1,000 Ba'ath delegates ensure smooth handover from Assad to BasharOne thousand delegates attending the ninth congress of the Syrian Ba'ath Party unanimously elected Dr Bashar al-Assad, son of…Mon Jun 26 2000 - 01:00
Radical-turned-moderate becomes new speaker in Iran's reformist parliamentA veteran radical-turned-moderate, Mr Mehdi Karroubi, was elected yesterday to the influential post of speaker of Iran's first…Wed May 31 2000 - 01:00
Hizbullah moves to consolidate its political gains in LebanonNow that the "Lesser Jihad", the battle against Israel, has been won, Hizbullah is focusing on the "Greater Jihad", the struggle…Tue May 30 2000 - 01:00
Music of children laughing fills hills of LebanonThe gates of Kafr Tibnit stand wide openFri May 26 2000 - 01:00
Beirut empties in joyous return southBeirut emptied itself into the liberated south yesterdayThu May 25 2000 - 01:00
Reformists finally take control in IranIran's Guardian Council validated on Saturday the long-awaited parliamentary results of the 30-member Tehran constituency, giving…Mon May 22 2000 - 01:00
New Miss Universe is trumpeted on Aphrodite's IsleThis millennium's first Miss Universe was crowned at first light this morning on Aphrodite's Isle, mocking the choice of the …Sat May 13 2000 - 01:00
Lebanon rejects amnesty for SLA militiaBeirut yesterday rejected a blanket amnesty for collaborators once Israel's forces withdraw from the occupation zone in south…Wed May 10 2000 - 01:00
Iranians vote for reforms for second time in yearFor the second time this year Iranians have voted for changeMon May 08 2000 - 01:00
Iranian turnout high in second roundIranians flocked to the polls yesterday to choose between 132 candidates standing for 66 seats in the 290-seat parliament.Sat May 06 2000 - 01:00
Three more SLA men killedAt least three pro-Israeli militiamen were killed and four wounded yesterday, when Hizbullah guerrillas detonated an explosive…Sat Apr 29 2000 - 01:00
Saddam's eldest son tipped as new speaker after his election successIraq's ruling Ba'ath party won 165 seats in the 250-seat National Assembly in Monday's pollThu Mar 30 2000 - 01:00
Clinton to discuss peace plan with Syrian leaderThe summit in Geneva tomorrow between the US and Syrian Presidents is seen by Arabs and Israelis alike as the "last chance" to…Sat Mar 25 2000 - 00:00
Cafes give flavour of old BeirutDuring the golden days before the wars Beirutis could ski down a mountain in the morning, swim in the Mediterranean in the afternoon…Thu Mar 16 2000 - 00:00
Arab League to meet in BeirutThe biannual meeting of the Arab League's ministerial council will be held in mid-March in Beirut rather than Cairo.Fri Feb 25 2000 - 00:00
Barak vows retaliation after Hizbullah kills soldierThe Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ehud Barak, vowed yesterday to retaliate against Hizbullah in south Lebanon after an Israeli soldier…Mon Feb 07 2000 - 00:00
Lebanon confident of Arab-Israeli peace agreementPeace between the Arabs and Israel will be achieved before the November elections in the USSat Feb 05 2000 - 00:00
UN warns factions in Lebanon following attack on Irish troopsIn the aftermath of an attack on Irish troops in south Lebanon, a UN spokesman warned yesterday that exposed UN positions could…Fri Feb 04 2000 - 00:00
Hopes rise as both sides meet in Geneva for talks on CyprusProspects are positive for proximity talks opening today in Geneva on CyprusMon Jan 31 2000 - 00:00
Christians learn to stick togetherAt the dawn of the second millennium, the Christians of Jerusalem were massacred alongside the Muslims and Jews by Crusaders, …Wed Dec 22 1999 - 00:00
Beirut prepares its list for Israeli peace talksThe Syrian Foreign Minister, Mr Faruq al-Shara, is due in the Lebanese capital today, to co-ordinate policy with Beirut before…Mon Dec 20 1999 - 00:00
Christian churches close doors over Israeli permit to build a mosqueChristian churches in Israel and the Palestinian self-rule areas have closed their doors for two days to protest at the decision…Tue Nov 23 1999 - 00:00
Secret talks raise hopes of Syrian dealSecret indirect talks between Syria and Israel could lead to a return to negotiations within the next few weeksSat Nov 20 1999 - 00:00
Palestinians fear they may be sold shortPalestinian and Israeli teams opened long-delayed negotiations on a "permanent settlement" this weekSat Nov 13 1999 - 00:00
US aid-funded scheme for Palestinian health service inauguratedMrs Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mrs Suha Arafat yesterday inaugurated a $3Fri Nov 12 1999 - 00:00
Musical magic from the universal idiomThe night's music was to begin in the leafy garden just after nineTue Oct 19 1999 - 01:00
