Law largely avoids fateful decision on Kirkuk

Iraqi lawmakers pass election law

BAGHDAD (Agencies)

Iraq's parliament on Sunday passed a long-delayed election law paving the way for a national vote in January after overcoming a potentially explosive row over the disputed city of Kirkuk, lawmakers said. The parliamentary election next year is a crucial test for the world's 11th largest crude oil producer as...More

Vote delay had put Jan. 16 poll date in doubt

Vote delay had put Jan. 16 poll date in doubt

Official says missing Saudi soldiers are not prisoners of war

Saudi Arabia regains area seized by Yemen rebels

Saudi Arabia said it had regained control of territory seized by Yemeni rebels in a cross-border incursion last week as the kingdom's deputy defense minister said four Saudi soldiers were missing after fighting between Saudi forces and Yemeni rebels. "The situation is calm ... especially in Jabal Dukhan, of which full...More

Saudi's army continues its operation on its border with Yemen

Women face new misery in one-time insurgent stronghold

Women fight new battle in Iraq's restive corner

In what was once one of Iraq's deadliest areas, women who survived sectarian carnage and insurgency now fight a new battle to feed families whose menfolk have been killed, jailed or left jobless. Violence has abated in the past 18 months in the infamous "Triangle of Death" hotbed of insurgent activity near Baghdad, but...More

Deaths and lack of jobs among men push women to forefront (File)

US in secret talks to “secure” Pakistan’s nukes: report

Pakistan snubs doubts over nuclear arms’ safety

kistan denies reports of talks to surrender its nuclear arms’ safety to the U.S. (File)

Pakistan on Sunday angrily rejected a media report that raised fears of a militant takeover of the Taliban-hit nation's nuclear weapons and suggested that...More

MP threatens to grill PM over compulsory music classes

Music classes in Kuwait schools anger Islamists

MP slams what he calls attempt to Westernize Kuwaiti society (File)

A hardline Kuwaiti Islamist MP on Sunday threatened to call for the prime minister to face a grilling in parliament after the government made music classes...More

Obama wins as house passes sweeping health bill

US set for biggest healthcare changes in decades

Protesters gather on the West Lawn of the US Capital rallying against the proposed health care bill

The United States House of Representatives approved a sweeping healthcare reform bill on Saturday, backing the biggest health policy changes in four decades...More

South-African judge surprised by Israel's "violent" reaction

Goldstone slams US reaction to Gaza war report

Israel's 22-day air, land and sea assault of Gaza killed more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis

The head of a United Nations investigation that accused Israel of war crimes in Gaza, Richard Goldstone, has said he is disappointed there has been such a...More

Some 500 members to introduce people to committee

Saudi religious police launch Facebook group

Group administrators say members who insult Islam will be deleted (File)

A group of Saudi's launched a group on a popular social networking website called The Facebook Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of...More

Israel president urges Mahmoud Abbas to stay on

Israeli President Shimon Peres on Saturday used a speech honoring slain premier Yitzhak Rabin to urge Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas to stay in power despite frustrations over the peace...More

Son of Iran’s Shah urges civil disobedience

Saudi begins flu vaccination ahead of hajj

Lebanon's opposition agrees to join Hariri govt

Chinese PM reaches out to Muslims in Cairo

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao sought to reassure the world's Muslims about his country's goodwill towards them in Cairo on Saturday, at a time when Beijing is criticized for the...More

UN chief to pass Gaza report to Security Council

WHO urges close flu watch in farmers, animals

Sudan leader's due visit sparks Turkey-EU row

Saudi newspaper al-Watan website hacked

The website of the Saudi based newspaper al-Watan was hacked early Saturday by suspected supporters of a leading cleric who was recently sacked from the kingdom’s Council of Senior Clerics...More

US army gunman's act "impossible": grandfather

Egypt Islamists appalled by Beyonce concert

Deadly tropical disease hits south Sudan

Saudi to phase out water intensive crops

Saudi Arabia plans to phase out production of all water intensive crops that have depleted the desert kingdom's scarce water supplies, Saudi's water and electricity minister said on...More

Yemen starts natural gas exports from new plant

Exxon-led group clinches Iraq's W.Qurna contract

Al Arabiya discusses future of media post crisis

Somali rebels' 11 commandments to aid groups

Don't promote democracy, fire all women, don't take Sundays off and remove all logos from your vehicles: these are only some of the 11 new rules Somalia's Shabaab rebels want to slap...More