• E-mail
  • Save

Middle East

World powers meet over Iran nuclear plan

Representatives of six world powers and the European Union met in Brussels on Friday to discuss Iran's apparent rejection of a key part of a nuclear deal.

updated Fri Nov 20 2009 11:59:40

World powers meet over Iran nuclear plan

Representatives of six world powers and the European Union met in Brussels on Friday to discuss Iran's apparent rejection of a key part of a nuclear deal.

updated Fri Nov 20 2009 11:33:22

Spirits uplift in Iraq school for the blind as aid arrives

Kids in school rarely smile so much, or sing so loudly. But at Baghdad's Al-Noor School for the Blind, there was reason to celebrate, as much-needed Braille learning materials from the U.S. had finally arrived.

updated Thu Nov 19 2009 13:34:56

U.N. investigators visit Iranian nuke site

United Nations nuclear inspectors Thursday visited an Iranian nuclear plant that was secret until September, the International Atomic Energy Agency told CNN.

updated Thu Nov 19 2009 07:53:29

Huge numbers of stunted children, says UN report

Almost 200 million children under the age of five in the developing world suffer from stunted growth, according to a new U.N. report. But surprisingly, in the Middle East, wealthier countries have more of a problem than some poorer nations.

updated Wed Nov 18 2009 16:24:56

Iran rejects key part of nuclear deal

Iran will not send its partially enriched uranium abroad to be turned into material for medical research, its foreign minister said Wednesday, rejecting a key plank of a deal designed to ease international fears that Tehran aims to build nuclear weapons.

updated Wed Nov 18 2009 13:55:23

Iran sentences 5 to death for post-election protests

Iran has announced it has sentenced five people to death and another 81 to prison terms of six months to 15 years for their roles in the protests that followed the country's disputed presidential elections.

updated Wed Nov 18 2009 13:49:58

Vice president's veto threatens Iraq election

Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president vetoed the country's newly passed election law Wednesday, a move that threw the nation's electoral process and political system into "crisis" mode.

updated Wed Nov 18 2009 04:16:01

Israel approves plan to build 900 homes

Israel approved a construction plan Tuesday for hundreds of houses in a disputed neighborhood on Jerusalem's southern outskirts, quickly prompting criticism from Washington.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 14:10:00

Deportation could leave Gaza student without degree

For Berlanty Azzam, Wednesday's two-hour round trip from Bethlehem to Ramallah was supposed to signal the possibility of a new life chapter for the 21-year-old college student.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 13:48:48

Kurds threaten Iraq election boycott

Iraq's Kurds Tuesday threatened to boycott national elections scheduled for next January, casting further shadows over a vote seen as a key landmark in Washington's plan to withdraw U.S. combat troops from the country.

updated Tue Nov 17 2009 06:45:02

French academic's trial begins in Iran

The trial of a French academic arrested this summer amid post-election protests in Iran begins Tuesday, Iranian news agencies reported.

updated Mon Nov 16 2009 18:39:55

A smoke-free Lebanon: Reality or pipedream?

In Lebanon, you're never far from the whiff of cigarette smoke.

updated Mon Nov 16 2009 16:57:59

IAEA report raises concerns about Iranian nuclear facilities

In a report published Monday, the United Nations nuclear watchdog group says Iran's disclosure of a previously secret nuclear facility near Qom raises questions about the existence of other such facilities.

updated Mon Nov 16 2009 02:03:13

Forensics helps bring Iraqis closure

The drab but pain-filled room at Baghdad's morgue is a stark reminder of how much this country still suffers.

updated Sun Nov 15 2009 05:31:24

Iran forms committee to thwart U.S. 'plots'

Iran has stepped up efforts to combat what it calls American "plots," according to state media, with at least $20 million approved for a special committee to thwart such schemes.

updated Sat Nov 14 2009 03:03:27

Miller: Four critical Israeli-Palestinian issues

The search for Middle East peace requires bold leadership from the United States and an American mediator who is credible, a former adviser to six U.S. secretaries of state, Aaron David Miller, told CNN's Christiane Amanpour Friday.

updated Fri Nov 13 2009 15:03:45

Syria's Assad hopeful on Israel talks

Syrian President Bashar Assad says peace talks with Israel could resume if the Jewish state showed willingness to fully engage in the process.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 15:53:05

Israeli terror suspect on murder charges

An American-born Israeli man, called a terrorist by Israeli police, was indicted Thursday on murder charges despite his attorney's concerns about his mental stability.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 15:32:50

