BBC NEWS | Middle East

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html xml:lang="en-GB" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en-GB"> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("https://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/default.stm","20090421200632","https://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1240344392"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />  <title>BBC NEWS | Middle East</title> <meta name="contentFlavor" content="INDEX"/> <meta name="description" content="Get the latest BBC News from the Middle East: breaking news, features, analysis and debate plus audio and video coverage from across the Middle East."/> <meta name="keywords" content="BBC, News, BBC News, news online, world, uk, international, foreign, british, online, service"/> <meta name="OriginalPublicationDate" content="2009/04/21 19:51:13"/> <meta name="UKFS_URL" content="/1/hi/world/middle_east/default.stm"/> <meta name="IFS_URL" content="/2/hi/middle_east/default.stm"/> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"/> <link href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://newsrss.bbc.co.uk/rss/newsonline_world_edition/middle_east/rss.xml" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="BBC NEWS | Middle East"/> <link href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/middle_east/default.stm" rel="alternate" type="text/html" title="Low Graphics"/>   <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/web/20090421200632im_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/iphone-news.png"/> <meta name="viewport" content="width=974"/>  <style type="text/css" media="all"> @import "/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/shared/v4/mastheadfooter.css?v79"; @import "/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/shared/v4/styles.css?v80"; @import "/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/shared/emp.css?v79"; @import "/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/shared/v4/sitewidealert.css?v79"; </style>    <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/nol/v4/index.css?v79"/> <style type="text/css" media="all"> @import "/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/nol/v4/styles.css?v79"; @import "/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/nol/v4/business.css?v79"; @import "/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/nol/v4/furniture.css?v79"; </style> <script type="text/javascript">  </script>  <script src="/web/20090421200632js_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/js/newsi/latest/newsi.js?9" type="text/javascript"></script>   <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://wwwimg.bbc.co.uk/glow/gloader.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/shared/bbc_fmtj.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/ticker/ticker.js?v1"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/ukfs_news/js/av.js?v2" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/tools/hide_and_show/hide_and_show.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/bookmark/bookmark.js" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/js/csf_2.js" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/rss/getrss.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/radio/aod/radioplayer.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/blq/blq_core.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/linktrack/v1_1/linktrack.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/site_wide_alert/site_wide_alert.js"></script> <script src="/web/20090421200632js_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/js/livestats_v1_1.js?nocache=1" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/js/nol4.js?v4" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/av/emp/properties/default.js?1.3.105_2.10.7938_7967_20090406152952" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/av/emp/properties/en.js?1.3.105_2.10.7938_7967_20090406152952" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/av/emp/swfobject.js?1.3.105_2.10.7938_7967_20090406152952" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/js/app/av/emp/emp_fmtj.js?1.3.105_2.10.7938_7967_20090406152952" language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"></script> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript"> gloader.load( [ "glow", "1"], { onLoad : function(glow) { window.emp_load = new bbc.emp_fmtj({}); glow.ready( function() { if (emp_load.isEmpWrittenOnLoad) { emp_load.writeAllEmpContent(); } }); } } ); </script>       <link href="/web/20090421200632cs_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/css/screen/shared/3pt_ads.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/> <script type="text/javascript"> function syncRoadBlock(src,companionId) { var compidarg; if (arguments.length == 2 && typeof companionId == 'string') { compidarg = companionId; } BBC.adverts.empCompanionResponse(src, compidarg); }; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> if(typeof BBC === 'undefined') var BBC = {}; BBC.adverts = {setZone: function(){}, configure: function(){}, write: function(){}, show: function(){}}; </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20090421200632js_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/js/app/bbccom/bbccom.js?v=1.8.7"></script> <script type="text/javascript"></script> </head> <body id="body"> <div class="centerbody"> <script type="text/javascript"> if(BBC.adverts){ BBC.adverts.setPageVersion('4'); } </script> <div class="leaderboardcontainer"> <div id="bbccom_leaderboard" class="bbccom_display_none"> <script type="text/javascript">BBC.adverts.write("leaderboard");</script> </div> <script type="text/javascript">BBC.adverts.show("leaderboard");</script> </div>  <a name="top"></a> <div id="blq-accesslinks" lang="en-gb" class="blq-rst"> <p class="blq-hide"><strong><a id="page-top">Accessibility Help</a></strong></p> <ul> <li class="blq-hide"><a href="#startcontent" accesskey="2">Skip to content</a></li><li class="blq-hide"><a href="#blq-searchbox">Skip to bbc.co.uk search</a></li><li id="blq-displayoptions"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/text_only.stm">Low