<![CDATA[NTDTV - Middle East / Africa]]>

<![CDATA[NTDTV - Middle East / Africa]]> http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/index.html <![CDATA[Egyptians Prepare to Vote in Presidential Election]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 23:02:11 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-22/egyptians-prepare-to-vote-in-presidential-election.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-22/egyptians-prepare-to-vote-in-presidential-election.html

Fishermen on the Mediterranean in Alexandria, Egypt.

It's a tough way to make a living, in a country where nearly half of all Egyptians live on less than $2 a day.

On Wednesday, Egyptians will go to the polls for the first time in six decades for a presidential election whose outcome no one knows in advance.

Many are looking for help.

[Mohamed Abdel Mohsen, Egyptian Fisherman]:

"What I need from the next president is to take care of the people and to meet their essential needs, which we are lacking nowadays."

Local surveys indicate that one in four Egyptians live below the poverty line. The nation is crippled by widespread illiteracy, lack of food and medical supplies and inadequate access to clean water.

[Ibrahim Mohamed, Egyptian Fisherman]:

"We need a good monthly pension. It should be raised so we have enough to live. We want cheap food prices. The excessive prices drive us mad, we are not able to survive."

Twelve candidates are competing in the race for the presidency after the public uprising that put an end to Hosni Mubarak's autocratic regime in February last year.

The first round takes place on May 23 and 24, with a possible run-off on June 16 and 17. About 50 million of Egypt's 82 million population are eligible to vote.

In Cairo, preparations are under way. Ballot boxes are delivered, as polling stations are set up.

If no candidate wins more than 50 percent in the first round, the top two vote-getters will fight it in a run-off in June. The army has pledged to hand power to the new president by July 1, and insists it is not siding with any candidate.

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0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 0 <![CDATA[Suicide Blast Kills Scores in Yemen Capital]]> Mon, 21 May 2012 23:03:25 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-21/suicide-blast-kills-scores-in-yemen-capital.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-21/suicide-blast-kills-scores-in-yemen-capital.html

Yemeni officers run to help their fallen comrades after they hear a large explosion during a military parade rehearsal.

Scores were killed by the blast caused by a suicide bomber, dressed in army uniform.

More than 90 people were killed and 60 wounded ... and the death toll is rising.

Officers were horrified by the scene:

[Slaim Al-Wasie'i, Military Battalion Officer]:

"We deplore this criminal act, this is a massacre. We were standing in the military parade, getting ready for the next stage, when we suddenly heard a strong explosion, and we saw blood and legs flying everywhere, arms and legs flying in the air. The information we have from the hospital is that there are between 80 and 100 casualties, including both dead and injured."

Military sources say Yemen's defense minister and chief of staff were present, but were unhurt in the blast.

The explosion coincided with a U.S.-backed offensive against al-Qaeda-linked militants in the south, which has seen heavy fighting over the weekend.

The parade was set to be part of Yemen's national day celebration scheduled for Tuesday to commemorate the unification of the north and south.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 15 <![CDATA[Rebels Shell Governent Troops in the Democratic Republic of Congo]]> Mon, 21 May 2012 23:01:01 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-21/rebels-shell-governent-troops-in-the-democratic-republic-of-congo.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-21/rebels-shell-governent-troops-in-the-democratic-republic-of-congo.html

The sound of heavy fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Government troops are moving toward the front line on Sunday to face off against the rebel M23 group, amid reports of heavy shelling.

Clashes erupted last month after Congolese President Joseph Kabila sought to arrest General Bosco Ntaganda, known as the "Terminator," who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

Hundreds of residents have been forced to flee their villages, escaping to areas controlled by government soldiers.

Thousands of others have already fled to Rwanda and Uganda in recent weeks.

The violence has left many children orphaned, and reports of rape are on the rise.

[Mary Ngabire, Rutshuru Resident]:

"We are afraid of the ongoing war, women are being raped, and we are not able to go to the farms so we are very afraid."

The ICC has been seeking Ntaganda's arrest since 2006 on charges of conscripting child soldiers into his rebel militia.

It announced new charges this week including murder, ethnic persecution and rape.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 31 <![CDATA[Second South Sudan Refugee Exodus]]> Sat, 19 May 2012 01:40:35 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-19/second-south-sudan-refugee-exodus.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-19/second-south-sudan-refugee-exodus.html

Refugees from the world's newest nation, South Sudan, seek shelter in Kenya, as homeland conflict rages.