Roadside bombs wound at least 8 in Baghdad

At least eight people were wounded and a woman was killed in violent incidents Thursday in Baghdad, an Interior Ministry official told CNN.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 06:11:41

'Let's talk about sex, divorce' in Egypt

A growing number of Egyptian women are demanding a divorce and seeking counsel for their marriages, as the social stigma against it weakens and talking about relationship problems becomes more popular in the media.

updated Thu Nov 12 2009 02:07:12

Ex-Blackwater official 'unaware' of any bribe plot; Iraq probing news report

A former vice president of the Blackwater private security company said he was "unaware of any plot or guidance for Blackwater to bribe Iraqi officials" as rage erupted over the killings of 17 civilians by the company's security guards more than two years ago.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 22:06:10

Blix: Iran's nuclear work raising Mideast tensions

Iran can't convince the world it doesn't want nuclear weapons as long as it is producing nuclear fuel on an industrial scale, former U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said Wednesday.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 15:17:57

Yemen warns against intervention in rebel conflict

Yemen told outside powers Wednesday to stay out of its battle with a Shiite rebel group in its northwest amid concerns that Iran and Saudi Arabia are being drawn into the conflict.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 12:25:53

Zakaria: No one thinks hikers are spies

Three American hikers detained by Iran are facing espionage charges, according to Iranian officials.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 08:59:27

Iran urges Yemen's neighbors to stay out of rebellion

Iran's foreign minister Tuesday called on Yemen's neighbors to stay out of the conflict between Yemeni forces and Shiite Muslim rebels, while Yemen said it had seized an Iranian ship near its territorial waters.

updated Wed Nov 11 2009 02:07:28

Blair on Mideast: We must move forward

Talks between the Israelis and Palestinians must be "credible" in order to achieve peace in the region and unlock the economic potential of a future Palestinian state, British leader-turned-Mideast envoy Tony Blair said Tuesday.

updated Tue Nov 10 2009 15:58:30

Fishermen trawl under Israeli navy scrutiny

Sunrise over Gaza City illuminates a flurry of activity as fishermen come in from a long night on the sea and unload their catch to be taken straight to market.

updated Tue Nov 10 2009 11:46:30

Zakaria: Stop trashing Karzai and help him govern

President Hamid Karzai was declared the winner of another term in office as Afghanistan's leader Monday, after his opponent in a planned runoff election withdrew.

updated Tue Nov 10 2009 10:57:02

Female cartoonist's provocative work challenges Saudi society

For Saudi Arabia's lone female cartoonist drawing is more than just satire, it's "a duty."

updated Mon Nov 09 2009 23:46:17

U.S. relieved as Iraq passes election law, ambassador says

U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill said Sunday that American officials were extremely relieved that Iraq's parliament passed a long-awaited election law.

updated Mon Nov 09 2009 15:20:39

Iran to charge 3 American hikers with espionage, says prosecutor

Iran is charging three American hikers with espionage, a Tehran prosecutor said Monday.

updated Sun Nov 08 2009 18:55:09

Iraqi parliament passes key voting law

Iraq's parliament on Sunday passed a long-awaited election law that the government said will allow national elections to take place in January.

updated Sun Nov 08 2009 06:41:22

Saudis claim control of region from Yemeni rebels

Saudi Arabia said Sunday that it has regained control of a mountainous region from Yemeni rebels who it said entered the kingdom's borders.

updated Sat Nov 07 2009 14:24:35

Iraqi parliament fails to reach deal on election law

Iraqi parliament members adjourned on Saturday without reaching an accord on a controversial new elections law, and the lawmakers could make another try to forge and pass legislation tomorrow.

updated Sat Nov 07 2009 12:42:26

Danish journalism student arrested in Iran

A Danish journalism student has been arrested in Iran, the Danish Foreign Ministry told CNN on Saturday.

updated Sat Nov 07 2009 07:06:18

Saudi minister gets H1N1 vaccine on TV to calm fears

Saudi Arabia's health minister was the first person in the country to receive the H1N1 vaccination Saturday in a televised event aimed at calming fears about the safety of the vaccine.

updated Sat Nov 07 2009 03:37:11

Report: Iran will not ship uranium out of the country

A senior Iranian politician said Saturday the country would not ship low-enriched uranium out of the country, which is a major part of a pending nuclear deal between Iran and international powers, according to semiofficial state media.

updated Fri Nov 06 2009 05:04:22

Palestinian leader doesn't want new term

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas does not plan to run for re-election in January, he said Thursday.