graphics</a></li><li id="blq-acc-help"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/help/">Help</a></li><li id="blq-access-keys-help" class="blq-hide"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/mast/acckeys/-/accessibility/accesskeys/keys.shtml" accesskey="0">Access keys help</a></li> </ul> </div> <div id="blq-mast" lang="en-GB" class="blq-rst"> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/mast/home/-/home/d/" title="Go to the bbc.co.uk homepage"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/v4/header_blocks.gif" width="107" height="32" alt="British Broadcasting Corporation"/></a></p> <form method="get" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/search/results.pl" accept-charset="utf-8"> <fieldset> <input type="hidden" name="uri" value="/2/hi/middle_east/default.stm"/> <input type="hidden" name="scope" value="all"/> <input type="hidden" name="go" value="toolbar"/> <label for="blq-searchbox" class="blq-hide">Search term</label><input id="blq-searchbox" type="text" name="q" accesskey="4"/> <input id="blq-searchbutton" type="submit" value="Search"/> </fieldset> </form> <p id="blq-explore-link"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/more/-/a-z/" class="blq-nav-orange">Explore the BBC</a></p> </div>  <div class="newsbanner"> <h1><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/"><span>BBC News Updated every minute of every day</span></a></h1> <div class="o"> <table cellspacing="0" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td class="banmain" valign="middle">    <div class="wideav"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/7875367.stm"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/icons/video_text.gif" align="left" width="57" height="13" alt="watch" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"> One-Minute World News </a> <br clear="all"/> </div> </td></tr></table> </div>   </div>       <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="974"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="174"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="174"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="160"> <div class="lhs"> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/default.stm">News Front Page</a> </div> <div class="o"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/nav/v3_map_middle_east.gif" width="92" height="54" alt="" border="0" usemap="#world_map"> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/default.stm">Africa</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/default.stm">Americas</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/default.stm">Asia-Pacific</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/default.stm">Europe</a> </div> <div class="lhssqs"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/default.stm">Middle East</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/default.stm">South Asia</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/default.stm">UK</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/default.stm">Business</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/default.stm">Health</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/default.stm">Science & Environment</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/default.stm">Technology</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/default.stm">Entertainment</a> </div> <div class="lhsb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/also_in_the_news/default.stm">Also in the news</a> </div> <div class="lhsdl">-----------------</div> <div class="lhsl"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/video_and_audio/default.stm">Video and Audio</a> </div> <div class="lhsdl">-----------------</div> <div id="bbccom_button" class="bbccom_display_none"> <script type="text/javascript">BBC.adverts.write("button");</script> </div> <script type="text/javascript">BBC.adverts.show("button");</script> <div class="lhsl"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/default.stm">Have Your Say</a> </div> <div class="lhsl"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/default.stm">In Pictures</a> </div> <div class="lhsl"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm">Country Profiles</a> </div> <div class="lhsl"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/default.stm">Special Reports</a> </div> </div> <div class="relatedbbcsites"> <h3>Related BBC sites</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/default.stm" title="Home of BBC Sport on the internet">Sport</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/i/" title="Weather information from around the world">Weather</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/onthisday" title="BBC On This Day">On This Day</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/theeditors/" title="Editors' Blog">Editors' Blog</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/" title="BBC World Service">BBC World Service</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="siteVersion"> <div>Site Version</div> <ul> <li class="unselected"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://newswm.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/change_edition.pl?qs=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/default.stm&content=nol&dest=Domestic">UK Version</a></li> <li class="ifs"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://newswm.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/change_edition.pl?qs=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/default.stm&content=nol&dest=International">International Version</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/iftoolbar/versions.html">About the versions</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="lang">Languages</div> <ul id="languages"> <li id="arabicLoz"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/arabic" title="BBCArabic.com">Arabic</a></li> <li id="persianLoz"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/persian/" title="BBCPersian.com">Persian</a></li> <li id="pashtoLoz"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pashto/" title="BBCPashto.com">Pashto</a></li> <li id="turkishLoz"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/turkish" title="BBCTurkish.com">Turkish</a></li> <li id="frenchLoz"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/french" title="Kifaransa kwa Afrika">French</a></li> <li id="moreLoz"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/languages/" title="More languages from the BBC">More</a></li> </ul> <img height="1" width="1" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://switch.atdmt.com/action/agencyrep_bbc_usa_middle_east_home" alt=""/>  <img alt="" id="livestats" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://stats.bbc.co.uk/o.gif?