Turkey chides US in Iran row, urges support for swap deal
ANKARA: Turkey insisted Thursday that rejecting a nuclear swap deal with Iran would be unreasonable and said that a US push for fresh sanctions on Tehran was creating an "absurd…
Sudan's Beshir vows dialogue with West despite ICC warrant
KHARTOUM: Veteran Sudanese President Omar Al-Beshir vowed on Thursday to engage with the West despite an International Criminal Court warrant hanging over him, as he was sworn in to a…
Britain vows arrest rules change after Israel row
LONDON: New Foreign Secretary William Hague vowed Thursday to "act speedily" to change the way arrests are ordered under international law in Britain, after a row over visits by Israeli…
Two Israelis arrested for heckling Obama aide in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM: Two right-wing Israeli activists were arrested on Thursday after they heckled White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel as he toured Jerusalem's Old City, police said. "Itamar Ben Gvir…
Saudi diplomats in Sudan receive threat messages, says official
RIYADH: Saudi diplomats in the Sudanese capital have recently received threats that are being taken seriously by Riyadh, the foreign ministry said on Thursday. "There was a threat ... We…
Groups protest Israel denying US student's entry
DETROIT: Arab-American and civil rights groups are protesting Israel's decision to deny entry of a US university student of Palestinian descent for a study-abroad program. The Palestine Cultural Office, Arab-American…
Palestinian leader says he's committed to peace
PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday he plans to reassure President Barack Obama during their upcoming meeting that he is committed to peace with Israel. Abbas, who is…
Israel indicts 2 Arab citizens in aiding Hezbollah
JERUSALEM: Israel indicted two prominent activists from its Arab minority on Thursday for allegedly assisting the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The Shin Bet security service said Amir Makhoul confessed to…
Egypt index climbs, led by soaring OT
CAIRO: Orascom Telecom lept 8.5 percent, boosted by announcements it will negotiate the sale of its Algerian Djezzy unit to the Algerian government and might consider bidding for control of…
The city at the far end of the world: Part 2
Three weeks ago, I was invited by a South-African NGO called the Arterial Network on a “sponsored cultural tour to the Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa).” During my…