updated Thu Nov 05 2009 23:30:21

Gaza war probes get U.N. approval

The United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution endorsing a U.N. report calling for both Israel and Palestine to carry out independent investigations of possible war crimes committed in the Gaza Strip during last winter's conflict.

updated Thu Nov 05 2009 23:20:30

U.N. debates Gaza war investigations

A resolution calling for independent investigations into alleged war crimes committed by Israel and Hamas during last winter's Gaza war was the focus of debate in the U.N. General Assembly.

updated Thu Nov 05 2009 17:10:56

U.N. head: Timing key to Iran nuclear deal

The outgoing head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said a question of timing is the top issue delaying a nuclear deal between Iran and international powers.

updated Thu Nov 05 2009 13:37:46

Neda's mother: She was 'like an angel'

The night before she was killed on the streets of Tehran, the woman the world would come to know simply as Neda had a dream. "There was a war going on," she told her mom the next morning, "and I was in the front."

updated Thu Nov 05 2009 09:38:49

Tunnel scam targets dirt-poor Palestinians

Poverty-stricken Gaza, where even the most basic goods are in short supply, has spawned its very own financial scandal -- centered on the tunnels that run under the border with Egypt to circumvent the Israeli blockade.

updated Thu Nov 05 2009 07:42:45

Hezbollah denies link to weapons ship

Militant group Hezbollah Thursday denied links to a huge haul of weapons Israel says was seized when a naval anti-smuggling patrol intercepted a ship it claims was supplying arms for fighters in Lebanon.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 14:17:27

Gaza on swine flu alert

Swine flu has not reached Gaza yet but with 1.5 million residents squeezed into 360 square kilometers it would appear to be a small miracle.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 13:56:38

Iranians clash with police on hostage crisis anniversary

Iranian protesters are vowing to continue their anti-government demonstrations into Wednesday night, despite violent crackdowns and arrests.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 13:50:51

1979 hostage crisis still casts pall on U.S.-Iran relations

Thirty years ago Wednesday, Iranian student revolutionaries climbed over the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and seized dozens of Americans, whom they ultimately held hostage for 444 days.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 13:16:45

Israel detains ship loaded with weapons

In the largest naval seizure of it kind, Israeli Navy commandoes captured a ship loaded with "hundreds of tons" of weapons headed for Syria, Israeli military officials said Wednesday.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 11:51:32

Inside Carter's White House during Iran hostage crisis

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 10:32:58

Clinton says Egypt key in Mideast talks

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday she took on the "complicated and difficult" task of trying to restart talks on Israeli-Palestinian peace during her talks with Egypt's leaders.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 03:15:56

Obama notes hostage crisis as rallies expected in Iran

As marchers gathered on the streets of Tehran on Wednesday, the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover, U.S. President Barack Obama nudged Iran on making choices for its future.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 03:08:47

Quake injures 700 in southern Iran

An earthquake struck southern Iran's Hormozgan province early Wednesday, injuring about 700 people, state-run media reported.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 02:18:47

Iran reformists warned on anniversary

Shouts of "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great," a sign of continuing protest in Iran, could be heard Tuesday night in north and west Tehran, along with shouts of "death to dictator."

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 02:14:51

Iran shuts down leading newspaper

Iran's leading business newspaper was shut down Monday for repeatedly breaking the country's press laws, state-run Press TV reported.

updated Wed Nov 04 2009 02:10:00

U.S. pushes for answers over Iran nuclear counter-offer

The United States on Friday sought clarification from Iran in response to its counter-offer involving shipping low-enriched uranium for refining abroad, senior administration officials said.

updated Tue Nov 03 2009 19:42:07

Ex-hostage speaks to leader of embassy takeover

updated Tue Nov 03 2009 18:24:03

Somali group with al Qaeda ties threatens Israel

A militant Islamist group associated with al Qaeda has for the first time threatened to attack Israel, far from its normal base of operations in Somalia.

updated Tue Nov 03 2009 12:24:22

Clinton seeks support for Mideast peace

Speaking to the regional Forum for the Future, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged member nations to work toward Mideast peace.

updated Tue Nov 03 2009 07:46:51

CNN Abu Dhabi marks official opening with premiere of 'Prism'

CNN Abu Dhabi, the latest newsgathering expansion from the global news brand, opens its doors today, it was announced by Tony Maddox, MD and EVP CNN International.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 19:24:29

