To Be or Not to Be...? Someone’s grief, and someone’s drinking party

Traditions of the Kyrgyz people were being formed with the help of economic, trade, domestic and other relations with kindred and other tribes that were closely related to the geography of their ha...

Iran of the 60s: unsuccessful attempt to reform

After the coup of 19 March 1953 in the socio-political history of Iran there were fundamental changes: the powers of parliament were limited and the absolute power of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was...

Topic: Regional rivalry in the Middle East.

In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are two countries that claim to leadership in the region. With a powerful resources and political potential these countries are the...

Middle East

Bomb hits foreign military convoy in Kabul
17.05.2013
Afghanistan|War & Terrorism|Middle East

A bomb rocked the Afghan capital early Thursday, targeting a foreign military convoy, an Afghan policeman said, dpa reported.

A NATO official confirmed the explosion, but not the target of the attack.

"We are still gathering more facts and will release information as soon as possible," he said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Turkey, US to sign free trade agreement
17.05.2013
Public Policy & Politics|Middle East|Turkey

Turkey and the United States will sign a free trade agreement, Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, who is on an official visit to the United States said, Hürriyet newspaper reported on Friday.

According to Caglayan, the parties are to first establish a working group to develop the legal framework for the creation of a free economic zone between the two countries.

Main suspect in Reyhanlı bombings detained in Turkey
17.05.2013
War & Terrorism|Middle East|Turkey

On May 17, Turkish Security Forces detained the main suspect behind the terrorist attacks in Reyhanlı in Turkey's Hatay province, Hürriyet newspaper reported on Friday.

According to the report, the suspect is Mehmet G., a resident of the province of Hatay. Two minibuses that exploded on Saturday in the Turkish city of Reyhanlı were registered under his name.

As reported earlier, the number of those detained over the terror act in the city of Reyhanli in the Turkish Hatay Province reached 13. Four of them were arrested, while an investigation is underway on the others.

Turkey to manufacture domestic passenger car
17.05.2013
Science & Technology|Middle East|Turkey

Turkey, which ranks 16th in the world in terms of the development of the automotive industry, intends to manufacture a passenger car made on a domestic production line, Anadolu agency quotes Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is on an official visit to the United States, as saying.

According to Erdogan, Turkey is the second country in the world after China in terms of a growth in electricity consumption.

"Turkey has implemented a programme to increase the GDP in 2011-2017. This will result in the GDP growing by an average of 6.7 per cent," Erdogan said.

Israeli troops detain Palestinian at flying checkpoint
17.05.2013
War & Terrorism|Middle East|Israel

Israeli forces detained a 25-year-old Palestinian at a flying checkpoint in Tubas on Thursday, the Palestinian Prisoners Society said Maan reported.

Saji Daragmeh was detained at a flying checkpoint on the road between Tubas and Nablus in the northern West Bank, the PPS said in a statement.

UN calls on Syria to let chemical weapons inspectors in
17.05.2013
War & Terrorism|Middle East|Syria

United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon has voiced disappointment about Syria's refusal to let UN inspectors enter the country to check reports about the use of chemical weapons, dpa reported.

"It is deplorable that the team could not visit Syria to do an investigation on the ground," Ban said Friday after talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, the Interfax news agency reported.

Lavrov said that Russia supports the UN investigation and expressed hope that an agreement between Damascus and the UN will be found.

Bosnia expelled two Iranian diplomats suspected of spying
17.05.2013
Law & Legal Issues|Iran|Middle East

Bosnia has expelled two Iranian diplomats suspected of spying, including contacting a radical Muslim leader, a security ministry source said on Thursday, AFP reported.

The security ministry said that Iranian diplomats Hamzeh Doolab Ahmad and Jadidi Sohrab were declared "persona non grata" and "have left" Bosnian territory.

"As members of diplomatic personnel ... they have used their diplomatic status for activities incompatible with their diplomatic functions and the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations," the ministry said in a statement.

Tehran Mayor: Iranian nation needs social, economic justice
17.05.2013
Culture & Living|Iran|Middle East

A president must obey the law and act according to the country's constitution, Iran's presidential candidate Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said, Shafaf News Website reported.

Qalibaf also said the Iranian nation needs social and economic justice to achieve progress in all areas.

The Tehran mayor added that social opportunities should be distributed equally and among all groups of people.

Qalibaf, who's running as a Principlist hopeful, said he does not make empty promises that he won't be able to keep.

Iran's presidential election will be held on June 14.

Iranian presidential candidate accuses Hashemi Rafsanjani of committing blunders during his time in office
17.05.2013
Law & Legal Issues|Iran|Middle East

A principlist candidate Alireza Zakani has accused former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani of committing blunders during his time in office, Fars news agency reported.

He also predicted Rafsanjani's defeat in the upcoming presidential election.

"Rafsanjani registered for the elections under the influence of his friends and family. If he becomes president, he will regret his choice," Zakani said, adding that Rafsanjani would be making the same mistakes as he did during his years as president.

Afghanistan suspects Iran holding 21 missing laborers following border shooting incident
13.05.2013
Afghanistan|Law & Legal Issues|Middle East

Afghanistan has accused Iran of holding as many as 21 migrant Afghan workers following a border shooting incident over the weekend and has filed a formal complaint to Tehran, an official said Sunday, Washington Post reported.

According to local accounts, Iranian border guards opened fire on the Afghan laborers on Friday as they tried to cross the boundary illegally looking for work, said Abdul Rahman Zhawandai, a spokesman for the provincial governor in the northwestern Farah province.