Thousands of refugees left Kenya to return home when the South gained independence from Sudan, almost a year ago.

But here at Kakuma camp, the cycle of exodus now repeats itself.

[Guy Avognon, U.N. High Commission for Refugees]:
"The camp was down to around 30 percent of its former capacity that means more than 50,000 people left during that time but we are now back to the pre-2007 numbers, even above, because by 2007 we were in the range of between 80 even 90,000. Right now we are getting closer and closer to 100,000."

The reason is renewed conflict between Sudan and its southern neighbour. About 1,200 South Sudanese refugees are pouring into this camp each month, fleeing war and hunger.

[Nyibol Maria, South Sudanese Refugee]:
"We have a lot of problems in our country, I just decided to come here because my village was raided and my husband and some children from a house near mine were killed. I ran away at night and it took me three weeks to get here."

Since independence, South Sudan has accused its northern neighbour of aerial bombing raids, a charge routinely denied by Khartoum.

Last month's fighting broke out amid disputes over oil exports, border demarcation, citizenship rights and financial arrangements.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 33 <![CDATA[Al Qaeda in Syria? The U.N. Seems to Think so]]> Sat, 19 May 2012 01:36:46 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-19/al-qaeda-in-syria-the-u-n-seems-to-think-so.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-19/al-qaeda-in-syria-the-u-n-seems-to-think-so.html

Twin suicide car bombs exploded in Damascus last week, killing 55 people.

The blasts come as the deadliest attacks in the Syrian capital since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March of 2011.

On Thursday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he believed al Qaeda was behind the attacks.

The arrival of al Qaeda into the Syrian conflict would be worrying, the UN monitoring mission's head in Syria, Robert Mood says, but in his mind, it's not yet confirmed.

[Major-General Robert Mood, Head of U.N. Monitoring Mission]:
"This is the kind of violence that is obviously impossible at this stage to decide where it came from, by whom. But, there is a worrying incident on worrying trends related to these incidents. I can not confirm that we have groups in the country linked to those you mentioned, but I am concerned about the incidents where explosives, improvised devices are targeting innocent civilians, innocent people because it is not going to help the situation."

Unarmed U.N. monitors in Syria are currently observing an unraveling truce brokered by U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 25 <![CDATA[Afghanistan Security Anxieties Ahead of NATO Summit]]> Sat, 19 May 2012 01:25:41 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-19/afghanistan-security-anxieties-ahead-of-nato-summit.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-19/afghanistan-security-anxieties-ahead-of-nato-summit.html

NATO allies are preparing to gather in Chicago on Sunday to discuss the future of security in Afghanistan, as analysts warn that the conflict is far from over.

Foreign combat troops are set to withdraw by the end of 2014, when local security forces will take full control of the beleaguered state.

The United States and NATO partners are expected to announce commitments worth 1.3 billion dollars a year.

However, Afghan President Hamid Karzai says he wants at least 2 billion dollars a year from Washington.

Afghans in Taliban free areas worry the that group may move in when the deterrence of international troops disappears.

Some like this man in Kabul worry Afghanistan's neighbour's will take advantage of the situation.

[Farid Ahmad, Kabul Resident]:
"There is a need for the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan because of the threat from our neighbouring countries like Iran and Pakistan. It has now been proven to the whole world that our neighbours give shelter and training to terrorists and send them to Afghanistan to destabilise it."

Other Afghans say, if enough equipment is provided, local forces should be capable of ensuring security for Afghanistan.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 19 <![CDATA[Expectations Running High in Egypt's Presidential Elections]]> Sat, 19 May 2012 01:20:51 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-19/expectations-running-high-in-egypt-s-presidential-elections.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-19/expectations-running-high-in-egypt-s-presidential-elections.html

Expectations are high as Egyptian voters look forward to electing a new president next week.

Twelve candidates are competing in the first presidential elections since the popular uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak last year.

[Ahmed Eid Ali, Supermarket Owner]
"The first thing we need is security. We need to deal with unemployment and get jobs for the people. Egyptians who have graduated from universities with degrees sit at local coffee shops all day doing nothing. So we need all of these people to work, we need a president to find jobs for them, find them land or factories to work in."