Iran warns reformists as hostage anniversary nears

As Tehran approaches the 30th anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis, in which dozens of Americans where held against their will for 444 days, the Islamic republic is firmly warning against reformists taking to the streets to protest the government.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 18:28:22

Kurds report U.S. pressure to accept Iraqi election deal

A Kurdish member of Iraq's parliament said Monday that the United States is pressuring the "highest levels of the Kurdish leadership" to accept a compromise that would dictate how national elections would be held in January.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 13:13:11

Britain, Russia, others urge Iran to respond to uranium proposal

Britain, Russia and their international partners want a "prompt response" from Iran on a uranium enrichment proposal, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Monday.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 12:46:19

War forces Iraqi mom into prostitution

Wedad can't bear to live this way much longer. Disgusted by the work, she can hardly stand it. Wedad is a prostitute in Iraq.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 12:34:19

Attorney: Alleged 'Jewish terrorist' unstable

An American-born Israeli man, described by police as a "Jewish terrorist," is mentally unstable and in need of psychiatric help, his attorney told CNN Monday.

updated Mon Nov 02 2009 09:49:38

Dubai gets a retro makeover

French photographer Martin Becka has come up with a novel way to capture one of the world's most modern cities, Dubai. A 150-year-old camera.

updated Sun Nov 01 2009 12:16:15

Palestinians blast Clinton for Israel praise

Palestinian leaders angrily dismissed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's praise for Israel on Sunday, openly questioning her ability to jumpstart peace talks just hours after she left Israel.

updated Sun Nov 01 2009 07:42:29

Bombings kill 7, wound more than 45 in Iraq

Bombings in central and western Iraq killed at least seven people and wounded 45 others on Sunday, the Interior Ministry said.

updated Sat Oct 31 2009 16:19:37

Iraq bombing suspect killed during investigation

A suspect in a massive double bomb attack in Baghdad grabbed a guard's weapon and shot an investigator, before being shot himself, the Interior Ministry said Saturday.

updated Fri Oct 30 2009 14:27:17

Behind the scenes at Yas Marina

Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi's new state-of-the-art Formula One track, has many new features never seen on the F1 circuit.

updated Fri Oct 30 2009 12:30:17

Beyonce causing controversy in Egypt

Diva Beyonce Knowles strutting her stuff in the conservative Middle East?

updated Fri Oct 30 2009 10:56:47

Bombs injured kids, exposed weaknesses

The force of the blast threw Rawnaq against the wall of her office at the Ministry of Justice. She instantly thought of her two children in the day care center just two floors below.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 15:56:33

Iraqi elections facing possible delay

The fate of Iraq's national elections hung in the balance Thursday as the nation's lawmakers failed to convene for an official session and adopt an election law, a move that could spark a delay in the upcoming vote.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 10:26:37

Iran responds to nuclear proposal

Iran has sent an "initial response" to a proposal designed to break the deadlock over its nuclear program, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Thursday.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 09:44:58

Dozens of security officials detained in Iraq bombings

More than 60 people responsible for security in the area of Baghdad where bombers killed 160 people this week have been detained amid growing criticism of a security breakdown in the capital.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 04:45:34

U.N. touts food vouchers sent by text

In what the World Food Programme called a first, relief workers from the U.N. aid agency are using text messages to deliver food vouchers to refugees.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 02:11:15

Ex-Australian FM: Israel, Iran held nuclear meeting

A former Australian foreign minister said Wednesday he was encouraged by exchanges "across the room" between Israeli and Iranian representatives during a meeting both attended last month.

updated Thu Oct 29 2009 00:10:35

Iraqi Kurdish bloc to boycott vote

The Kurdish bloc in the Iraqi parliament intends to boycott the vote on a proposed election law if the oil-rich province of Kirkuk is banned from voting in next year's national elections, two Kurdish lawmakers said.

updated Wed Oct 28 2009 15:39:33

This month on Inside the Middle East

This month on Inside the Middle East -- Brent Sadler Hosts from Beirut, Lebanon.

updated Wed Oct 28 2009 15:29:17

Analysis: Iraq not ready to face al Qaeda

The bombs that ripped through Baghdad on Sunday immediately brought more bloodshed -- and bode only of the promise of more to come.

updated Tue Oct 27 2009 18:12:06

Iraq releases video of deadly blasts

Iraqi officials on Tuesday released security camera video of two weekend bombings that killed at least 155 people -- the deadliest attacks in the capital in more than two years.

