Middle East News
Egypt’s Constituent Assembly backs draft constitution
Egypt's Islamist-run assembly has backed a draft constitution, including a measure keeping sharia, or Islamic law, as the main source of legislation. The draft will...
Palestine becomes non-member observer state at UN
The United Nations General Assembly has voted to grant the Palestinians non-member observer state status - a move opposed by Israel and the US. Palestinian...
Jaramana twin blasts kills at least 34 people in Damascus
At least 34 people have been killed and many injured by two car bomb explosions in Jaramana, a south-eastern district of Damascus, Syrian state...
Cairo mass protest against President Mohamed Morsi
Tens of thousands of people are holding a protest in Cairo against President Mohamed Morsi, who last week granted himself sweeping new powers in...
Yasser Arafat’s remains exhumed
The remains of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have been exhumed as part of an investigation into how he died. Swiss, French and Russian experts...
Muslim Brotherhood calls off demonstration in Cairo
The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's main Islamist party, has called off a demonstration in Cairo, amid crisis over President Mohammed Mursi's new decree. The Muslim Brotherhood...
Israel and Hamas start talks on Gaza ceasefire
Representatives of Israel and Hamas have begun indirect talks on ceasefire deal that ended the recent violence in Gaza. The negotiations are being led by...
Egypt Stock Market plunges 10% following Mohammed Mursi’s decree
Egypt's stock market sees a plunge in its shares of almost 10% on Sunday, days after President Mohammed Mursi granted himself sweeping new powers. Protests...
Mohammed Mursi accused of staging an “unprecedented attack” on the judiciary
Egypt's top judges have accused President Mohammed Mursi of staging an "unprecedented attack" on the judiciary. Mohammed Mursi passed a decree earlier this week granting...
Yasser Arafat’s body to be exhumed over poisoning claim
The body of Yasser Arafat is to be exhumed on Tuesday, Palestinian officials say. Former Palestinian leader’s body is to undergo tests to find out...
Mohammed Mursi defends new decree that grants him new sweeping powers amid protests
Egypt’s President Mohammed Mursi has appeared before supporters in Cairo to defend a new decree that grants him sweeping powers. Mohammed Mursi told them he...
Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal comes into effect
A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement has come into effect. Under the deal, Israel has agreed to end all hostilities and targeted...
Tel Aviv bus explosion injures 21 people
At least 21 people have been injured in an explosion on a bus in Tel Aviv, in what one Israeli official described as a...
Israel-Gaza crisis: Mohammed Mursi expects Israeli forces to end air strikes today
Egypt’s President Mohammed Mursi, who is leading mediation efforts between Hamas and Israel, says he expects Israeli forces to end air strikes on Gaza...
Israel-Gaza crisis: at least 26 people die in Gaza Strip as Israeli forces keep up air strikes
At least 26 people have died in the Gaza Strip as Israeli forces kept up air strikes they say are aimed at stopping rocket...
Pope Tawadros II, new leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian church, enthroned in Cairo
Pope Tawadros II, the new leader of Egypt's Coptic Christian church, has been formally enthroned in Cairo. Pope Tawadros II was confirmed as the new...
Barack Obama defends Israel’s airstrikes on the Gaza Strip
President Barack Obama defended Israel's airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, but he warned that escalating the offensive with Israeli ground troops could increase the...
Israel-Gaza crisis: death toll rises to 67 after Israeli airstrikes
An Israeli strike on a home in Gaza has killed at least 10 people, officials say, as Sunday became the deadliest day since Israel...
Israel-Gaza crisis: fresh fire exchanged between Israeli military and Hamas militants
The Israeli military and militants in Gaza are continuing to trade fire, with the round of violence that has followed Israel's killing of Hamas's...
Syrian rebels capture Hamdan airport near Iraq border
Syrian rebels say they have captured Hamdan airport near the border with Iraq. The airport of Hamdan in Deir al-Zour province, near the town of...
Israel air strikes hit Hamas headquarters in Gaza
Israeli air strikes have targeted the headquarters of Gaza's Hamas leaders, as the bombardment of the coastal enclave moved into a fourth day. Witnesses reported...
Israel-Gaza violence: Egypt backs under-fire Palestinians
Egypt has promised to support Gaza against Israeli attacks, as violence escalated for a third day. President Mohammed Mursi said he would not leave Gaza...
France is the first Western power to back anti-Bashar al-Assad coalition
France has become the first Western country to recognize Syria's opposition coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. The move was announced...
Moaz al-Khatib, former Sunni Muslim imam in Damascus, is the new leader of Syrian opposition
Moaz al-Khatib, a leading Damascus cleric who fled Syria, has been chosen at a meeting in Qatar to head a new coalition to oppose...
Egypt child-trafficking arrests in Cairo
A child-trafficking ring that sold 300 babies over three years has been broken up in Cairo, Egyptian police say. Two nurses and a doctor at...
Prev