Pilgrims' odyssey due to end tomorrowThe unusual odyssey of 25 members of the Pilgrim House Community will end at 7 a.mWed Oct 13 1999 - 01:00
Palestinians wary of an `amended' Wye accord"The Palestinian public does not understand what is happening in the negotiations" over last October's Wye Memorandum, according…Fri Sept 03 1999 - 01:00
Jordan moves against Hamas, cedes holy sitesJordan's King Abdullah II has made two significant departures from the policies of his late father, King Hussein this weekWed Sept 01 1999 - 01:00
King Fahd's illness at time of eldest son's death raises speculation over successionSaudi King Fahd's failure to attend last week's funeral of his eldest son has given rise to speculation that his presence in …Sat Aug 28 1999 - 01:00
Small and secretive Druze community longs for peaceIt was a Saturday, market dayWed Aug 25 1999 - 01:00
Turkey will face renewed pressure to halt nuclear power plant constructionFollowing Tuesday's earthquake, Ankara can expect to come under renewed pressure to cancel construction of a nuclear power plant…Fri Aug 20 1999 - 01:00
UN finds mortality rate of Iraqi children doubled under sanctionsThe mortality rate of Iraqi children has doubled since sanctions were imposed in August 1990 after Baghdad invaded KuwaitFri Aug 13 1999 - 01:00
Quakes precede eclipseIran and the eastern Mediterranean were rudely awakened early yesterday morning many hours before the solar eclipse by two major…Thu Aug 12 1999 - 01:00
Contrasting reactions to eclipse in Eastern worldNicosia: it was twilight at 2.30 p.m. yesterday at the height of the eclipseThu Aug 12 1999 - 01:00
Getting through on a fatwa, prayer and buckets of waterToday's solar eclipse will be a major event in the eastern Mediterranean because of its clear, sunny skies.Wed Aug 11 1999 - 01:00
August is a wicked month, bringing seven plagues to CyprusAugust is the cruellest month in the eastern Mediterranean, for it is in August that we are afflicted with seven summer plagues…Tue Aug 10 1999 - 01:00
Elation gives way to worry on BarakPalestinian officials, elated over the prospects for the peace process under the new Israeli Prime Minister, were "brought back…Thu Jul 29 1999 - 01:00
Turkish PM takes hardline stance on unity in CyprusThe Turkish Prime Minister, Mr Bulent Ecevit, looking elderly and frail, adopted a robust hardline stance yesterday during celebrations…Wed Jul 21 1999 - 01:00
Ousting of Makarios was defining momentAs the sun began to blaze just before eight in the morning 25 years ago today, Greek army troops in armoured cars swept up the…Wed Jul 14 1999 - 01:00
Arabs still wary of Barak's intentions despite his plea for `peace of the brave' in Middle EastWhile they welcome Tuesday's proclamation by the new Israeli Prime Minister, Mr Ehud Barak, that he wants a "peace of the brave…Thu Jul 08 1999 - 01:00
A city resonant with generators survives rationed electricityBeirut is back on a war footing, thanks to Israel's blitz against its power supplyTue Jul 06 1999 - 01:00
Rival gangs of Ukrainian and Georgian `Pontians' clash in streets of resortThe Greek Cypriot authorities are set to tighten restrictions on foreign workers while officials try to defuse a row between …Tue Jun 29 1999 - 01:00
Search for `disappeared' in Cyprus mirrors IrelandIn a sun-bleached beige and dusty military cemetery at Lakatamia, on the outskirts of the Cypriot capital, a team of forensic…Tue Jun 08 1999 - 01:00
SLA withdrawal from villages accompanied by Hizbullah killingsIsraeli warplanes screeched across the sky. From behind the green hills all around came the dull thump of artillery roundsWed Jun 02 1999 - 01:00
Soldiers were hit hurrying into a bunkerPTE Billy Kedian, the 18th Irish fatality in action in Lebanon, was hurrying his comrades from their sleeping quarters into the…Tue Jun 01 1999 - 01:00
Immediate pull-out of SLA militia in Jezzine is expectedLebanon awaits the imminent withdrawal of the South Lebanon Army (SLA) militia from the Jezzine enclave north of Israel's occupation…Mon May 31 1999 - 01:00
Khatami's call for Islamic democracy pleasing to ArabsIran's President Muhammad Khatami is a hit in the Arab world as well as in his own countryFri May 28 1999 - 01:00
Syria `anxious' to resume peace negotiationsThe European Union's Middle East envoy, Mr Miguel Angel Moratinos, says Syria believes that peace with Israel can be achieved…Sat May 22 1999 - 01:00
Barak victory raises Palestinian hopes of coexistenceArabs reacted predictably to Monday's landslide election victory by the Labour leader, Mr Ehud BarakWed May 19 1999 - 01:00
