Source : Al Arabiya
Cairo | 02 May 2011

Egypt intends to open its border with Gaza permanently to alleviate the suffering of Palestinians under an Israeli blockade but the mechanics of such a step are still being worked out, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday.

Source : Rahim Faiez | AP
KABUL : 28 Apr 2011

Eight American troops and a US contractor died Wednesday after an Afghan military pilot opened fire during a meeting at Kabul airport — the deadliest episode to date of an Afghan turning against his coalition partners, officials said.

The Afghan officer, who was a veteran military pilot, fired on the Americans after an argument, the Afghan Defense Ministry said.

Source : Saeed Al-Batati | Arab News

SANAA | 28 Apr 2011

As opposition and government officials are due to head to Riyadh to ink the GCC-brokered deal, rivals exchanged accusations over who triggered the deadly clashes in the capital on Wednesday night.

The ruling party has blamed the coalition opposition, Joint Parties Meeting, of setting off the latest escalation of violence in the capital in order to stymie the deal.

Source : Mohammed Mar`i | Arab News
RAMALLAH | 28 Apr 2011

The Palestinian political echelon on Thursday hailed the unity deal between the rival Fatah and Hamas movements.

Caretaker Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad welcomed the announcement from Fatah and Hamas, who said they struck a deal to form a “national unity” government and hold elections within a year.

Source | REUTERS

PUTRAJAYA : Malaysia | 28 Apr 2011

Malaysia and its top trading partner China signed eight agreements on Thursday to deepen trade and investment ties as Beijing seeks to raise its economic clout in Southeast Asia.

The deals are part of a series of agreements while Premier Wen Jiabao visits Malaysia and Indonesia.

Source | Arab News

KOTTAKKAL :  Kerala | 28 Apr 2011

Dubai Grand Mufti Dr. Ahmed Abdul Aziz Haddad inaugurated a conference of Islamic scholars at Kottakkal in the southern Indian state of Kerala on Wednesday.

The grand mufti stressed on the totality of Islam. "Islam is the religion that stands for humanity and human unity," he said.

MADINAH: Islamic Affairs Minister Saleh Al-Asheikh opened an Islamic calligraphy show at Le Meridien here Tuesday and commended Muslim calligraphers around the world for reviving the Islamic art and promoting the message of Qur'an in an attractive manner.

"God has honored the Arab nation by sending the Qur'an in Arabic and making the calligraphic writings of the Qur'anic verses part of the Islamic civilization," the minister said while opening a forum for the famous Qur'an calligraphers in the world.

Biography of Shaykh Said-Afandi al-Chirkawi ad-Daghestani

Renowned scholar, ustaz, murshid of Shazily and Naqshbandi tariqahs, honourable Shaykh Said Afandi al-Chirkawi was born in 1937 in the Dagestani village of Chirkey in the family of 'Abdu Rahman.

It was time when dark clouds gathered over Islam and Muslims, for the enemies of Islam killed thousands of Islamic scholars (may Allah be pleased with them) including such well-known scholars like Shaykh Hasan Hilmi Afandi and Shaykh Muhammad Afandi Ya'subi. In this difficult period by the grace of Allah, a boy was born in the village of Chirkey.

Russia said on Tuesday it will not support any United Nations Security Council resolutions on Libya which could escalate the conflict in the North African nation, local news agencies reported.

"If a resolution leads to a further escalation of a civil war by any means, including outside intervention, we will not be able to support this," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

Source : Diana Al-Jassem | Arab News
JEDDAH | 24 Apr 2011

Marriage is a wonderful experience that every person wants to have when he or she is young. But not only youngsters want to get married, more and more older people also tie the knot, even beyond the age of 50.

However, for women these late marriages constitute a considerable challenge. Some even fear they are going to end in a catastrophe. Arab News talked to the women who took this step late in life about the problems they faced.