH: Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas has strong backing on Thursday to quit peace talks after inconclusive US efforts to strike a compromise with Israel over settlements. The Palestinian leader is…
Jordan: Growing interest
Jordan’s banking sector fared well during the recession of the last two years due to tight central regulation and an overall cautionary outlook, resulting in healthy deposit and profit levels…
Kharafi receives enough Zain shares for Etisalat deal
KUWAIT: The Kharafi Group, a major Zain shareholder, has received enough shares to tender to Etisalat's offer for a 46-percent stake in the Kuwaiti telecoms firm, an executive said on…
Qtel’s bond issue oversubscribed more than 10 times
DOHA: State-controlled Qatar Telecommunications Co (Qtel) on Thursday said its $1.5 billion bond sale was more than ten times oversubscribed, as bids exceeded $15 billion. The company this week launched…