updated Tue Oct 27 2009 14:53:24

Royal pardon for Saudi journalist sentenced to lashes

Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah has been called "The King of Hearts" by many of his countrymen, referring to what they believe are his compassionate attempts to reform his ultra-conservative kingdom.

updated Tue Oct 27 2009 14:12:10

Al Qaeda in Iraq ally claims bombings

An umbrella group affiliated with al Qaeda in Iraq claimed responsibility Tuesday for a pair of weekend bombings that killed 160 people in Baghdad.

updated Tue Oct 27 2009 10:14:12

Israel keeping Gaza parched, Amnesty International says

Israel is denying Palestinians access to adequate water supplies by controlling shared water resources, the human rights group Amnesty International said in a report released Tuesday.

updated Mon Oct 26 2009 18:03:53

30 children among 160 killed in Iraq bombings, Interior Ministry says

At least 30 Iraqi children riding in a bus were among the 160 people killed in Sunday's twin car bombings in Baghdad, the Interior Ministry said Monday.

updated Mon Oct 26 2009 10:43:23

Israel rules out questioning troops about Gaza offensive

The Israeli government has ruled out setting up an independent investigative body that would interview Israeli military personnel about allegations that the military committed war crimes during its offensive against Hamas earlier this year.

updated Mon Oct 26 2009 10:38:07

14 Americans dead in copter collisions in Afghanistan

Fourteen Americans died in two separate helicopter crashes in Afghanistan on Monday, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said -- 10 in one incident and four in the other.

updated Sun Oct 25 2009 23:42:52

4 U.S. service members dead in apparent accident in Afghanistan

Four U.S. service members were killed when two helicopters were apparently involved in a mid-air collision in southern Afghanistan on Monday, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said.

updated Sun Oct 25 2009 19:46:12

Deadly bombings worst Iraq attack in two years

Twin car bombs exploded near three Iraqi government buildings Sunday in central Baghdad, killing at least 132 people. It was the deadliest attack in the country in more than two years.

updated Sun Oct 25 2009 14:16:37

Report: Nuclear inspectors visit newly revealed Iran plant

United Nations-backed nuclear inspectors on Sunday visited a newly disclosed Iranian nuclear facility near the city of Qom, Iranian media has reported.

updated Sun Oct 25 2009 13:58:46

Police arrest 18 at Jerusalem holy site

Palestinians and Israeli police engaged in a standoff for more than five hours at Jerusalem's holiest site Sunday, with police storming the site twice.

updated Sun Oct 25 2009 11:34:03

Devastation as bombers target Baghdad

updated Sun Oct 25 2009 08:32:53

Saudi court summons second journalist over sex braggart TV show

A Saudi court that sentenced a journalist to 60 lashes for her work on a controversial television show has summoned a second woman affiliated with the TV station.

updated Sun Oct 25 2009 02:19:19

U.N. officials arrive in Iran to inspect new nuclear facility

International officials arrived in Iran on Sunday to inspect a newly disclosed nuclear facility near the city of Qom, state media reported.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 16:57:31

Saudi journalist sentenced to 60 lashes

A Saudi court sentenced a female journalist Saturday to 60 lashes for her work on a controversial Arabic-language TV show that aired an episode in which a man bragged about his sex life, two sources told CNN.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 16:06:17

U.S. envoy visits Baghdad bomb site

The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations visited Iraq for the first time this weekend, discussing how to help the country move on from debt and sanctions and expressing sympathy over massive bombings in August.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 14:19:05

Iran to decide on nuclear deal next week

Iran said Friday it needs more time to decide whether to sign onto a deal that could help end the international showdown over its nuclear activities.

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 12:17:10

This week on Marketplace Middle East

In Focus -- Qatar: What recession?

updated Sat Oct 24 2009 09:45:02

Animation confronts Gaza breast cancer taboo

The harsh reality of life and death in Gaza is a common theme for Palestinian filmmakers.

updated Thu Oct 22 2009 02:44:08

Iraqis top list of refugees seeking asylum

For the fourth year in a row, Iraqis top a growing roster of people seeking asylum in an industrialized nation. They are just ahead of people fleeing wars in Afghanistan and Somalia, said a report published by the U.N. refugee agency Wednesday.

updated Wed Oct 21 2009 14:33:26

Pakistan says rebel blamed in Iran attack is in Afghanistan

Pakistan denied Wednesday that it is harboring a Sunni rebel leader accused of orchestrating a suicide attack in neighboring Iran.

Advertisement
Quick Job Search :
keyword(s):
enter city: