International Business News - Mideast/Africa http://www.ibtimes.com/rss/feed/meafrica.rss All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 120 30 http://www.ibtimes.com/rss/feed/meafrica.rss http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif An Israeli prisoner exchange with Hamas has not yet been agreed and might not happen, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday, after a senior cabinet colleague predicted a breakthrough within weeks. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091124/netanyahu-says-hamas-prisoner-deal-might-not-happen.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224635-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091124/netanyahu-says-hamas-prisoner-deal-might-not-happen.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091124/netanyahu-says-hamas-prisoner-deal-might-not-happen.htm Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:20:48 EST Iran could consider sending its low-enriched uranium abroad, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, signaling a possible softening of its opposition to a plan aimed at easing Western concern over its nuclear ambitions. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091124/iran-says-needs-guarantees-ship-nuclear-fuel.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091124/iran-says-needs-guarantees-ship-nuclear-fuel.htm Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:15:21 EST Iraq will be unable to hold a national election in January as planned, a poll official said on Tuesday, heaping more uncertainty on a vote meant to cement democracy and pave the way for a partial U.S. troop withdrawal. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091124/iraq-national-vote-unlikely-january-official.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224633-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091124/iraq-national-vote-unlikely-january-official.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091124/iraq-national-vote-unlikely-january-official.htm Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:07:19 EST The world's first permanent war crimes court opens its second trial on Tuesday when two Congolese warlords face charges they ordered subordinates to attack civilians, rape women and enlist child soldiers. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/congo-warlords-dock-hague-court.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/congo-warlords-dock-hague-court.htm Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:58:25 EST Israel has softened its terms for a prisoner swap with Hamas and the two are nearing a deal to exchange hundreds of jailed Palestinians for an Israeli soldier held in the Gaza Strip, officials said on Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/israel-hamas-prisoner-swap-deal-near.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224592-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/israel-hamas-prisoner-swap-deal-near.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/israel-hamas-prisoner-swap-deal-near.htm Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:54:49 EST Iraq's fractious parliament on Monday approved an amended version of a law needed to hold a general election next year, but sidestepped a veto by Sunni Arab Vice-President Tareq al-Hashemi, lawmakers said. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/iraq-parliament-passes-vote-law.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224565-iraq-parliament-passes-new-vote-law.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/iraq-parliament-passes-vote-law.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/iraq-parliament-passes-vote-law.htm Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:33:32 EST Pakistani security forces backed by tanks and artillery attacked Taliban positions in the northwest of the country, killing 22 militants, a senior police official on Monday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/pakistani-forces-attack-taliban-kill-22.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224557-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/pakistani-forces-attack-taliban-kill-22.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/pakistani-forces-attack-taliban-kill-22.htm Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:57:51 EST The Iraqi parliament on Sunday failed to resolve an impasse threatening to delay the country's election in January, which could affect the U.S. military's plans for a partial pullout next year. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/iraqi-parliament-fails-reach-election-deal.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224556-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/iraqi-parliament-fails-reach-election-deal.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091123/iraqi-parliament-fails-reach-election-deal.htm Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:54:29 EST Iranian opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi said Sunday the reform movement would not be cowed by the hardline government's harsh methods as riot police prevented a demonstration by moderates taking place. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/irans-mousavi-tells-government-end-intimidation.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224529-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/irans-mousavi-tells-government-end-intimidation.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/irans-mousavi-tells-government-end-intimidation.htm Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:48:03 EST Israel's president said Sunday expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank was a "marginal" issue blocking resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/israeli-president-plays-down-settlement-work.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224527-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/israeli-president-plays-down-settlement-work.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/israeli-president-plays-down-settlement-work.htm Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:13:03 EST Iran's armed forces launched large-scale air defense war games on Sunday to show off the country's deterrence capabilities in the face of pressure from the West over its nuclear program. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/iran-launches-war-games-protect-nuclear-sites.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224524-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/iran-launches-war-games-protect-nuclear-sites.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091122/iran-launches-war-games-protect-nuclear-sites.htm Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:04:40 EST Iran will begin large-scale air defense war games on Sunday to help protect its nuclear facilities against any attack, a senior commander said. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091121/iran-hold-war-games-protect-atom-plants.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224514-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091121/iran-hold-war-games-protect-atom-plants.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091121/iran-hold-war-games-protect-atom-plants.htm Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:51:41 EST The Afghan government would quickly be overthrown if NATO troops pulled out of the country now, British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Friday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/afghan-govt-would-fall-if-nato-withdraws-uk-minister.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224497-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/afghan-govt-would-fall-if-nato-withdraws-uk-minister.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/afghan-govt-would-fall-if-nato-withdraws-uk-minister.htm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:36:10 EST Senior officials from six world powers said on Friday they were disappointed Iran had not accepted proposals intended to delay its potential to make nuclear bombs, and urged Tehran to reconsider. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/powers-urge-iran-reconsider-nuclear-offer.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224487-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/powers-urge-iran-reconsider-nuclear-offer.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/powers-urge-iran-reconsider-nuclear-offer.htm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:25:39 EST Afghan President Hamid Karzai is an "unworthy partner" who does not deserve a big boost either in U.S. troops or civilian aid, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/pelosi-calls-afghan-karzai-unworthy-partner.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224481-pelosi-calls-afghan-karzai-unworthy-partner.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/pelosi-calls-afghan-karzai-unworthy-partner.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/pelosi-calls-afghan-karzai-unworthy-partner.htm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:12:00 EST A suicide bomber in southwestern Afghanistan killed 17 people Friday, and an Afghan lawmaker escaped a separate blast on the outskirts of Kabul but five of his bodyguards were killed, officials said. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/more-than-20-killed-separate-afghan-blasts.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224464-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/more-than-20-killed-separate-afghan-blasts.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/more-than-20-killed-separate-afghan-blasts.htm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:26:41 EST The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief urged Iran on Friday to accept an offer to process its enriched uranium abroad by the end of 2009, and advised Western powers not to impose further sanctions on Tehran. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/elbaradei-urges-iran-agree-fuel-deal-end.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224448-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/elbaradei-urges-iran-agree-fuel-deal-end.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/elbaradei-urges-iran-agree-fuel-deal-end.htm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:48:40 EST A suicide bomber on a motorcycle detonated his explosives in a crowded area in southwest Afghanistan on Friday, killing 17 people, including a senior police official, a provincial governor said. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/suicide-bomber-kills-17-afghanistan.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224447-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/suicide-bomber-kills-17-afghanistan.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091120/suicide-bomber-kills-17-afghanistan.htm Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:40:53 EST Eight years after a U.S.-led invasion ousted the Taliban from power in Afghanistan, the war-ravaged state is the most dangerous place in the world for a child to be born, the United Nations said on Thursday. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091119/afghanistan-is-worlds-worst-place-be-born-un.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224427-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091119/afghanistan-is-worlds-worst-place-be-born-un.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091119/afghanistan-is-worlds-worst-place-be-born-un.htm Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:44:04 EST Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai left Thursday for North Africa, where analysts said he would meet Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi to maintain political pressure on President Robert Mugabe to honor their power-sharing accord. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091119/tsvangirai-discuss-zimbabwe-crisis-with.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/224393-tsvangirai-to-discuss-zimbabwe-crisis-with-gaddafi.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091119/tsvangirai-discuss-zimbabwe-crisis-with.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20091119/tsvangirai-discuss-zimbabwe-crisis-with.htm Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:45:07 EST