~RS~s~RS~News~RS~t~RS~HighWeb_Index~RS~i~RS~0~RS~p~RS~44245~RS~a~RS~International~RS~u~RS~/2/hi/middle_east/default.stm~RS~r~RS~http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7810270.stm~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~32~RS~"/> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td> </tr> </table> </td><td valign="top" width="800"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="800"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="466"> <div class="sectionHeader"> Middle East </div> </td> <td valign="top" width="334">  <div class="fpfeed"> <div class="feeds"> <ul id="rss"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3223484.stm">News Feeds</a></li> <script>new getrss({site:"news"});</script> </ul> </div> </div>  </td> </tr> </table> <div><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44715000/gif/_44715553_800_red_line.gif" width="800" height="1" alt="" border="0"></div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <a name="startcontent"></a><div class="ds"><span class="lu">Page last updated at </span>19:51 GMT, Tuesday, 21 April 2009 20:51 UK</div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/ffffff.gif" width="800" height="10" alt="" border="0"><br/> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="800"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="786"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="786"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="372"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="400"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="786"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="306"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="786"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="466"> <table cellspacing="0" class="topstoryformat" border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr> <td class="image"><a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8011268.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45687000/jpg/_45687890_007204086-1.jpg" align="left" width="226" height="170" alt="US President Barack Obama" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a></td> <td><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" align="left" width="10" height="10" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td> <td class="text"> <div class="mvb"> <a class="tsh" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8011268.stm">Obama invites Middle East heads</a> </div> <div class="mvb"> The US invites Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian leaders for separate talks in a new push for Middle East peace. </div> <div class="sabull"> <a class="tsl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7977982.stm">US stands by two-state solution</a> </div> <div class="sabull"> <a class="tsl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7963503.stm">Netanyahu pitches deal</a> </div> </td> </tr></table> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="10" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> <div class="story_level2"> <div class="mvb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8010702.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45686000/jpg/_45686415_ban_afp66i.jpg" align="left" width="66" height="49" alt="Ban Ki-moon at a press conference in Malta, 21 April 2009" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" align="left" width="5" height="49" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"> <a class="shl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8010702.stm">UN 'regrets' Iran leader's speech</a> <br clear="all"/> </div> <div class="o"> UN chief Ban Ki-moon says Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "misused" an anti-racism meeting at which he denounced Israel. </div> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="10" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> <div class="story_level2"> <div class="mvb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8009800.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45684000/jpg/_45684659_007201053-1.jpg" align="left" width="66" height="49" alt="Two Holocaust survivors light torch at Yad Vashem" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" align="left" width="5" height="49" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"> <a class="shl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8009800.stm">Holocaust Remembrance Day marked</a> <br clear="all"/> </div> <div class="o"> A two-minute silence for victims of the Holocaust brings Israel to a standstill, as ceremonies are held across the world. </div> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="10" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> </td> </tr> </table> <div class="promotopbg"> <div class="nlp"> FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS </div> </div> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" class="gpromo" width="10"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="10" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="126"> <div class="promobottombg"> <div class="mvb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8007725.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45680000/jpg/_45680761_126.jpg" align="" width="126" height="71" alt="Natan Brun" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> <a class="shl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8007725.stm">Jerusalem diary</a> <br/> </div> <div class="o"> Son casts doubt on his father's 'terror spectacular' </div> </div> </td><td valign="top" class="gpromo" width="34"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="34" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="126"> <div class="promobottombg"> <div class="mvb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8007673.