Middle East News

Abu Dhabi, May 12 (IANS) The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has agreed to join the United Nation's intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the conservation of cultural heritage, WAM news agency reported Monday.

Dubai, May 12 (IANS) The anti narcotics officials of the Dubai police have busted an international drugs trafficking gang which was planning to smuggle a huge quantity of heroin to a number of countries, WAM news agency reported Monday.

Choufayet (Lebanon), May 12 (DPA) A cautious calm prevailed Sunday night in Mount Lebanon following fierce clashes between followers of the Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and opposition followers.

Cairo, May 12 (DPA) Arab foreign ministers cut short an emergency meeting Sunday over the crisis in Lebanon to appeal for an immediate end to armed violence in Mount Lebanon and other parts of the country.

Choufayet (Lebanon), May 11 (DPA) A ceasefire between followers of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and opposition followers failed Sunday after clashes broke out on Jumblatt's stronghold of Mount Lebanon.

Choufayet (Lebanon), May 11 (DPA) A ceasefire was established Sunday between followers of the Druze leader Walid Jumblatt and opposition followers after clashes broke out on Jumblatt's stronghold of Mount Lebanon.

Beirut, May 11 (DPA) A relative calm was restored Sunday to Beirut as the fighting reached north Lebanon where 17 people were killed in clashes between fighters loyal to the opposition and the country's ruling majority.

Baghdad, May 11 (DPA) The stronghold of the Shia Mahdi Army militia in Baghdad's Sadr City has been bombed overnight by US aircraft hours before a deal to end the fighting in the area comes into effect, witnesses said Sunday.

Baghdad, May 11 (DPA) The US military said Sunday an operation targeting gunmen from the Al Qaeda terrorist network in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul left four people dead, including a woman and a child.

Gaza/Tel Aviv, May 11 (DPA) Gaza Strip's only power plant was shut down late Saturday because of a fuel shortage, cutting off electricity to an estimated 800,000 people, the plant's director Mujahed Salama said.

Amman, May 11 (DPA) Experts from seven Arab countries Saturday opened a meeting to discuss ways of coordinating their activities in the pursuit of peaceful nuclear technology.

Beirut, May 11 (DPA) Lebanon's Shia militant movement Hezbollah Saturday accused followers of Druze leader Walid Jumblatt of killing two of its members in a mountainous area east of Beirut.

Beirut, May 10 (Xinhua) Lebanese opposition MP Ali Hasan Khalil confirmed Saturday that Hezbollah would withdraw gunmen from Beirut, but accused Prime Minister Fouad Seniora of carrying out a coup against the resistance.

Istanbul, May 10 (DPA) The Turkish military Saturday said it killed 19 fighters of the banned underground organisation, the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), in clashes in which six Turkish soldiers also died.

Gaza, May 10 (DPA) Egypt Saturday re-opened its border with the Gaza Strip for three days to allow Palestinians stranded on both sides to cross, witnesses and Hamas security officials said.

Baghdad, May 10 (DPA) The Iraqi government and the Shia al-Sadr movement agreed Saturday to quit the intense fighting that continued since March 25 in Baghdad's Shia Sadr City, media reports said.

Beirut, May 9 (DPA) The Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah and its ally Amal Friday seized control of key western part of the Lebanese capital in the third day of armed clashes with pro-government opponents.

Basra (Iraq), May 9 (Xinhua) At least eight people have been killed and 21 injured in separate clashes between the government troops and insurgents near Iraq's southern city of Basra, the police and US military sources said Friday.

Beirut, May 9 (Xinhua) At least eight people were killed and 40 wounded in three days of sectarian fighting in the Lebanese capital, security sources said Friday.