Israel, Palestinians mull gains after landmark swap deal
JERUSALEM: Freed Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and 477 Palestinians on Wednesday tasted their first full days of freedom, with both sides mulling their gains — and losses — after the…
Six killed in Homs as Syria death toll rises
NICOSIA: Six civilians, including one woman, were shot dead in Syria on Wednesday as the ruling regime continued its brutal crackdown on a seven-month popular protest, the Syrian Observatory for…
Report: Turkey launches incursion into Iraq
ANKARA: Turkish soldiers, air force bombers and helicopter gunships reportedly launched an incursion into Iraq on Wednesday, hours after Kurdish rebels killed 26 soldiers and wounded 22 others in multiple…
Libyans fight against last Qaddafi holdouts
SIRTE: Libyan revolutionary forces fought building by building Wednesday against the final pocket of resistance in Moammar Qaddafi's hometown — the last major city in Libya to have been under…
UN’s Ban welcomes Israel-Palestinian prisoner swap
UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday hailed the release of Franco-Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by Hamas in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners as a "significant…
Report: US, Euro arms used against Arab protesters
NEW YORK: The United States, Russia and many European countries that have supported the swell of protests across the Middle East and North Africa this year also supplied some of…
15 freed Palestinian prisoners arrive in Qatar
DOHA: Fifteen Palestinian prisoners released as part of a swap deal that saw Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit freed from five years of Hamas captivity arrived in the Qatari capital on…
Prisoner swap part of efforts for stability, says Egypt PM
CAIRO: Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf on Tuesday hailed a prisoner swap deal between Israel and the Palestinians, and mediated by Cairo, saying it was part of efforts to boost…
Standard and Poor’s downgrades Egypt’s rating
PARIS: Standard and Poor's downgraded Egypt's rating on Tuesday to BB-, citing weak prospects for public finances and rising risks to macroeconomic stability during the nation's political transition. The agency…
Greek artist surprises with non-controversial beauty
With no prior knowledge of Greek artist Yorgos Papageorgiou or his work, this was one of the few times I attend an opening with no preconceptions. But what I…