Pakistani president arrives in France
PARIS: Pakistan's President Ali Asif Zardari was in Paris on Monday at the start of a difficult week-long trip to France and Britain overshadowed by British allegations of terror sponsorship.…
Paris negotiated to free French Sahara hostage
DUBAI: The head of an Al-Qaeda-linked gang in the Sahara desert said he held negotiations with Paris about freeing a kidnapped Frenchman before the hostage was killed, in an Internet…
Gunmen blow up policeman’s house in Iraq, 3 killed
BAGHDAD: Officials say gunmen have blown up the house of a policeman in the former al-Qaeda stronghold of Fallujah west of Baghdad, killing him, his wife and 4-year-old daughter. The…
Jailed Iran protesters on hunger strike
TEHRAN: A group of 17 Iranian political prisoners, including journalists and student activists, have been on hunger strike for a week demanding better treatment, opposition websites reported on Monday. "So…
Iran sees ‘positive’ signal from Vienna group over fuel swap
TEHRAN: Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki has said Iran was witnessing a "positive" feedback from the Vienna group over a proposal to supply Tehran with nuclear fuel, an Iranian television channel…
Iranian film ‘White Meadows’ wins best film at Durban Film Fest
As the 31st Durban International Film Festival wrapped up its 10-day run on Saturday, the organizers and festival-goers shared the same sentiments: This year’s edition was the most successful in…
33 Palestinians hurt in Gaza blast, and Israel assigns officers for civilian protection
GAZA CITY AND JERUSALEM: Thirty-three Palestinians were injured early Monday by a mystery explosion in Deir al Balah refugee camp south of Gaza City, Palestinian medics reported. The blast occurred…
Grad rockets hits Jordan’s Aqaba and Israel’s Eilat ports, officials say
AMMAN AND JERUSALEM AND EL-ARISH: A Grad-type rocket smashed into a street in the Jordanian port of Aqaba on Monday, injuring four people, one seriously, the interior minister said, while…
Damas sees full-year loss $520 mln after provisions
DUBAI: Jeweler Damas International said on Sunday it made a full-year net loss of 1.91 billion UAE dirhams ($520 million), after provisions and non-recurring charges of 1.9 billion dirhams. Before…
Iraq unlikely to allow Iran banks due to sanctions
BAGHDAD: Two Iranian banks seeking to open branches in Iraq are unlikely to get government approval due to economic sanctions imposed on Tehran in a row over its nuclear program,…