Middle Orient

World worries focus on Iran nuke programme

LONDON (AP) — The world reacted warily Saturday to a hardliner’s victory in Iran’s presidential election, with many nations expressing worries about Iran’s nuclear programme. Many urged Iran to respond to international concerns about the programme, while Russia said it was willing to keep working with Iran on nuclear power …

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Ahmadinejad vows strong Iran

TEHRAN (Reuters) — Ultra-conservative Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad swept to a stunning landslide victory in presidential election on Saturday and immediately vowed to turn Iran into a strong and exemplary Islamic state.

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Aljazeera Guantanamo inmate abused

An Aljazeera cameraman who has been incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay since 2001 has suffered extreme physical, sexual and religious abuse, his lawyer has said. Clive Stafford-Smith, who visited clients in the US detention camp in Cuba a few weeks ago, told Aljazeera.net that Sami al-Hajj had been beaten by his …

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Up to 20,000 US troops may depart Iraq next year — general

BAGHDAD (AFP) — US troops may start withdrawing from Iraq next March, a US general said Tuesday, as the new US ambassador to the volatile country pledged to help Iraqis crush a ruthless insurgency. As many as four or five US military brigades (up to 20,000 people) could leave then …

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Sharon, Abbas make little progress

AN UNPRECEDENTED SUMMIT between the Palestinian and Israeli leaders broke up in Jerusalem on Tuesday amid bitter arguments and recriminations over continuing violence, yielding few tangible results. Palestinian officials at the meeting said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon began the two-hour summit with a humiliating 20-minute lecture to Palestinian President …

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Justice minister says Saddam’s trial will be over by year-end

BRUSSELS (AP) — Iraq’s justice minister said Tuesday that Saddam Hussein’s trial on war crimes charges will be over by the end of the year and accused the United States of trying to delay interrogations of Saddam. Abdel Hussein Shandal’s comments underlined the Iraqi government’s determination to bring the ousted …

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UNHCR head urges global action to stem refugee flow

PALORINYA RECEPTION CENTRE, Uganda (AFP) — The new head of the UN refugee agency Tuesday urged concerted global action to improve conditions in war-ravaged southern Sudan in a bid to stem a flow of refugees, still fleeing despite a landmark peace deal. On a tour of camps in northwestern Uganda, …

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Iraq seeks support to move out of ‘critical’ phase

BRUSSELS (AFP) — More than 80 foreign ministers and officials gathered in Brussels Tuesday for a conference aimed at showing solidarity with violence-wracked Iraq, and to hear Baghdad’s plans for how to rebuild it. While organisers admitted the Brussels talks may be short on major new initiatives, they played up …

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Rice criticises Saudis on rights, gets firm rebuff

RIYADH (AFP) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice criticised Saudi Arabia’s record on democratic reform and the jailing of three activists but was firmly rebuffed Tuesday by Washington’s staunch Middle East ally. “The row is really meaningless,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal told a post-midnight news conference …

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