Others see a need for guidance through the transition to democracy.

[Shahira Amin, Egyptian Journalist]
"What we need is someone who will realise stability but also listen to the needs of the people which are dignity, bread, social justice, freedom, democracy - real democracy. And of course we need to educate the public because we're taking our first, very small steps, towards democracy and it's a long process. So we need him to walk us down that road.''

The presidential contest, which gets underway on May 23, has become a two-horse race as polls put moderate Islamist Abdel Moneim Abol Futouh and liberal-minded Amr Moussa neck and neck.

While Islamist parties surprised many with the extent of their victory in the parliamentary elections, polls suggest that religion may play a less prominent role in winning the hearts and minds of Egyptian voters in the landmark presidential elections.

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0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 44 <![CDATA[Six Killed in Taliban Suicide Attack]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 04:21:36 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_asia/2012-05-18/six-killed-in-taliban-suicide-attack.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_asia/2012-05-18/six-killed-in-taliban-suicide-attack.html

Six policemen are killed in Afghanistan when Taliban insurgents dressed as police officers attacked the compound of the provincial governor of Farah.

Wearing suicide vests and armed with rocket-propelled grenades, the attackers raided the compound in the war-torn province.

[Mohammad Ghos Malya, Police Head of Security, Farah Province]:

"The attackers were armed with AK-47, grenade and RPG. They launched the attack against the provincial office. Six policemen were martyred and three others wounded. There were also nine civilians killed in this attack."

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 12 <![CDATA[Nigerian Robbers Accidentally Blow up Own Bus]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 04:18:02 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-18/nigerian-robbers-accidentally-blow-up-own-bus.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-18/nigerian-robbers-accidentally-blow-up-own-bus.html

Authorities say a suspected armed robber is killed when explosives he was transporting accidentally went off in the center of Nigeria's main oil city of Port Harcourt Thursday.

The blast ripped through a minibus carrying at least three suspected robbers, four AK-47 rifles and a large amount of ammunition.

Authorities toured the scene, confirming that the blast was not the work of a suicide bomber but an accident caused by the robbers.

An eyewitness describes what happened.

[Kingsley Chukwu, Road Safety Official]:

"We saw it was a bomb blast...the driver ran away, the conductor died in the blast because bomb lift him up and we can confirm those who planned this bomb."

Port Harcourt is at the heart of Nigeria's tmore than wo million barrels per day oil industry.

It has been plagued by militant groups and criminal gangs hoping to cash in on the money it generates.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 2656 <![CDATA[Syrian Activist Captures Shelling on Video]]> Fri, 18 May 2012 04:12:34 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-18/syrian-activist-captures-shelling-on-video.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-18/syrian-activist-captures-shelling-on-video.html

A Syrian activist captures the moment that a shell falls on the town of Rastan, Syria.

The shell strikes a near deserted street surrounded by damaged buildings which bear the signs of heavy shelling.

Opposition sources say government forces killed at least 9 people and wounded 40 others in an offensive to retake Rastan from the Free Syrian Army.

The video was among several uploaded to a social media website on Wednesday and cannot be independently verified.

Another video shows shelling and gun fire in al-Husn in Homs.

Meanwhile in Damascus, hundreds of protesters rallied in an anti-Assad demonstration.

Demonstrators were chanting for revenge against Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad and his bother Maher, a military commander.

Violence has plagued Syria for the past 14 months since mass protests began against decades of Assad family rule.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 88 <![CDATA[Over 20 Killed in Syrian Army Attack on Funeral]]> Wed, 16 May 2012 23:34:44 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-16/over-20-killed-in-syrian-army-attack-on-funeral.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-16/over-20-killed-in-syrian-army-attack-on-funeral.html

Amateur video purports to show an attack in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun.

The footage was uploaded to a social media website and could not be independently verified by Reuters.

Activists say at least 21 people were killed. Rebels and pro-government forces blamed each other for the bloodshed.

One rebel fighter says Syrian troops opened fire on a funeral procession.

