The uprisings that have swept through the Mideast have inspired the world, but efforts by Arab dictators to crush the dissent have destabilized the region, the U.S. State Department said Thursday in its annual human rights report.
Iranian sailors helped scare off armed pirates who attacked an American cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman, Iranian state media reported Thursday.
The Syrian conflict has become "increasingly militarized" as killings and torture by regime security forces and anti-government fighters raged this spring, a United Nations panel reported Thursday.
The deadly clashes that are a fact of daily life in Syria have now bled into Lebanon, where a series of sectarian shootouts this week are raising fears that a period of relative calm for the country may be nearing an end.
At 23, Asma Al Muhairi has never considered herself a social activist. But a shopping trip to a Dubai mall left her so irate that she started a campaign against revealing clothing and has sparked a major debate in the United Arab Emirates.
IN FOCUS: Egypt's Economic Concerns Egypt's revolution struck a hammer blow to the nation's economy. More than a year later, the outlook is starting to look more positive with holidaymakers returning to the country. But some in the tourism industry remain worried. They fear the growing influence of Islamists in the government may lead to strict rules like the ban of alcohol. MME takes a closer look at Egypt's wine-making industry. FACETIME: Adel Ali, Air Arabia CEO The UAE is home of the region's first low-cost airline -- Air Arabia. Operations began in 2003 and now other low-cost carriers have come onto the market. Air Arabia now has a fleet of 30 planes despite high fuel costs. MME sat down with the CEO, Adel Ali. Marketplace Middle East airs weekly at the following times (all GMT):
"Significant differences" remain between world powers and Iran in negotiations over its nuclear program, European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Thursday.
The opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) said Wednesday it had accepted the resignation of Burhan Ghalioun, its Paris-based president.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour said Wednesday that he expects 11 Lebanese Shiite pilgims abducted in neighboring Syria to be freed within hours.
A prominent Iranian literary translator imprisoned since January on unknown charges has been released on bail, a source close to the family said Wednesday.
Western nations and Iran broached solutions over Tehran's controversial nuclear program Wednesday, the latest push to end the saber-rattling over the Islamic republic's atomic aspirations.
This month, Inside the Middle East celebrates its 100th episode with a special look at education, focusing on the ways Egypt, Lebanon, and the United Arab Emirates are developing their future generation of leaders.
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency says he will sign an agreement soon with Iran over its nuclear program, a sign that Iran may have agreed to broader inspections.
Lebanon has released Chadi Mawlawi, an activist who was helping Syrian refugees and whose arrest sparked fighting in Lebanon.
The Yemeni government blamed an affiliate of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula on Tuesday for a massive suicide bombing that killed more than 100 soldiers a day earlier.
A hard-line Iranian lawmaker has mockingly suggested that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad open up a nightclub, according to Iran's Fars News Agency.
The U.S. ambassador to NATO says the alliance has no plans for military intervention in the Syrian crisis, as reports of deaths mount by the dozens and diplomatic efforts have yet to stymie the bloodshed.
A suicide bomber dressed in a military uniform set off a blast that killed more than 100 soldiers Monday, authorities said, in what appears to be the deadliest attack ever on troops in Yemen.
The international community called for restraint Monday after deadly clashes were triggered in Beirut by the deaths of two religious clerics, both of whom were opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Iran's talks Monday with the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency helped lay the groundwork for progress in upcoming negotiations, the Iranian regime said.
Former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh was admitted Sunday to a military hospital in Sanaa, the second time that he's been to a hospital this month, a government official said.
At least 33 more people were killed Sunday in Syria's 14-month-old crackdown on opponents of President Bashar al-Assad's rule, a leading opposition group reported.
Fierce clashes between government troops and al Qaeda fighters Sunday morning in Yemen left 21 people dead, two local security officials told CNN.
Iran's finance minister believes oil prices could rise as high as $160 a barrel thanks to sanctions over its nuclear program, a prediction that comes just as the chief of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency headed to Tehran on Sunday for high-level talks.
