http://www.aawsat.com/english Asharq Alawsat English Edition is your insight into the Middle East en-us © 2005 Saudi Research and Publishing Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT 1 http://www.aawsat.com/english http://www.aawsat.com/english/images/aaaeng.gif 144 33 Asharq-e delivers up-to-the-minute news and information on the latest stories, weather, entertainment, politics in the Middle East http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=7&id=18863 CAIRO, (AP) – A famous Lebanese pop singer, who normally stirs controversy for her seductive dresses and provocative dancing, has now been accused of singing a song with racist lyrics that compares Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=18871 Paris, Asharq Al-Awsat- The Iraqi foreign minister has stated that iraq is going ahead with its effort to make the UN Security Council [UNSC] establish an international investigation commission Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=18868 "We want to be like Janus, the Greek god because we wish to combine different values. We want to be able to mourn our own Neda Agha-Sultan and be sad about people dying in Gaza." This is how Mir-Hossein Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18866 RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said presidential and legislative elections scheduled for January will be postponed, confirming that he has accepted advice not Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18865 BRUSSELS (AFP) – Major world powers met in Brussels Friday to discuss Iran's rejection of an international nuclear fuel deal, after US President Barack Obama warned Tehran must face the consequences. Representatives Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18864 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Increasing numbers of English-language Web sites are spreading al-Qaeda's message to Muslims in the West. They translate writings and sermons once largely out of reach of English Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18862 CAIRO, (AP) – Egyptian soccer fans burned Algerian flags and rioted outside the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, smashing cars and shop windows, in an escalating row between the two countries over a bitter Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=18867 Switzerland is a unique and distinguished country, one that had adopted an independent approach based upon the principle of neutrality. Switzerland refrains from adopting positions that may result Sat, 20 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=18860 Falls Church, Asharq Al-Awsat- Johari Abdul Malik, the imam of the Dar al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church, the center that became associated with Major Nidal Hasan, the Palestinian-American military Fri, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18861 CAIRO, (AP) – Egypt has recalled its ambassador to Algeria for consultations as part of a growing diplomatic row caused by a bitter soccer rivalry between the two Arab nations. The Egyptian foreign Fri, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18859 Baghdad, Asharq Al-Awsat- Iraqi Vice-President Tariq al-Hashemi vetoed the new Iraqi election law on Wednesday, something that Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki described as "a serious threat to Fri, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18855 JERUSALEM, (AP) – Israeli aircraft struck a weapons-manufacturing facility and two smuggling tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday, in response to recent rocket attacks on Israel, the military Fri, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18854 KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan forces should be ready to take over security in Afghanistan in five years, President Hamid Karzai said at his inauguration Thursday, and pledged to tackle graft which has left Fri, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18853 KUWAIT CITY (AFP) – An Islamist opposition MP on Thursday filed to quiz Kuwaiti Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al-Sabah over allegations of financial violations in the ministry. "The minister Fri, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18852 SEOUL/MANILA (Reuters) – World powers could have a package of measures against Iran "within weeks," U.S. President Barack Obama said on Thursday, warning Tehran of consequences for its failure to respond Fri, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=18856 How can one strike a balance between individual freedom and cultural and ethnic diversity? It is a dilemma that becomes doubly urgent when certain acts are committed like the one by Nidal Hasan, the Fri, 19 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=3&id=18848 London, Asharq Al-Awsat- Since President Barack Obama's administration came to power, statements and interviews given by a number of US officials have increasingly focused upon "soft power" or "public Thu, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18850 MANAMA (AFP) – Bahrain's Rashid Ramzi has been stripped of his Beijing Olympic 1500 metres gold medal for doping, the secretary-general of Bahrain's Olympic Committee told AFP on Wednesday. "The Bahraini Thu, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18845 BEIRUT, (AP) – An Iranian doctor who treated victims of torture at Tehran's most feared detention facility has died, amid conflicting reports of a heart attack, a car accident or suicide — raising opposition Thu, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18844 BAGHDAD, (AP) – Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president on Wednesday vetoed part of a key election law, throwing national polls slated for January and a planned U.S. troop drawdown into question. Tariq al-Hashemi Thu, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18843 KABUL (Reuters) – Foreign dignitaries began descending on Kabul on Wednesday, the eve of the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai, who is struggling to rehabilitate his tattered reputation in the Thu, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18842 RIYADH (AFP) – French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday for talks with Saudi King Abdullah after warning of an extremist backlash if Middle East peace talks do not commence soon. Abdullah Thu, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=18849 The two most controversial issues that were raised at the China – Africa summit held in Sharm al-Sheikh last week was the Chinese Prime Minister calling on the US to address its fiscal deficit to ensure Thu, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=2&id=18847 A man dressed in an outlandish outfit, with long fingernails and disheveled hair crept between Jabal Dokhan and Jabal Al Dood. He was carrying talismans, paper decorated with magic symbols, and animal Thu, 18 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=7&id=18836 ROME, (AP) — Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi hosted a soiree in Rome for some 200 young Italian women, but instead of the party they expected the women were given a lecture on Islam and copies of the Wed, 17 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18841 Jizan, Asharq Al-Awsat- A Saudi military source confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the Huthi infiltrators are following a specific approach in their continuing attacks on the Saudi forces that have Wed, 17 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18835 KHARTOUM, (AFP) — Thousands of Algerian and Egyptian fans descended Tuesday into Khartoum for a decisive World Cup qualifier between the two Arab rivals as Sudanese police went on high alert after Wed, 17 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18833 HILLA, Iraq (AFP) – A Baghdad police lieutenant kidnapped his wealthy neighbour's 10-year-old son, killed him and then sought 160,000 dollars before being snared when his phone calls were traced, police Wed, 17 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18832 RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, (AP) – Saudi Arabia's most senior cleric accused Iran on Monday of supporting Shiite rebels whose war with the government of neighboring Yemen has spilled across the border and Wed, 17 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT http://www.aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=18831 WASHINGTON (AFP) – A Kuwaiti firm with 8.5 billion dollars in contracts to supply food to US troops in the Middle East has been indicted for fraud, accused of taking elaborate measures to overbill the Wed, 17 Nov 2009 16:01:08 GMT