Full Coverage: Middle East

28.10.2005 Correspondents report on how governments in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America plan to fight a possible outbreak of "bird flu" in the face of poor public health infrastructure.

28.10.2005 Some of the world's richest nations have come under fire from a leading corruption watchdog group for failing to take action against the companies that illegally profited from a United Nations-sponsored humanitarian programme in Iraq.

27.10.2005 Workers having problems with their employers will soon be able to complain to Dubai Police any time of the day or night by calling the 24-hour hotline number at Dubai Police Operations Room.

27.10.2005 Approval for the new constitution represents a "landmark day" in Iraq not because it is a step toward democracy, but because it is a step toward civil war, argues Robert Dreyfuss.

27.10.2005 More than 2,000 U.S. soldiers have been killed in Iraq, but that's just the beginning of the story behind the numbers, says CODEPINK and Global Exchange founder Medea Benjamin.

26.10.2005 SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 26 (OneWorld) - A day after the two-thousandth U.S. soldier died in the Iraq war, much of the American public seems to have decided that disgruntled answers to surveys won't end the bloodshed.

25.10.2005 Two peace activists were arrested in Whitehall on Tuesday for organising an unauthorised "bell-ringing" remembrance ceremony marking the anniversary this week of the Lancet estimate that 100,000 people have died in Iraq of war-related causes.

24.10.2005 Beginning next year, the Ministry of Interior, UAE will start issuing electronic passports — a move that is the first of its kind in the region.

21.10.2005 A growing demonstration in a small park in Egypt offers dramatic insight into the situation of those forced to flee their homelands, yet shunned by officials and neighbors where they take up residence seeking peace.

20.10.2005 After the overwhelming success of the eGate project in Dubai facilitating smooth processing of travel formalities besides ensuring tighter security control, the Minister of Interior, Lieutenant-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan has directed that the project be implemented at all the airports and ports in the country.

20.10.2005 WASHINGTON, Oct 19 (IPS) - While international human rights groups have long wanted former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to face trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity, they have serious reservations about whether proceedings that got underway in Baghdad Wednesday will meet international standards of fairness.

19.10.2005 Democracy is not the same as liberty, reminds national security expert Ivan Eland. Until liberty takes root for all Iraqis--including the disaffected Sunnis--U.S. and Iraqi officials should not expect a reprieve from violence, no matter how many democratic votes they hold, he says.

18.10.2005 On the day after the 2,000th reported U.S. military death in Iraq, the pro-peace majority will spring into action, telling Congress "Not one more death. Not one more dollar." There are currently 142 events planned in 34 states; find one near you or organize your own.

18.10.2005 Armed with the new Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) advanced system, Sharjah Municipality inspectors are all set to conduct their examinations of various outlets selling food including supermarkets, restaurants and groceries to safeguard the health of consumers.

18.10.2005 UNITED NATIONS, Oct 18 (OneWorld) - As Saddam Hussein and other former Iraqi government leaders are brought before a special tribunal this week to face criminal charges, legal scholars in the United States and experts at the United Nations warn of possible violations of international standards for fair trials.

17.10.2005 eCompany, Etisalat's one-stop e-powerhouse business unit in the UAE, provides internet services and ICT solutions, has announced the launch of new foreign language courses on its eLearning portal, in partnership with Image Systems, a technology provider in the Gulf.

15.10.2005 A death toll vigil will mark the anniversary of last year's Lancet report - which concluded that there had been at least 100,000 excess Iraqi deaths since the 2003 invasion - during which a bell will be tolled 100 times. Dress in black. Edith Cavell statue (near Trafalgar Square), 29 October

14.10.2005 A conference to renew anti-Iraq war solidarity will be held in London on 10 December. The aim is "to issue a call for peace that will echo around the world".

14.10.2005 Bush and Blair must rethink their policy from scratch, which is why it is important to remind the government of what we at Christian Aid said before the invasion and why we said it. Tony Blair appeared not to listen last time. May be this time he will pay heed.

14.10.2005 The Department of Naturalisation and Residence in Abu Dhabi will soon launch a new service whereby members of the public can apply for visas online.