Middle East

By Agencies

Iranian election authorities say several high-profile politicians, including reformists and allies of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the outgoing president, have registered for presidential elections to be held on June 14.

Read more: Senior Iran officials join presidential race

By Agencies

A leader of one of the youth movements behind Egypt's 2011 uprising has been detained by security forces, officials have told reporters.

Read more: Tahrir Square youth leader arrested in Cairo

By Agencies

The Saudi government has warned that illegal foreign workers risk being slapped with prison sentences and fines after a three-month grace period runs out on July 3.

Read more: Saudi threatens illegal workers with prison

By Agencies

The retrial of Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's former president, over his role in the deaths of protesters during the country's uprising has been adjourned to June 8 till the presiding judge has gone through the new evidence.

Read more: Mubarak retrial adjourned to June

By Agencies

A bombing at a Sunni mosque near Baghdad killed three worshippers and wounded seven others, police said, reflecting rising sectarian tensions across Iraq, AP news agency reported.

Read more: Blast kills mosque worshippers in Iraq

By Agencies

The head of Hezbollah has said he is ready to receive "game-changing" weapons from Syria, which has long been a conduit for Iranian weapons bound for the Lebanese armed group.

Read more: Hezbollah says Syria will send it new weapons

By Agencies

Iraq's central government has said it would not accept armed groups entering its territory as Kurdish militants began withdrawing from Turkey under a peace deal.

Read more: Baghdad opposes PKK armed groups in Iraq

By Agencies

A Finnish couple and an Austrian student abducted in Yemen by al-Qaeda fighters more than four months ago have been freed and handed over to Omani authorities, a Yemeni official said.

Read more: Abducted European hostages freed in Yemen

By Agencies

John Kerry, the US secretary of state, has said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will have to step down as part of any political solution in Syria.

Read more: Kerry: Assad cannot be part of Syria solution

By Agencies

US Secretary of State John Kerry has said he will depart in two weeks on another trip to the Middle East to push peace between Israel and the Palestinians as he seeks to breathe fresh life into the talks stalled since late 2010.

Read more: Kerry in new push for Israel-Palestine talks