A suicide car bombing near security posts in the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor killed at least nine people and wounded several more, state-run media said
Protesters in Bahrain marched through the streets Friday to criticize government plans to boost cooperation between the island state and Saudi Arabia.
The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency plans to fly to Iran on Sunday to discuss nuclear issues with high-level officials in Tehran.
Lara Zankoul and Lara Atallah are both young Lebanese photographers taking their first steps in promising artistic careers.
Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri urged people in Saudi Arabia to follow the example set by popular revolutions in Egypt, Libya and Tunisia and rise up.
Three roadside bombs exploded Friday in quick succession at an outdoor pet market in Baghdad, killing five people and wounding 31 others, police officials said.
Israel's deputy foreign minister is taking to social media to pressure the International Olympic Committee to reverse its stance against a moment of silence at the London Games for 11 Israeli athletes and coaches killed at the 1972 games.
Tensions boiled in Syria's two largest cities Friday as violence erupted in Aleppo and the U.N. secretary-general sought to determine whether al Qaeda was involved in last week's suicide attack in Damascus.
France's new Socialist government is already causing ripples throughout a Europe struggling to balance government budgets without making ordinary people's lives miserable, but it has created a completely different problem in the Middle East.
Iran is taking on one of the world's biggest Internet giants, threatening to sue over something that is not on its maps.
Israeli tank fire wounded seven Palestinians in a farm field east of Gaza City on Thursday, Palestinian medical and security officials said.
Al-Qaeda's leader is calling for the Yemeni people to rise up against the country's new president, portraying him as the stooge of the unpopular former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, and the United States.
A confidential draft U.N. report accuses Iran of exporting arms to the Syrian government in violation of a ban on weapons sales, a Western diplomat said Wednesday on condition of anonymity.
As events continue to unfold in Syria, the future of this Arab nation remains unknown.
An Iranian rapper is facing death threats and has a $100,000 bounty on his head for a song that some say insults an Islamic Shiite imam.
U.N. observers who were stranded overnight in a Syrian town after their convoy struck an explosive device have made it safely to the city of Hama, the United Nations said Wednesday.
A notorious prison in Baghdad's Green Zone is still open despite the Iraqi government having said more than a year ago it was closed, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday.
A suicide car bomber struck an Iraqi army base in western Mosul on Tuesday, killing seven Iraqi soldiers and wounding 20 people, an official said.
IN FOCUS: Social media in the Middle East Facebook is launching its long-awaited Initial Public Offering this week. With nearly a billion users the social networking site is hoping investors will dig deep to buy a stake in the company that has become a global phenomenon. Recently, the role of social media has increased sharply in the Middle East and, as MME found out, is becoming a crucial part of doing business. FACETIME: Fadi Ghandour, CEO & founder, Aramex Aramex is a global logistics company with its roots in the Middle East. With a revenue of more than $700 million and a presence in more than 60 countries, the company is competing with the likes of Fedex, DHL and UPS. MME sat down with the CEO and Founder Fadi Ghandour to talk about the new areas of growth, his retirement and how social media has affected his business. Marketplace Middle East airs weekly at the following times (all GMT):
Two suspected U.S. drone strikes killed seven al Qaeda militants and eight civilians in the southern part of Yemen on Tuesday, three Yemeni security officials said.
A four-vehicle U.N. convoy was struck by a blast from an explosive device Tuesday in Syria, the United Nations said.
A Bahraini doctor arrested and allegedly brutalized for treating an injured protester said he and other medical workers were targeted because of what they saw.
All the Palestinians in Israeli custody who were on a hunger strike have agreed to resume eating following an agreement struck between Israeli and Palestinian authorities, Palestinian Minister of Detainees and ex-Detainees Issa Qaraqe said Tuesday.
A U.N.-backed peace plan that included a cease-fire deal was to take effect April 12 in Syria. Since then, violence has continued: Car bombings, reports of snipers and more than 1,000 killed -- some of them executed and tortured to death, according to opposition activists.