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45681000/jpg/_45681500_007196976-1.jpg" align="" width="126" height="71" alt="Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> <a class="shl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8007673.stm">Racism fault lines</a> <br/> </div> <div class="o"> UN conference on racism remains divisive </div> </div> </td><td valign="top" class="gpromo" width="34"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="34" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="126"> <div class="promobottombg"> <div class="mvb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8005420.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45676000/jpg/_45676605_police.jpg" align="" width="126" height="71" alt="Mobile video of police abusing a hermaphrodite" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> <a class="shl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8005420.stm">'Anti-gay hell'</a> <br/> </div> <div class="o"> Iraqi homosexuals face humiliation, abuse and death </div> </div> </td><td valign="top" class="gpromo" width="10"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="10" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td> </tr> </table> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/ffffff.gif" width="466" height="20" alt="" border="0"><br/> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> </td> </tr> </table> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" width="226"> <div class="nlp"> MORE FROM MIDDLE EAST </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8008152.stm">Syrian detained in Hariri killing</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8007801.stm">Palestinian water crisis deepens</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8007919.stm">Christians killed in Egypt feud</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8007643.stm">Pirates release ship for 'ransom'</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8007653.stm">India launches Israeli spy satellite</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8007025.stm">New speaker for Iraq parliament</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8006632.stm">Orthodox Christians mark Easter</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8003730.stm">Netanyahu 'no partner for peace'</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8004442.stm">West Bank man killed at protest</a> <br/> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <div class="nlp"> BUSINESS </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7999567.stm">Oil weak as demand fears remain</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7987258.stm">Thales signs Saudi rail contract </a> <br/> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <div class="nlp"> MEDIA ROUND-UP </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7880981.stm">Arab press on Israeli vote</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7860328.stm">Arabic press praises Erdogan</a> <br/> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="226"> <div class="nlp"> YOUR PERSPECTIVE </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7965686.stm">Voices: 30 years of peace?</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7925564.stm">Israeli voices: Still under fire</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/7901659.stm">Saudi blogs: Government reforms</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7875603.stm">In pictures: Omani desert</a> <br/> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <div class="nlp"> FEATURES </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7997997.stm">Iran rounds up 'porn site bosses'</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7988444.stm">Lebanon 'prison chic' goes global</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7988399.stm">Lebanon history lessons stymied</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7936004.stm">Egyptian port success</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7983940.stm">UK help for Iraq blast victim</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7974855.stm">Egypt film in Christian row</a> <br/> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <div class="o"> <div class="nlp"> <a class="lp" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/country_profiles/default.stm">COUNTRY PROFILES</a> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <div class="nlp"> A GUIDE TO THE MIDDLE EAST </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <div class="ddt"></div> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><form method="post" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/openurl.pl"><tr><td> <select name="link" class="formatStyle" onchange="if (this.options[selectedIndex].value != '') location.href=this.options[selectedIndex].value"> <option value="#">Choose a country</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/790556.stm">Algeria</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/790690.stm">Bahrain</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/737642.stm">Egypt</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/790877.stm">Iran</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791014.stm">Iraq</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/803257.stm">Israel/Pal areas</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/828763.stm">Jordan</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791053.stm">Kuwait</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791071.stm">Lebanon</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/819291.stm">Libya</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791083.stm">Mauritania</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791867.stm">Morocco</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791892.stm">Oman</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791921.stm">Qatar</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791936.stm">Saudi