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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Middle East

Middle East stories: 192 news summaries

61 - 80 of 192 Stories | << Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ... 10 Next >>

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 All-American Harleys 
 Take Off in Mideast 

Lebanon bike tour celebrates iconic rides

Oct 14, 08 3:44 PM CDT
(Newser) - It may seem incongruous, but in a region rife with anti-American sentiment, the all-American symbol has found a home: Harley-Davidsons are on the rise in the Middle East, even in conservative countries like Saudi Arabia. The hogs’ popularity was marked this month by Lebanon’s first-ever Harley-Davidson tour, which saw... More »

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Middle East • Lebanon • motorcycle • Harley Davidson

OPINION

Petraeus' Iraq Strategy
Is Ill-Suited to Afghanistan

Counterinsurgency expert may need to learn a few new tricks to quell Taliban rebellion

Oct 6, 08 2:55 PM CDT
(Newser) - Gen. David Petraeus faces an uphill battle in replicating the successes of the Iraq surge in Afghanistan, Michael Evans writes in the Times of London, “because the economic, social and political conditions are so different.” Afghanistan doesn’t have nearly the natural, fertile resources, and neither the US... More »

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Iraq • Afghanistan • War on Terror • Taliban • Middle East • David Petraeus • surge • opium • infrastructure

GLOSSIES

Clerics Shake Up Islamic Finance

Concern bonds violate Sharia causes crisis despite stable market

Sep 24, 08 9:49 AM CDT
(Newser) - Of the challenges facing Western financial markets, fear of divine intervention isn’t one. The Middle East’s booming debt market is considered one of the most stable in the world, but investors there are getting a taste of “religious interpretation risk,” Portfolio reports. Islamic scholars are declaring... More »

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Middle East • debt • Islamic Sharia law • Islamic finance

About-Face on Libya Signals Hope for Iran, N. Korea: Rice

Secretary hails historic trip as US officially renews ties with former foe

Sep 5, 08 2:34 PM CDT
(Newser) - Iran and North Korea, take heed: America’s reconciliation with Libya proves that Washington has no permanent enemies, Condoleezza Rice said today. The secretary of state, meeting in Tripoli with onetime international pariah Moammar Gadhafi, said her historic trip “demonstrates that when countries are prepared to make strategic changes... More »

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Iran • North Korea • Middle East • Condoleezza Rice • United States • Libya • Ronald Reagan • Moammar Gadhafi

 Hijackers Free
 87 Hostages in Libya

Continue to hold crew after commandeering jetliner in Sudan

Aug 27, 08 7:29 AM CDT
(AP) - Hijackers began releasing the 87 passengers today at a remote desert airfield in southern Libya, reports the AP, a day after they took control of a Sudanese 737 jetliner as it took off from Darfur. The hijackers continued to hold eight crewmembers. Sudan officials called the hijacking an "irresponsible... More »

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Middle East • Sudan • France • Libya • plane hijacking • Sudan Liberation Movement

Arab Investors Interested in GM's Hummer Brand

As US sales slide, GM looks overseas to unload gas-guzzler unit

Aug 26, 08 10:04 AM CDT
(Newser) - There may soon be more Hummers heading to the Persian Gulf, this time as two Gulf Arab investors signal interest in buying GM's troubled brand of SUV—modeled on the military vehicle. Analysts have expected the gas-guzzler to be tough to unload, but low fuel prices, economic prosperity, and Hummer’... More »

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Middle East • General Motors • fuel economy • auto industry • auto sales • Hummer

Ahmadinejad Says Israel to Be 'Removed Soon'

Iranian president's comments meant to reassure hardliners

Aug 20, 08 2:07 PM CDT
(Newser) - Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called Israel “a germ of corruption” to be “removed soon” in comments on his presidential website today, the AP reports. While the outburst is nothing new for the Iranian leader, the posts were probably meant to reassure hawks enraged by the vice president’s comments last... More »

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Iran • Israel • Middle East • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • Muslim • Jewish • nuclear missiles

Opinion

 Hey Saudis, Let the Women Play!

Time for the IOC to enforce it's no discrimination rule

Aug 14, 08 10:42 AM CDT
(Newser) - The most beautiful sight in the Olympics' opening ceremony came when Egypt’s 26 female competitors strode into the stadium, writes Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian Muslim, in the Washington Post. Women also carried flags for Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, filling Eltahawy with pride. And then came Saudi... More »

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Islam • Middle East • Saudi Arabia • women • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Muslim women

 Israeli PM to
 Step Down
 in 2 Months

Olmert's move may threaten peace effort, national stability

Jul 30, 08 1:02 PM CDT
(AP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced today he will resign in September, throwing his country into political turmoil and raising doubts about progress for US-backed Mideast peace efforts. Olmert's brief address included harsh criticism of police investigations of corruption allegations against him. He said he was choosing the public good... More »

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Israel • Middle East • investigation • politics • Ehud Olmert

OPINION

GOP's Offshore Drilling, Dems' Afghan Surge Both Bad Ideas

Both are blindly touting poor policy: Friedman

Jul 30, 08 10:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - Democrats and Republicans alike are beating empty campaign slogans, and both need to take a look at their real-world implications, writes Thomas L. Friedman in the New York Times. Republicans who insist that offshore oil drilling will solve the world's problems sound like "someone back in 1980" pushing for... More »