European Union foreign ministers on Monday imposed new sanctions on the Syrian regime, urging it to adopt a U.N.-backed peace plan that so far has failed to stop the mounting carnage.
An Iranian delegation met with officials from the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria, on Monday as diplomatic wrangling continues over Tehran's controversial nuclear program.
Leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council arrived in Saudi Arabia Monday for a meeting to discuss transforming their six nations into a union similar to the European Union.
It's been a month since the "cease-fire" was due to come into effect in Syria as the first step in a U.N.-backed peace plan, with a team of U.N. monitors on the ground to observe the progress.
Government troops in southern Yemen on Sunday attacked al Qaeda hideouts, killing two dozen suspected militants in the latest push to clear the area of the terror organization, local security officials said.
Gunfire and mortar shells pierced the pre-dawn sky in cities around Syria early Monday, the latest in the months-long violence that has even begun spilling into neighboring countries.
The leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council will hold a meeting Monday in Saudi Arabia to discuss transforming their six nations into a union, similar to the European Union.
Negotiations to end a mass hunger strike by up to 2,000 Palestinians detained by Israel are making progress and a resolution may be only days away, Palestinian officials said Saturday.
Ahead of upcoming nuclear talks, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad downplayed the threat Israel poses to Iran, comparing it to an annoying bug.
A pair of U.S. drone strikes killed 11 suspected al Qaeda militants Saturday in Yemen's Mareb province, part of a continuing air campaign targeting the terror organization, security officials said.
A Syrian activist devoted to de-mining the border between Syria and Turkey was among six injured Saturday by a landmine placed on a trail that criss-crosses the two countries.
Two Turkish journalists were released from a Syrian jail and flew Saturday to Istanbul via Tehran, as part of what appears to be a prisoner swap between Turkey and Iran through intermediaries in Syria.
A video purportedly released by a shadowy, Syrian-based terrorist group claimed responsibility Saturday for dual suicide bombings that killed dozens and wounded hundreds in the country's capital this week.
An Iraqi court has cleared a Lebanese militant once held by U.S. forces in the deaths of five U.S. soldiers, saying there wasn't enough evidence against him, an official with Iraq's judicial council told CNN.
After five years of trying, an international group of authors have achieved their aim of taking their Palestine Festival of Literature to Gaza for the first time.
A powerful explosion rocked Aleppo, Syria's most populous city, late Friday, killing a guard at an office of President Bashar al-Assad's ruling Baath Party, opposition groups reported.
New details are emerging about the agent sent by Saudi counterterrorism agents into Yemen to track a plot by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to bomb a U.S.-bound airliner.
IN FOCUS -- Egypt's economic woes and the ripple effect With less than three weeks before presidential elections, Egypt remains entrenched in chaos. A spate of recent violence has left the country politically unstable and the continuing power struggle is making a bad economy worse. MME takes a look at the growing economic woes facing Egypt.
A U.S. drone strike killed eight militants in southern Yemen on Thursday morning, the latest hit in an intensified U.S. air camaign against al Qaeda and its affiliates in the area, security officials said.
The two leading candidates to become Egypt's next president after Hosni Mubarak squared off for hours Thursday and into Friday in the nation's first such televised debate, just two weeks ahead of the country's election.
U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan is weighing an invitation to meet with President Bashar al-Assad in Syria, a senior U.N. source said Thursday, the same day that a deadly blast in Damascus drew widespread condemnation and finger-pointing in the volatile nation.
The Israeli parliament approved Wednesday by a vote of 71-23 a coalition agreement between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and the opposition Kadima party of Shaul Mofaz.
The infiltration of a Middle Eastern terror network by a mole who helped foil a plot to blow up a U.S.-bound plane was a "phenomenal," "brilliant" and "powerful" success, experts said Wednesday.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned a bomb blast Wednesday near a convoy of U.N. observers that was entering the southern Syrian city of Daraa.