Arabia</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/820864.stm">Sudan</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/801669.stm">Syria</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/791969.stm">Tunisia</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/737620.stm">UAE</option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/784383.stm">Yemen</option> </select> <input border="0" type="image" src="/web/20090421200632im_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/go_button.gif" value="GO"> </td></tr></form></table> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="10" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><form method="post" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/openurl.pl"><tr><td> <select name="link" class="formatStyle" onchange="if (this.options[selectedIndex].value != '') location.href=this.options[selectedIndex].value"> <option value="#"> Find a territory </option> <option value="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/country_profiles/3393813.stm"> Golan Heights </option> </select> <input value="GO" type="image" border="0" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/go_button.gif"> </td></tr></form></table> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> <div class="nlp"> Compiled by BBC Monitoring </div> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="5" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/> </td> </tr> </table> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/ffffff.gif" width="466" height="10" alt="" border="0"><br/> <div class="promotopbg"> <div class="nlp"> FEATURES, VIEWS, ANALYSIS </div> </div> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="466"> <tr> <td valign="top" class="gpromo" width="10"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="10" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="126"> <div class="promobottombg"> <div class="mvb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8000507.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45668000/jpg/_45668340_2.jpg" align="" width="126" height="71" alt="Lucine, her daughter Madlen and her granddaughter Lale" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> <a class="shl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8000507.stm">Diaspora jump</a> <br/> </div> <div class="o"> Armenians find unlikely bedfellows in Lebanon election </div> </div> </td><td valign="top" class="gpromo" width="34"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="34" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="126"> <div class="promobottombg"> <div class="mvb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8005198.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45676000/jpg/_45676376_soldier_ap126promo.jpg" align="" width="126" height="71" alt="Female US soldier (file picture)" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> <a class="shl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8005198.stm">Female soldiers</a> <br/> </div> <div class="o"> Threat of sexual violence for US women in combat </div> </div> </td><td valign="top" class="gpromo" width="34"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="34" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="126"> <div class="promobottombg"> <div class="mvb"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7999867.stm"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45672000/jpg/_45672362_126.jpg" align="" width="126" height="71" alt="Kurdish women footballers" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> <a class="shl" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7999867.stm">Kicking taboos</a> <br/> </div> <div class="o"> Kurdish women seek equality through football </div> </div> </td><td valign="top" class="gpromo" width="10"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="10" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td> </tr> </table> </td><td valign="top" width="320"> <table cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="320"> <tr> <td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td><td valign="top" width="306"> <div class="nlp"> OTHER TOP STORIES </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8009794.stm">Saberi parents welcome Iran signs</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8010393.stm">US internet executives visit Iraq</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8010336.stm">UN racism talks 'back on track'</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8007756.stm">Hamas 'killing' Palestinian foes</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8008589.stm">Kuwait 'arrests critic of Sabahs'</a> <br/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8008230.stm">Diyala attack kills Iraqi police</a> <br/> </div> <div class="wgreylinebottom">   <div id="bbccom_mpu" class="bbccom_display_none"> <script type="text/javascript">BBC.adverts.write("mpu");</script> </div> <script type="text/javascript">BBC.adverts.show("mpu");</script>   <div class="clear"></div></div> <div class="nlp"> <a class="lp" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/default.stm">THE BIG PICTURE</a> </div> <div class="wgreylinebottom"> <p><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/middle_east_enl_1237906416/html/1.stm" onclick="window.open('https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/middle_east_enl_1240224487/html/1.stm', '1237906437', 'toolbar=0,scrollbars=0,location=0,statusbar=0,menubar=0,resizable=1,width=700,height=568,left=280,top=100'); return false;"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45681000/jpg/_45681368_wide-big_pic_306_125_reveal.jpg" width="306" height="125" alt="Reveal image" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></a> </p>  <div class="clear"></div></div> <div class="nlp"> <a class="lp" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAY</a> </div> <div class="wgreylinebottom">  <div class="qbox"> <blockquote>  <a class="" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=6359&edition=1"> Ahmadinejad is a publicity