Egyptian soccer fans riot against Algeria (AP via Yahoo! News)
Egyptian soccer fans burned Algerian flags and rioted outside the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, smashing cars and shop windows, in an escalating row between the two countries over a bitter World Cup rivalry.
Iran rejects demand of nuclear compromise
Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran’s foreign minister, has rejected a US-backed confidence-building measure that required Tehran to ship enriched uranium out of the country
Israel defies US on settlements
Israel has defied US pressure by approving a plan to construct 900 new housing units in a suburb of Jerusalem built on occupied Palestinian land in a move that could stoke regional tensions
Why Saudi Arabia should rethink its Yemen strategy
Governments far beyond Yemen’s borders should also be alarmed at the deteriorating security in a country that has long been a breeding ground for the religious extremists of al-Qaeda, writes Roula Khalaf
Veto puts timeline for Iraq poll in jeopardy
Iraq’s Sunni Arab vice-president has vetoed part of a law over the allocation of seats to displaced Iraqis, throwing fresh doubt over plans for elections in January
A town torn on the Afghan dilemma
While the world waits for Barack Obama to decide whether to send more troops to Afghanistan, there are few places with as much interest in the US president’s dilemma…
Dubai ousts financial chief over debt troubles
Dubai has removed the high-profile governor of the Dubai International Financial Center as a political power struggle caused by the emirate’s financial troubles continues to build
Egypt leader enters football row (BBC News)
Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak steps into a row with Algeria following violence over World Cup football matches.
EU dents Palestinian hopes of independence
The European Union has poured cold water on Palestinian plans to seek immediate recognition as an independent state, saying the move would be “premature” and called instead for a resumption of Middle East peace negotiations with Israel
Alabbar upbeat on Dubai growth prospects
Dubai’s economy could grow by about 5 per cent this year, says one of the emirate’s top officials, in one of the most upbeat recent forecasts about the city’s prospects
Qatar’s emerging economy bond record
Qatar has issued the world’s biggest emerging market bond as the small Gulf emirate seeks to boost its capital markets by building a government yield curve
Dubai air show sees deals start to trickle in
With just a handful of extra order announcements from the main aircraft manufacturers, organisers say the total value of the Dubai air-show deals is now $8.3bn
Egyptian fans riot against Algeria (AP via Yahoo! Sports)
Egyptian fans burned Algerian flags and rioted outside the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, smashing cars and shop windows in an escalating row over their bitter World Cup rivalry. Egyptian fans — and the country’s media — have been thrown into a frenzy over reports that Algerians attacked and injured Egyptians after their World Cup qualifier in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, this week.
35 Egyptian police hurt as football violence simmers (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Protesters injured dozens of police near the Algerian embassy in Egypt’s capital on Friday, fanning the flames of a diplomatic spat that erupted after Algeria won a football World Cup qualifier.
Obama warns of Iran sanctions ‘within weeks’
US President Barack Obama has said that world powers could have a package of measures against Iran “within weeks”, warning Tehran of consequences for its failure to respond to an offer of a nuclear deal
