IRAQ: UAE humanitarian aid first concentrates on people’s suffering

A major United Arab Emirates (UAE) Arabic newspaper today praised the UAE's benevolent deeds extended to the needy around the world.

IRAQ: Former UN ambassador calls on international community to release

Iraq's former permanent ambassador to the United Nations has called on the UN, the United States, Britain and other European countries to release the about 10 billion dollar Iraqi fund, frozen in those countries so that the money can be used to provide emergency supplies for the Iraqi people, who are facing humanitarian crisis in various aspects of life.

HEALTH-EGYPT: Strong Defences Set Up Against SARS

Egypt is officially SARS-free, and the government is taking elaborate measures to keep it that way.

MIDDLE EAST: Jordan sets conditions for its ambassador’s return to Tel Aviv

Jordan set as condition for return of its ambassador to Tel Aviv Israel's positive contribution to Middle East peace process.

MIDDLE EAST: Palestinians fire seven mortars at Jewish settlement

A Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip came under mortar fire, Israeli radio reported Wednesday.

IRAQ: Australian paper claims tape of Saddam

An Australian newspaper Wednesday claimed to have a tape of former strongman Saddam Hussein recorded just days ago urging Iraqis to rise up against the coalition forces occupying their country.

MIDDLE EAST: Israeli authorities close Rafah cross point

Israeli authorities last night closed Rafah crossing border point to all departures and allowed arrivals across the border from Egypt.

POLITICS-YEMEN: Election Frauds Begin to Surface

Opposition parties have threatened to boycott the new House of Representatives in protest against election violations.

MIDDLE EAST: Arabs have no future without unity, says former Iraqi envoy to

Arab rulers should understand the lessons of Iraq, said Dr. Mohammed Al Douri, former Iraqi Ambassador to the UN, reported the United Arab Emirates newspaper the ‘Gulf News'.

MIDDLE EAST: US plan to change school curricula wipes out Arab identity,

In a lecture at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Zayed Centre for Coordination and Follow-up (ZCCF), Dr. Ahmed Yussuf, Director of the Arab League's Institute of Arabic Studies and Research, said that the US plan for changing school curricula in the Arab world aims at wiping out the Arab identity and bringing up new generations unable to understand the Arab-Israeli conflict in order to impose US and Israeli domination on the Arab intellects, according to a press release from the ZCCF.

IRAQ: Malaysia will not accept US-appointed government

Malaysia will not recognize an Iraqi government set up and influenced by the United States as such an administration would be "illegal", Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said Tuesday.

UAE: Symposium on Arab regional system under international variables

An Arab League senior official of has urged the Arab world to sort out different perceptions they have about the situation in the region after the war on Iraq by resorting to reason and dialogue.

KASHMIR: One killed, 33 injured in Doda blast

One person was killed and 33 others injured in a powerful explosion in a bus stand in Doda district town of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, official sources said here.

MIDDLE EAST: Israeli jets violate Lebanese airspace, Hezbollah defies

Israeli war planes today violated the Lebanese airspace for six straight days in a row.

MIDDLE EAST: Burns discusses peace talks with Palestinian prime minister

United States Middle East envoy William Burns met Monday with Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) in Ramallah to discuss prospects of resumption of peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.

MIDDLE EAST: Call for unified Arab stand to attract funds timely, says UAE

The call by General Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Defense Minister, for Arab governments to change their mindset and to put mechanisms in place to ensure global capital flows into the region has been well received by UAE English media.

IRAQ: British forces break into Al Jazeera TV channel office in Basra

Al Jazeera satellite TV channel has said that the British forces in Basra stormed its office in the city at dawn today.

IRAQ: US-led war to have serious impact on Arabs, says Saudi expert

A Saudi expert on economic development has warned that the US-led war on Iraq will have serious economic and political impact on Arab countries, especially the Gulf states.

MIDDLE EAST: Israeli forces detain two Palestinians in Bethlehem

The Israeli occupation forces today said last night they detained two Palestinian citizens in Bethlehem, West Bank.

IRAQ: Schools in Baghdad reopen

Schools in Baghdad reopened today as life was gradually returning to normal in the Iraqi capital after US troops toppled the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein last month.

IRAQ: US official unveils plan for three administration zones

A US official has unveiled a US plan to set up an international military force in three or more regions of Iraq.