seeker. He enjoys getting headlines by saying outrageous things which only damage Iran's image. I'm really sick of him. </a>  </blockquote> <div class="info"> Arya, Tehran <br/> </div> </div>  <div class="clear"></div></div> <div class="filler3"> <div class="o"> <div class="fgbi"> <div class="nlp"> TV AND RADIO PROGRAMMES </div> </div> <div class="wideav"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6900000/newsid_6903100?redirect=6903113.stm&news=1&bbram=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&asb=1" onclick="javascript:newsi.utils.av.launch({el:this});return false;"> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/icons/video_text.gif" align="left" width="57" height="13" alt="watch" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"> One-Minute World News </a> <br clear="all"/> </div> <div class="wideav"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/worldservice/meta/tx/summary5min?nbram=1&nbwm=1&size=au&lang=en-ws&bgc=003399" onclick="popwin (this.href,this.target,409,269,'scroll')" target="winMedia" "> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/icons/audio_text.gif" align="left" width="57" height="13" alt="listen" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"> World Service bulletin </a> <br clear="all"/> </div>    <div class="wideav"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/worldservice/meta/tx/twt?size=au&bgc=003399&lang=en-ws&nbram=1&nbwm=1&ls=411" onclick="popwin (this.href,this.target,409,269,'scroll')" target="winMedia" "> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/icons/audio_text.gif" align="left" width="57" height="13" alt="listen" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"> World Today </a> <br clear="all"/> </div> <div class="arr"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/worldservice/psims/ScheduleSDT.cgi?Pg=Fp&Rn=MIDE:Middle%20East"> World Service radio schedules </a> <br/> </div> </div> </div>  <span> <h3 class="mpopdayh"> <a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/live_stats/html/map.stm" class="lp">MOST POPULAR STORIES</a> </h3> <h4 class="mpopdaysh">From Middle East in the past week</h4> <ul class="popstorylistdays"><li> <span>MONDAY :</span> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8007822.stm">Iran orders 'fair' US spy appeal</a> </li><li> <span>SUNDAY :</span> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8006861.stm">Iran leader urges reporter rights</a> </li><li> <span>SATURDAY :</span> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/8005660.stm">Iran jails journalist as US spy</a> </li></ul> </span>  <div class="o"> <div class="nlp"> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/middle_east/" class="lp">MIDDLE EAST WEATHER </a> </div> <img height="5" hspace="0" vspace="0" border="0" width="1" alt="" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif"/><br/> <div class="ddt"></div> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><form method="post" action="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/openurl.pl"><tr><td> <select name="link" class="formatStyle" onchange="if (this.options[selectedIndex].value != '') location.href=this.options[selectedIndex].value"> <option value="#">Select a city:</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0245">Abu Dhabi</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0078">Algiers</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0246">Amman</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=2047">Baghdad</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0248">Bahrain</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0249">Beirut</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=1097">Brazzaville</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=2086">Brunei</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0080">Cairo</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0250">Damascus</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=2162">Doha</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=1143">Djibouti</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=4442">Jerusalem</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0076">Kuwait</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=2421">Mumbai</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=2426">Muscat</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0257">Riyadh</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=2560">Sana</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0258">Tehran</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0135">Tripoli</option> <option value="http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?world=0079">Tunis</option> </select> <input border="0" type="image" src="/web/20090421200632im_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/img/v3/go_button.gif" value="GO"> </td></tr></form></table> </div> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="1" height="10" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" class="" hspace="0"><br/>   <div class="serviceStripPromo"> <h4>ELSEWHERE ON THE BBC</h4> <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/promo/click/intnews/WSPRESS16/-/promo/2009/wk16/wordpress/"><img alt="World Have Your Say . BBC World Service." border="0" width="190" height="57" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://www.bbc.co.uk/promo/2009/wk16/6057_whys_190x57.gif"/></a> </div>   </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td><td valign="top" class="gffffff" width="14"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif" width="14" height="1" alt="" border="0" vspace="0" hspace="0"></td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/ffffff.gif" width="974" height="10" alt="" border="0"><br/> <img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/ffffff.gif" width="974" height="10" alt="" border="0"><br/>  <div class="blq-toplink"><a href="#top"><span>Skip to top</span></a></div> <div class="servicev4 ifs_services"> <h4>PRODUCTS & SERVICES</h4> <ul> <li class="emailnews"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/go/news/int/story/services/-/email/news">E-mail news</a></li> <li class="mobiles"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/news/int/story/services/-/1/hi/help/6358397.stm">Mobiles</a></li> <li class="alerts"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/news/int/story/services/-/1/hi/help/4735697.stm">Alerts</a></li> <li class="newsfeeds"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/news/int/story/services/-/1/hi/help/3223484.stm">News feeds</a></li> <li class="podcast"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbcworldservice.com/podcasts">Podcasts</a></li> </ul> <div class="clear"></div> </div> <div id="bbccom_bottom" class="bbccom_display_none"> <script type="text/javascript">BBC.adverts.write("bottom");</script> </div> <script type="text/javascript">BBC.adverts.show("bottom");</script> <div id="bbccomWebBug" class="bbccomWebBug"></div> <script type="text/javascript" src="/web/20090421200632js_/http://news.bbc.co.uk/js/app/bbccom/vs.