site.news_by_theme Middle East & Africa
141 journalists killed in 2012: media watchdog
Last year was one of the deadliest on record for journalists, with 141 killed in 29 different countries and Syria the most dangerous place on earth for reporters.
05 January 2013
Ancient Afghan papers shed light on Jewish life
A cache of 1,000-year-old documents written by the Jewish community in Afghanistan and unveiled in Jerusalem on Thursday sheds unprecedented light on the mediaeval Jewish community in central Asia.
05 January 2013
Pakistani Al-Qaeda suspect extradited from Britain to US
An alleged Pakistani Al-Qaeda operative accused of planning attacks in the United States, Britain and Norway was on Thursday extradited to America.
05 January 2013
Australia warns citizens against fighting in Syria
Australians who take part in the fighting in Syria face up to 20 years in jail, a spokesman for Foreign Minister Bob Carr said Friday after a Melbourne man was reportedly killed in the conflict.
05 January 2013
Awlaqi may have bought hijackers pre-9/11 tickets: report
The FBI suspected that US-born Al-Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaqi, killed in a 2011 drone strike in Yemen, could have bought air tickets for three of the 9/11 hijackers before the attacks.
04 January 2013
C. Africa rebels agree to peace talks
Rebels in the Central African Republic said Wednesday they were suspending their advance and would hold peace talks with the government, after regional armies sent reinforcements to stop them reaching the capital.
04 January 2013
Syria conflict kills 60,000, says UN, as clashes rage
More than 60,000 people have been killed in the Syrian conflict, the UN said on Wednesday, as dozens more died or were wounded when an air strike hit a service station near Damascus.
04 January 2013
Obama signs sweeping US defense spending bill
President Barack Obama has signed into law a $633 billion US defense spending bill that funds the war in Afghanistan and boosts security at US missions worldwide.
03 January 2013
60 dead in New Year's stampede in Ivory Coast
The Ivory Coast on Wednesday began three days of national mourning after a stampede among crowds gathered for celebratory New Year's Eve fireworks in Abidjan left at least 60 dead and dozens injured.
02 January 2013
Syria ushers in New Year with more violence
Syrians woke up to air strikes near Damascus on New Year's Day and the closure of Aleppo airport after repeated rebel attacks, casting doubts on efforts to end the 21-month conflict.
02 January 2013
UN chief condemns 'escalating' violence in Pakistan
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said Sunday he was "appalled by the escalating terrorist violence in Pakistan," after 19 Shiite pilgrims died in a car bomb and 21 kidnapped soldiers were killed.
31 December 2012
Bomb hits prosecutor's office in Libya's Benghazi Origin: Libya
An improvised bomb exploded outside the headquarters of the public prosecutor in the Libyan city of Benghazi causing material damage but no fatalities.
31 December 2012
Defectors say Syrian state journalists 'kill with words'
Lama al-Khadra summed up her work for Radio Damascus with a grim phrase: "Our mission was to kill with words."
31 December 2012
Obama signs law against Iran's influence in Latin America
President Barack Obama enacted a law Friday to counter Iran's alleged influence in Latin America, through a new diplomatic and political strategy to be designed by the State Department.
31 December 2012
British girl missing for three years in Pakistan comes home
A six-year-old girl flew back to Britain for an emotional reunion with her mother on Friday more than three years after she was abducted by her father and taken to Pakistan.
30 December 2012
Assad forces take district of Syria's Homs: NGO
Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday seized a district of the central city of Homs after a fierce assault that sparked a humanitarian crisis.
30 December 2012
Syria peace envoy in Moscow as Russia pressures Assad
The UN-Arab League peace envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, was to hold talks in Moscow Saturday to find a way out of the Syria conflict.
30 December 2012
Abbas warns of disbanding PA if no peace talks
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas warned Thursday that he would disband his Palestinian Authority if there was no Israeli movement toward renewing peace talks after Israel's elections on January 22.
29 December 2012
Russia invites Syria opposition chief for talks
Russia, one of the few powers to maintain links with the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad, has sent an invitation for talks to the head of the opposition Syria National Coalition.
29 December 2012
C. Africa leader appeals for help to halt rebel advance
The United States evacuated its embassy in the Central African Republic as the nation's embattled leader appealed for French and US help after rebels seized large swathes of the mineral-rich country.
29 December 2012