UN rights council to convene on Friday about Syrian killings

The top UN human rights body will hold an emergency session on Syria Friday at the request of the United States to consider condemning the violent crackdown of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime on pro-democracy protesters. Washington has also called for the UN Human … Read More

Syria insists it needs no help in probe of killings of anti-regime protesters

Syria’s envoy to the United Nations has said on that his country was perfectly capable of conducting its own transparent inquiry into the killings of anti-government demonstrators as more deaths were reported after the regime of President Bashar al-Assad bolstered its … Read More

Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria to create common visa system?

Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria are to establish a common visa system, the Russian agency Regnum quoted the Iranian vice-minister of tourism as saying on Tuesday. The four states are preparing to install a “Schengen-like” regime, Shahbaz Yezdi said, in reference to … Read More

Influential brother of Syria’s Assad to be targeted by US sanctions

The brother of President Bashar al-Assad will probably top the list of Syrian officials to be hit by economic sanctions from the United States, according to Al Arabiya sources. The United States said it was considering imposing sanctions against officials of the Syrian … Read More

Syria continues crackdown while protestors plan ‘Friday of Anger’ demonstrations nationwide

Despite mounting international pressure on Syria to cease violence against protestors, authorities vowed to restore “secure and stability” as activists called for more protests on Friday, reported Agence-France Presse. The fallout of the violence was felt in Britain a … Read More

US, Europe push for condemnation of Syria as Russia, China oppose move

A European push for the United Nations Security Council to condemn Syria’s violent crackdown on anti-government protesters was blocked early Thursday by resistance from Russia and China, envoys said. “There will be no statement,” a Security Council diplomat told … Read More

Pakistan Navy bus bombing, third this week, kills 3 and injures 7

A roadside bomb hit a bus carrying Pakistani Navy officials in the port city of Karachi on Thursday, killing three people and wounding at least seven, officials said. It was the third attack on the Navy in less than a week. The bomb was planted on the roadside in busy … Read More

Al Arabiya’s English-language Website expands coverage, reaching new audiences globally. And we want to hear from you

Al Arabiya re-launched its English-language Website on April 10 under the direction of General Manager Abdulrahman Al Rashed. Our idea is to amplify globally Al Arabiya’s well-established brand by offering to non-Arabs around the world, as well as expatriates in the Middle … Read More

Fatah-Hamas ‘agreement’ returns Palestine to Arab center stage

An agreement to bury four-year-old differences between rival Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, has returned the Israeli-Palestinian dispute to the center stage of an Arab world wracked by anti-government protests. For much of the last four months, Palestine had … Read More

Egyptians get to know freedom of expression after decades of repression

Authoritarian rule and police brutality have for decades ensured that the only voice heard from Egypt was that of its leaders. Since popular protests forced President Hosni Mubarak to step down, the silent majority has erupted into a harmony of sorts. Emboldened by … Read More

US bets on EU and Turkey to add sting to planned sanctions on Syria

The Obama administration’s hopes that sanctions to be imposed on Syria as well as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his family will spark dissent within Syria’s political leadership as well as the armed forces whose senior ranks are part of the country’s economic elite. … Read More

Letter from Cairo: The revolution is over. Let the revolution begin

One of the miscalculations—and I dare say they’re pretty few—made by Egypt’s January 25 Revolution, was the assumption that by toppling the regime, the entire Egyptian people have made it to Everest, planted their flag, and stayed basking in the eternal glory of their … Read More

Threats to the Global Oilconomy

About 70 percent of the known commercially available reserves of conventional oil (global total: 1.3 trillion barrels) are to be found in North Africa and the Middle East. Ten of the top 20 oil exporters in the world are from there and they export about 18 million barrels … Read More

$30 billion in capital flight out of the Arab region in three months

Economic experts have warned of increasing capital flight from the Arab region, as a result of mounting fears from the wave of mass uprisings in the Arab world. The amount of money that has left the area since the outbreak of political unrest has been estimated at more … Read More

Khartoum stock exchange to switch to electronic trading

A forthcoming switch to electronic trading in the Khartoum stock exchange in June 2011 has raised investor hopes of boosting trading volumes, according to Reuters. The shift from manual to electronic trading could also drive the stock exchange to expand into trade in … Read More

Mideast stocks react to first-quarter results

After first-quarter earnings were announced Thursday, Qatar’s index rose as investors bought into the country’s possible inclusion in the prestigious index of Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), Reuters reported. The MSCI emerging markets index classifies six of … Read More

Royal Dispatch: Will and Kate and their VIP guests from the Arab world

The royal wedding guest list has already provoked at least two diplomatic rows involving Middle Eastern royals and dignitaries, not to mention incidents relating to invited leaders from African and Asian nations with questionable human rights records. But the attention … Read More

Correspondent’s Outtakes: A royal cost in London

It is the day many have been waiting for with baited breath since Kate Middleton emerged before the world’s press at St. James’s Palace in a jersey blue dress beside her fiancé Prince William, on the day their engagement was announced in late 2010. In fact, it is the … Read More

Women are Tunisia’s pillars of strength

Women in Tunisia have a distinct advantage from Arab sisters elsewhere as they enjoy near equal rights with men. And after playing an active role in the January revolution that saw the fall of their president, they are keen to keep it that way. However, women fear … Read More

Correspondent’s Outtakes: A Friday afternoon in Sana’a—Revolution, but only after the prayers

I wasn’t sure it was a good idea to mingle with the crowd. News that Fridays have been bringing from the Arab world weren’t exactly comforting, and there was talk around Sana’a that the crowds on “Last Chance Friday” could decide to march to President Abdullah Ali Saleh’s … Read More

Emirati women’s team clinches ADFL title

Team Abu Dhabi arrived in style this week after the all-Emirati female team was crowned champion of the women's amateur Abu Dhabi Football League (ADFL), reported The National. The team received a cheque for AED 8,000 ($2,177) at the match venue, Abu Dhabi’s The … Read More

Bin Hammam in ‘good position’ for becoming FIFA boss

Following talks with English Football Association Chairman David Bernstein, Asia’s soccer chief Mohamed bin Hammam said on Thursday he was in a “good position” to win the presidency of the Federation Internationale de Football Association. “I have gained a lot support … Read More