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632js_/http://js.revsci.net/gateway/gw.js?csid=J08781"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> DM_tag(); </script> <div id="blq-nav-container" lang="en-GB" class="blq-nav-orange blq-rst"> <h2>Explore the BBC</h2> <div id="blq-nav-links" class="blq-nojs"> <div id="blq-nav-links-inner"> <p id="blq-home"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/home/-/home/d/">Home</a></p> <h3 class="blq-hide">Popular links</h3> <ul id="blq-popular"><li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/">The Apprentice</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/heroes/">Heroes</a></li> <li class="blq-last"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/f1/">Formula One</a></li></ul> <h3 class="blq-hide">BBC links A to F</h3> <ol class="blq-nav-sub blq-first"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/iplayer/-/iplayer/">BBC iPlayer</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/cbbc/-/cbbc/">CBBC</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/cbeebies/-/cbeebies/">CBeebies</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/food/-/food/">Food</a></li> </ol> <h3 class="blq-hide">BBC links H to L</h3> <ol class="blq-nav-sub"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/health/-/health/">Health</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/history/-/history/">History</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/learning/-/learning/">Learning</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/local/-/local/">Local & Nations</a></li> </ol> <h3 class="blq-hide">BBC links M to Sc</h3> <ol class="blq-nav-sub"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/music/-/music/">Music</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/news/-/news/">News</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/radio/-/radio/">Radio</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/sn/-/sn/">Science & Nature</a></li> </ol> <h3 class="blq-hide">BBC links Sp to W</h3> <ol class="blq-nav-sub"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/sport/-/news/sport/">Sport</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/tv/-/tv/">TV</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/weather/-/weather/">Weather</a></li> </ol> <p id="blq-more"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/nav/more/-/a-z/">A whole lot more</a></p> </div> <div id="blq-nav-foot"><div><p class="blq-hide"><a href="#top">To top</a></p></div></div> </div> </div> <div id="blq-footer" lang="en-gb" class="blq-rst"> <div id="blq-footerlinks"> <h2 class="blq-hide">Site Links</h2> <ul id="blq-sitelinks"> <li><a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3281815.stm">News Sources</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/default.stm">About BBC News</a></li> </ul> <h2 class="blq-hide">BBC links</h2> <ul id="blq-bbclinks"> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/foot/info/-/info/">About the BBC</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/foot/help/-/help/">BBC Help</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ifs/hi/feedback/default.stm" hreflang="en-GB">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/foot/accessibility/-/accessibility/">Accessibility Help</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/foot/terms/-/terms/">Terms of Use</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/foot/jobs/-/jobs/">Jobs</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/foot/privacy/-/privacy/">Privacy & Cookies</a></li> <li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632/http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/blq/foot/dotcom/-/bbc.com/furtherinformation/" hreflang="en-GB">Advertise With Us</a></li> </ul> </div> <p id="blq-copyright"><img src="https://web.archive.org/web/20090421200632im_/http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/v4/footer_blocks_grey.gif" width="68" height="21" alt="BBC"/> © MMIX</p> <p id="blq-disclaimer">The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.</p> </div> <div id="blq-obit" lang="en-GB"><strong>This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.</strong></div> <script language="JavaScript" type="text/javascript">  </script> <map name="world_map" id="world_map"> <area alt="Americas" coords="0,0,34,53" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/default.stm"/> <area alt="Africa" shape="poly" coords="37,25,37,51,52,51,52,33,48,33,48,31,40,31" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/default.stm"/> <area alt="Europe" shape="poly" coords="35,2,66,2,66,12,56,12,56,20,37,20" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/europe/default.stm"/> <area alt="Middle East" shape="poly" coords="44,24,57,24,58,50,55,50,55,31,52,28,44,28" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/middle_east/default.stm"/> <area alt="South Asia" coords="60,24,67,49" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/south_asia/default.stm"/> <area alt="Asia Pacific" shape="poly" coords="71,2,89,3,88,51,69,51,69,20,62,20,62,16,71,16" href="/web/20090421200632/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/asia-pacific/default.stm"/> </map> <br/> </div> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

BBC NEWS | Middle East