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Afghanistan • War on Terror • Barack Obama • Middle East • Hamid Karzai • Afghanistan war

ANALYSIS

Next, Thicket of Arab-Israeli Conflict Awaits Obama

Dem to meet key Jordanian, Palestinian, Israeli figures; street expects little change

Jul 22, 08 1:27 PM CDT
(Newser) - With the war leg of his foreign tour behind him, Barack Obama must next navigate the Middle East peace process. He’ll meet with top Israeli and Palestinian leaders tomorrow, the New York Times reports, and will visit the rocket-bombarded town of Sderot. US Jewish voters will be particularly attentive... More »

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Barack Obama • Israel • Middle East • Ehud Olmert • Mahmoud Abbas • Palestine • Jerusalem

US Closer to Establishing Diplomatic Outpost in Iran

Interest section, to be announced next month, first presence since 1979

Jul 17, 08 1:10 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Bush administration is moving forward with plans to establish a US interest section—precursor to a formal embassy—in Iran, the Guardian reports. An announcement will come in the next month about the office, which will put US diplomats in Iran for the first time since the hostage crisis... More »

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Iran • Bush administration • Middle East • diplomacy • Mahmoud Ahmadinejad • embassy • US Embassy

Egypt's Spymaster
the Next President?

Omar Suileman's many strengths boost potential to move into top spot

Jul 17, 08 4:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - As the 26-year reign of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak comes to a close, his likely successor is looking less like son Gamal, head of the benighted National Democratic Party, reports the Los Angeles Times. Instead, the man at the head of the country's foreign intelligence service, Omar Suleiman—"a... More »

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Middle East • Hosni Mubarak • Egypt • Gamal Mubarak • National Democratic Party

 Dubai Cracks Down
 on Nude Tourists 

79 people detained by 'decency police'

Jul 15, 08 6:38 AM CDT
(AP) - It hasn't been all fun and games for Western vacationers on Dubai beaches, thanks to  decency police who have detained 79 people in recent days for topless sunbathing and nudity, AP reports. The Muslim city-state is attracting hordes of foreign sun seekers, who are being scrutinized by cops on the... More »

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Middle East • beach • behavior • Dubai • United Arab Emirates • vacation • resorts

 Turkey Indicts 86 for Coup Plot 

Secularists allegedly tried to overthrow Islamic government

Jul 14, 08 8:22 AM CDT
(AP) - Prosecutors today indicted 86 secular Turks—including high-ranking ex-military officials—on terrorism charges for their alleged involvement in plots to topple the Islamic-rooted government. The suspects, believed to include at least one former general and an opposition politician, are accused of having plotted to provoke a military coup to topple... More »

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Turkey • Middle East • secularism • Recep Tayyip Erdogan • Kemal Ataturk • coup d'etat

Study Yields More Clues About Autism

Scientists find genes needed for learning stuck in the off position

Jul 10, 08 6:20 PM CDT
(Newser) - Scientists have found six new genes linked to autism, inching closer to a fuller understanding of the disorder and how to treat it, the AP reports. The genes in question are necessary for learning but are essentially stuck in the "off" position. The finding lends credence to the philosophy... More »

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Middle East • autism • DNA • genetic defects • scientific study • neurons • synapse

UPDATED

 Turkey Suspects al-Qaeda
 in US Consulate Attack 

Shootout leaves three policemen, three assailants dead

Jul 9, 08 11:51 AM CDT
(AP) - Turkish police say they suspect al-Qaeda is behind today's attack on the US consulate in Istanbul. So far, no one has claimed responsibility, but a police official confirmed the suspicion to the AP on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief journalists on the investigation. More »

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Turkey • Middle East • Istanbul • al-Qaeda • terrorist attack • US Consulate

 Quiet Qatar Plays
 Key Mideast
 Peacemaker Role 

Iconoclastic emirate  works to calm conflicts

Jul 9, 08 3:40 AM CDT
(Newser) - Qatar has managed the amazing diplomatic feat of staying friendly with just about everybody in the Middle East, the New York Times writes. The tiny, oil-rich emirate, which somehow maintains close ties with Iran while also hosting an American airbase, is rapidly becoming the region's mediator. Its diplomats recently pulled... More »

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Middle East • diplomacy • Persian Gulf • Qatar • Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa • al-Jazeera • Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim bin Jaber al-Thani

Obama Show Coming to Europe, Mideast

Hopeful seeks to bolster image by traveling this summer

Jun 28, 08 3:53 PM CDT
(Newser) - Barack Obama will travel to Europe and the Middle East this summer in his first international tour as a presidential candidate, he announced today. Designed to offset criticism that he lacks foreign policy experience, the trip will include stops in Jordan, Israel, Germany, France and Britain, the New York ... More »

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Barack Obama • Middle East • Europe • Obama 2008 • foreign policy • tour

OPINION

Al-Qaeda Stuck in Web 1.0

Osama not up on his Facebook, YouTube; US should exploit populist backlash

Jun 26, 08 9:07 AM CDT
(Newser) - At its height, al-Qaeda had mastered how to amplify the effect of real-world attacks with virtual representations—videos, audio recordings, and articles reproducing its mayhem online. But as the Web has transformed into a more social entity, the terrorist organization is " stuck in 1.0," writes analyst Daniel... More »

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social networking • Internet • Middle East • YouTube • Web 2.0 • al-Qaeda • Internet censorship

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