International Business News - Mideast/Africa http://www.ibtimes.com/subsection/politicsnpolicy/meafrica.htm All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a top Democratic critic of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, met with the Iraqi prime minister Saturday during a visit to Baghdad. 118047 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/48192-iraq-sadr-city.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/us-house-speaker-pelosi-makes-visit-to-iraq.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/us-house-speaker-pelosi-makes-visit-to-iraq.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 09:49:10 EDT A Western diplomat says pirates have hijacked a Jordanian ship off the coast of Somalia. The diplomat said it was unclear how many crew were aboard or what their nationalities were. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to journalists. 118060 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/pirates-hijack-jordanian-ship-off-somali-coast.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 09:41:38 EDT Assassination threats have derailed plans by Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to return home to campaign for the presidential runoff vote, a party official said Saturday. 118057 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/48179-aptopix-britain-northern-ireland-zimbabwe.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/tsvangirai-postpones-zimbabwe-return-after-threat.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/tsvangirai-postpones-zimbabwe-return-after-threat.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 08:49:12 EDT Leaders of Lebanon's U.S.-backed government and the Hezbollah-led opposition met behind closed doors in Qatar on Saturday for the highest-level talks so far in the country's 18-month-long political crisis, which turned violent a week ago. 118040 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/48135-qatar-lebanon-leaders.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/high-level-lebanese-talks-in-qatar.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/high-level-lebanese-talks-in-qatar.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 07:30:06 EDT President Bush pivoted to the Arab side of the Mideast peace dispute on Saturday, and got a far less glowing reception from his Egyptian host _ a key player in the long-running fight _ than he did in Israel earlier this week. 117979 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/48132-bush-mideast.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/bush-fails-to-win-saudi-help-on-gas-prices.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/bush-fails-to-win-saudi-help-on-gas-prices.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 07:27:36 EDT Voters in Kuwait lined up Saturday to vote in parliamentary elections that could substantially change the legislative body of this tiny, oil-rich Gulf emirate following electoral reforms to reduce corruption and vote buying. 118032 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/48126-kuwait-elections.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/kuwaitis-elect-new-parliament.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/kuwaitis-elect-new-parliament.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 07:25:45 EDT A former Church of England leader has appealed for militants to release five British civilians kidnapped in Iraq a year ago. Former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey released a video Saturday addressing the kidnappers as "honorable men" and "men of faith." 118046 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/ex-archbishop-urges-release-of-british-hostages.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 07:23:32 EDT A series of clashes, airstrikes and bomb blasts left 10 militants and four civilians killed in Afghanistan, officials said Saturday. A roadside blast hit a vehicle in the eastern Paktia province, leaving three civilians dead early Saturday, said government spokesman Ghamai Mohammadi. 118005 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/10-militants-4-afghans-in-violence.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 06:20:42 EDT Islamic insurgents in Somalia seized a major agricultural center overnight, sending hundreds of people fleeing, a human rights leader said Saturday. The attack underscored the government's vulnerabilities, as U.N.-sponsored peace talks stalled in neighboring Djibouti. 118015 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/islamist-fighters-seize-town-in-somalia.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 06:04:09 EDT Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan was freed unharmed three months after he vanished in a tribal area in Pakistan's border region, a foreign ministry official and a relative said Saturday. 118014 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/abducted-pakistani-diplomat-freed.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 05:04:50 EDT The brother of Pakistan's ambassador to Afghanistan says the envoy has been released _ three months after he was kidnapped near the border between the two countries. 118006 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/abducted-pakistani-diplomat-freed.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 02:39:26 EDT The Interior Department said Friday it is moving forward with an oil and gas lease sale covering nearly 4 million acres in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve. 117957 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/interior-department-to-hold-alaska-oil-lease-sale.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 20:25:38 EDT Authorities said an 8-year-old Pontiac boy took a stolen car on a joy ride and caused a three-vehicle crash. Pontiac police said the boy sneaked out of his house Wednesday night and found an empty and running car in his neighborhood. 117960 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/cops-say-boy-8-took-car-for-ride-caused-crash.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 20:20:10 EDT Police say DNA found on a half-eaten candy bar helped them zero in on a robbery suspect. Detective Jason Simpkins says Brian D. Bass' DNA matched the sample found on the bar left on the counter at Cato Animal Hospital during a January robbery. Bass was being held in jail Friday on $50,000 bond. 117729 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/alleged-burglar-done-in-by-half-eaten-candy-bar.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 20:17:04 EDT A former Bethlehem woman will serve up to 23 months in prison for having her 7-year-old son dress as a Cub Scout to collect money for a nonexistent cause. 117746 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/woman-sentenced-for-having-son-dress-up-as-scout.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 20:16:54 EDT Brian LaFave couldn't care less how high gasoline prices climb these days _ he's parked his pickup truck and is refusing to buy gas for a month, possibly longer. 117532 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/wis-man-wont-buy-gas-for-31-days-maybe-longer.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 20:13:03 EDT Two Somerset County men are charged with trying to steal live power lines that were still attached to a transformer and utility poles. Police said Kevin Lee Lytle, 27, and Daniel Jay Basinger, 24, both of Confluence, were shocked during the theft attempt on May 3 in Lower Turkeyfoot Township. 117956 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/police-say-men-trying-to-steal-power-lines-shocked.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 20:12:51 EDT Kuwaitis vote Saturday for a new parliament that must work with the royal family-controlled Cabinet, whose recent resignation triggered a period of political stagnation in this oil-rich U.S. ally. 117963 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/47810-kuwait-elections.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/kuwait-votes-for-a-new-parliament.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/kuwait-votes-for-a-new-parliament.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 20:12:39 EDT As of Friday, May 16, 2008, at least 4,079 members of the U.S. military have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. 117955 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/us-military-deaths-in-iraq-war-at-4-079.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 19:30:44 EDT House Speaker Nancy Pelosi led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Israel Friday to mark the 60th anniversary of Israel's founding. The visit by the 13 lawmakers came as President Bush concluded his trip to the Jewish state to celebrate the occasion. 117929 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/47743-mideast-israel-palestinians-us-pelosi.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/pelosi-visits-israel-for-60th-anniversary-events.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/pelosi-visits-israel-for-60th-anniversary-events.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 18:25:33 EDT