Egypt’s upper house of parliament has convened for its first session since President Mohamed Morsi signed a decree putting the controversial new Islamist-backed constitution into effect. The Shura Council met on Wednesday to swear in 90 new members appointed by Mr. Morsi. The council is also expected to begin setting the framework for elections in […]
Egypt’s Senate Convenes After Constitution Passes
Posted December 26th, 2012 at 6:20 am (UTC-5)
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Report: Iran Defeats New Cyber Attack
Posted December 25th, 2012 at 2:45 pm (UTC-5)
An Iranian civil defense official says Iran has repelled a new cyber attack on computers at an industrial site in the country’s south. Ali Akbar Akhavan told the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency Tuesday that the virus had penetrated some manufacturing industries in Hormuzgan province. He says Iranian computer experts were able to halt the […]
Iraqi Kurds Shut Down Oil Exports
Posted December 25th, 2012 at 9:25 am (UTC-5)
Iraq’s ongoing feud with its semi-autonomous Kurdish north is taking a toll on the country’s oil exports. Iraqi officials say the Kurds have suspended all oil shipments. An adviser to the Kurdish Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed the stoppage to The Associated Press, citing a payment dispute with the central government in Baghdad. Iraqi Kurdish […]
Activists: Syrian Rebels Capture Northern Town Near Turkey
Posted December 25th, 2012 at 8:55 am (UTC-5)
Syrian rights activists say rebels have captured a northern town near the border with Turkey, driving out government troops after a siege that lasted several weeks. The activists say the rebels seized the last military base in the Idlib provincial town of Harem early Tuesday, extending rebel control over northern areas adjacent to Turkey. There […]
Israel Approves Construction of More Than 1,200 New Apartments
Posted December 25th, 2012 at 8:35 am (UTC-5)
Israeli officials have approved the construction of more than 1,200 apartments in a Jerusalem neighborhood outside the pre-1967 Israeli borders. The Interior Ministry’s Jerusalem Building Committee gave final approval to the plan late Monday. The project includes 930 apartments for immediate construction and around 300 that may be built at a later time in Gilo, […]
Kuwait to Host Conference on Syria’s Humanitarian Crisis
Posted December 24th, 2012 at 8:55 pm (UTC-5)
The Kuwaiti government has announced that it plans to host an international conference next month on helping solve Syria’s growing humanitarian crisis. Kuwait’s leader Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al Sabah said on the sidelines of a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Bahrain Monday that he will host donors in late January. He said U.N. Secretary-General Ban […]
Brahimi Still ‘Worried’ About Syria After Meeting Assad
Posted December 24th, 2012 at 11:50 am (UTC-5)
International peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi says he remains worried about Syria’s civil war after meeting President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict. Brahimi said Monday he exchanged views with Mr. Assad on possible solutions, but the Algerian diplomat did not elaborate or describe any signs of progress. Syrian state news […]
Egypt: No Date for Referendum Results as Fraud Complaints Investigated
Posted December 24th, 2012 at 10:35 am (UTC-5)
Egyptian authorities say no date has been set for official results of this month’s two-stage referendum on an Islamist-backed draft constitution, as authorities investigate opposition complaints of fraud. Speaking Monday, members of Egypt’s election commission also said they were still compiling results from the staggered voting in Egypt’s 27 provinces on December 15 and 22. […]
Peace Envoy Brahimi Holds Talks with Syrian President
Posted December 24th, 2012 at 6:05 am (UTC-5)
International peace envoy Lakdar Brahimi met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus Monday to discuss a possible solution to ending the 21-month civil war. The U.N.-Arab League envoy arrived in the Syrian capital from neighboring Lebanon on Sunday, the same day Syrian opposition activists said more than 60 people were killed in a government […]
Egypt Opposition Vows to Keep Fighting Islamist-Backed Constitution
Posted December 24th, 2012 at 5:10 am (UTC-5)
The official results of Egypt’s two-stage referendum on a new Islamist-backed constitution could be announced as early as Monday. Election officials have been tallying votes from Saturday’s second round of voting, which was held in 17 of Egypt’s 27 provinces. Voting began in the other provinces on December 15. The Muslim Brotherhood movement of President […]