The agent who penetrated al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and returned from Yemen with the group's new "airline bomb" was always under Saudi control and was not a double-agent, two sources briefed by Saudi counterterrorism officials have told CNN.
A tall and beguiling blonde sits alone at the bar of a luxury Middle Eastern hotel. Looking across the lobby she seductively eyes a mustached Arab man. Emboldened by her enticing glances he approaches the bar and they begin chatting.
A U.N. nuclear inspector from South Korea was killed Tuesday in a car accident in Iran, state-run media reported.
Interpol on Tuesday issued a "red notice" for Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, who is suspected of guiding and financing terrorist attacks in the country.
A man who volunteered as a suicide bomber for a terrorist group intent on blowing up a U.S.-bound plane was working instead as an intelligence agent for Saudi Arabia, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing American and foreign officials.
Special envoy Kofi Annan told the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday that international observers are the last hope for success of a peace plan in Syria. Otherwise, he warned, Syria is sure to plunge into full-scale civil war.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing Likud party have agreed to form a unity government with the rival centrist political faction Kadima in a move that will put off elections until late next year and create one of the largest coalition governments in Israeli history.
U.S. and other intelligence agencies recently broke up a plot to bomb an airliner and have seized an explosive device that is similar to ones previously used by al Qaeda, officials said Monday.
Israel's high court rejected Monday an appeal requesting the release of two Palestinian prisoners who are in the 70th day of a hunger strike, an attorney representing them said.
Two Turkish journalists who were feared dead after being missing for nearly two months in Syria appeared in a video released by a Turkish charity organization negotiating for their release.
Syrians went to polls across the country Monday as more than 7,000 candidates vied for 250 seats in parliament amid continued international pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to step aside.
The lawyer representing two Palestinian prisoners entering the 70th day of a hunger strike said his clients were nearing death and accused an Israeli high court of procrastination in delivering a ruling that could save their lives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Sunday for early elections.
A prominent Bahraini human rights activist has been arrested upon his return to the Persian Gulf kingdom from Lebanon, the government and an activist group said Sunday.
Syrians are expected to go to the polls Monday to vote in parliamentary elections that are being held amid ongoing violence and increasing international pressure on the embattled government of President Bashar al-Assad.
Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Egypt returned to Cairo on Saturday after tensions briefly spurred the kingdom to pull its envoys and shutter its missions, Saudi state media reported.
In his first public speech since being inaugurated as president of Yemen, Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi promised a strong fight against al Qaeda and political reconciliation at home.
Egypt imposed an overnight curfew in Cairo's central Abbasiya district on Saturday after deadly clashes between protesters and security forces consumed the area the day before.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, alienated from the country's supreme leader, suffered setbacks in the country's parliamentary runoff elections Saturday in what could be a sign of things to come in the Islamic republic.
Syrian state TV aired Saturday what it said was a confession by citizen journalist Ali Mahmoud Othman, who activists say was arrested in March after he helped foreign journalists escape from the besieged city of Homs.
Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said millions of dollars from the "extreme right wing" in the United States helped oust him from government and derailed a peace plan with the Palestinians.
An explosion at a car wash near Syria's largest city of Aleppo killed at least five people Saturday, opposition activists said.
Saudi Arabia is re-establishing its diplomatic presence in Egypt after tensions briefly spurred the kingdom to pull its envoys and shutter its missions, Egyptian and Saudi state news agencies said Friday.
Syrian government snipers and other forces stalked opponents in homes and neighborhoods Friday in a campaign of gunfire, shelling and arrests amid mass protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad, an opposition group said.
A prominent Iranian literary translator imprisoned since January on unknown charges has suspended his hunger strike after 28 days, a source close to the family said Thursday.
A U.S. drone hit an al Qaeda training site in southern Yemen, killing 13 suspected militants, three security officials said.
Syrian security forces unleashed a deadly push on a prominent university to clamp down Thursday on student dissent, the opposition said.
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