Coronavirus Shows Up In Italy

Now a virus that has caused respiratory failure and 30 deaths has turned up in Italy.

The World Health Organization says lab tests have confirmed the infections in a 2-year-old girl and a 42-year-old woman with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus, or MERS-CoV, as it’s now called. (more…)

GCC warns of actions against Hezbollah over Syria’s role

Gulf Arab countries will consider taking action against Hezbollah if the Shi’ite Muslim Lebanese movement continues its involvement in Syria’s civil war or interferes in Gulf Arab affairs, Bahrain’s deputy foreign minister said on Sunday.

Ghanem al-Buainain said the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) regarded Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria as “sectarian intervention”, (more…)

Syrian rockets hit Hezbollah stronghold in Lebanon

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Eighteen rockets and mortars rounds from Syria slammed into Lebanon on Saturday, the largest cross-border salvo to hit a Hezbollah stronghold since Syrian rebels threatened to retaliate for the Lebanese militant group’s armed support of Syrian President Bashar Assad. (more…)

As Syrians Fight, Sectarian Strife Infects Mideast

Renewed sectarian killing has brought the highest death toll in Iraq in five years. Young Iraqi scholars at a Shiite Muslim seminary volunteer to fight Sunnis in Syria. Far to the west, in Lebanon, clashes have worsened between opposing sects in the northern city of Tripoli. (more…)

UN chief praises Qatar role in release of 4 peacekeepers

Qatar played a key role negotiating the release of four Filipino peacekeepers seized by Syrian rebels in the UN patrolled Golan Heights ceasefire zone, UN officials and diplomats said Sunday. (more…)

Lebanon returned to Tunisia Bin Ali’s $28.8 million

The office of Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki said Thursday that Lebanon has returned to Tunisia 28.8 million dollars stashed away there by the family of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Bin Ali was overthrown in January 2011 by the Tunisian people in their uprising against his dictatorship regime. (more…)

Karzai Heads to Qatar to Discuss Taliban Office

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is traveling to Qatar today to discuss the opening of a Taliban office there that will facilitate peace talks, according to his spokesman, Aimal Faizi.

The leader’s agenda includes (more…)

Syrian opposition gets the embassy in Qatar

The Syrian National Coalition which has been recognized by the Arab League as the sole representative for Syria, was handed the Syrian embassy in Doha on Wednesday.

In the presence of Arab and Western ambassadors, the president of Syrian National Coalition, Moaz Alkhatib and Khalid al-Atiyah, Qatari state minister for foreign affairs, cut the ribbon at the entrance to the embassy. (more…)

Arab summit gave states “right” to arm Syrian opposition

The Arab summit in Doha on Tuesday gave member states the “right” to offer Syrians all means of self-defense including arms, in a resolution on Syria.

The Arab Summit affirms the “right” of every state to offer all forms of self-defence, including military, to support the resistance of the Syrian people and the Free Syrian Army,” said the resolution. (more…)

Syria’s opposition steps up efforts to win int’l support

Syria’s opposition is stepping up efforts to win western and international support after being formally granted the country’s representation in the Arab League, whose Doha summit on Tuesday heard an impassioned plea for help in the struggle against Bashar al-Assad. (more…)