Middle-East

TEHRAN: In their third and final televised debate on Friday, Iran’s eight presidential candidates traded pointed accusations, including blaming one of their number

BEIRUT: Syrian government troops backed by Hezbollah guerrillas seized the western village of Buwayda on Saturday, extinguishing final rebel resistance around the town of Qusair in a fresh success for

A Muslim union headed by Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi yesterday called for a “Day of Rage and Support” for the Free Syrian Army (FSA) battling Syrian regime troops backed by a Shiite axis.

An envoy from Al-Azhar in Cairo, raised the prospect of restoring ties with the Vatican yesterday but called on Pope Francis to take “a step forward” by declaring that Islam is a peacef

CAIRO: Egypt’s President Muhammad Mursi rejected as “absurd” opposition calls for an early election less than a year into his term of office, charging in comments published yester

DAMASCUS: The United Nations launched a record $ 5.2-billion aid appeal for Syria yesterday as regime forces sought to capitalize on recent victories over the rebels, sending reinforcements to batt

BAGHDAD: A suicide bomber rammed his car into a bus carrying Iranian Shiites in Iraq yesterday, killing at least nine people in an attack likely carried out by insurgents trying to ignite sectarian

TEHRAN: Iran is again cracking down on people with pet dogs, but Soroush Mobaraki says sales are booming despite fears the pooches might be “arrested” and their owners fined.

PARIS: A French auction house has withdrawn from sale a Qur'an manuscript that was taken from Cairo during Napoleon’s Egyptian campaign at the end of the 18th century.