[Member of Free Syrian Army Rebels]:

"I'm Lieutenant Ala'a Katainy, the head of the Waleed al-Nisr Martyrs bridge in Khan Sheikhoun. On May the 15th and during the visit of the international monitors to Khan Sheikhoun town, security forces and Shabiha militia opened fire on a funeral procession for one of our martyrs, thanks to God we were able to destroy one of the regime's tanks."

Four members of a United Nations monitoring team were caught in the battle and said they were in rebel hands.

One of the monitors contacted by phone did not reply when asked if they were being held prisoner.

A rebel spokesman said a safe exit was being sought for them.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 64 <![CDATA[Lethal Grenade Attack at Kenyan Nightclub]]> Wed, 16 May 2012 23:29:20 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-16/lethal-grenade-attack-at-kenyan-nightclub.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-16/lethal-grenade-attack-at-kenyan-nightclub.html

At least one person was killed when attackers detonated grenades outside this nightclub in the Kenyan city of Mombasa.

Police said the attackers opened fire randomly and hurled the grenades after guards stopped them getting inside the club.

[Ambrose Munyasia, Mombasa Provincial Criminal Investigation Officer]:

"From the evidence we have gathered so far it appears there were three explosions and all of them were near this road."

At least five other people were wounded in the attack.

[Gregory Obiero, Man Wounded in Attack]:

"I heard a blast followed by smoke, then fire. I wanted to run away but I couldn't tell whether it came from a car or was thrown by someone but I saw a metallic object rolling, which then burst into flames with a lot of smoke."

The coastal city of Mombasa is a popular holiday destination for Kenyans and foreigners.

It's the latest in a series of attacks since Kenyan troops went into Somalia to crush Islamist militants.

More than 10 people have lost their lives in the attacks in Mombasa and Nairobi.

Kenya's government says al Shabaab militants who merged with al Qaeda earlier this year are behind a national surge in violence and kidnappings.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 88 <![CDATA[Nakba Clashes Erupt in West Bank]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 23:48:55 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/nakba-clashes-erupt-in-west-bank.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/nakba-clashes-erupt-in-west-bank.html

Clashes erupt in the West Bank, as Palestinians mark Nakba Day, commemorating 64 years since their displacement after the creation of Israel in 1948.

At the Qalandia checkpoint between Ramallah and Jerusalem, protesting youth throw stones at Israeli military forces who respond with rubber coated metal bullets, stun grenades and tear gas.

In the West Bank city of Hebron, a handful of youth hurl stones and block entrances to the divided city with dozens of rocks

Thousands of Palestinians also attended a march through Gaza City, waving Palestinian flags and holding keys to symbolise the homes they lost when they were displaced.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh addressed the crowd.

[Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas Leader]:

"Despite the passing time he (the Palestinian refugee) is more attached to his land, his rights and Jerusalem. Refugees will return, and to Zionists who say that old people will die and the young people will forget, we say the old people bequeath and the youth will walk in their footsteps."

Israeli military forces were on high alert along the nation's northern frontier, patrolling the border with Syria.

Last year, violence in the area left at least 13 Palestinians dead following a border breach in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

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0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 9 <![CDATA[Palestinians Rejoice Over End of Hunger Strike]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 23:42:45 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/palestinians-rejoice-over-end-of-hunger-strike.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/palestinians-rejoice-over-end-of-hunger-strike.html

An emotional moment for Palestinians as a hunger strike by 1,600 prisoners ends.

Gaza City residents celebrate an Egypt-brokered deal to end the prisoner strike against Israeli detention practices including solitary confinement, bans on family visits and jailing without trial.

Most of the prisoners began refusing food on April 17, with some who started even earlier fasting for more than two and a half months.

Israel agreed to end solitary confinement for 19 prisoners and allow more family visits, as well as freeing detainees when they complete their terms unless they are brought to court.

Upon hearing the news, family members at a solidarity protest for the prisoners rejoiced.

An Israeli government spokesman said he hoped the decision would advance the rocky Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

[Mark Regev, Spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister]:

"In response to a request from Palestinian President Abbas, Israel has negotiated an end to the strike. It is our hope that this measure by Israel will help to build confidence between the parties and to forward peace."

The prisoners on strike included militants from Islamist movements Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which reject peace with Israel.

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0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 17 <![CDATA[Sudanese Hide in Caves en Masse from Aerial Bombs]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 08:16:34 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/sudanese-hide-in-caves-en-masse-from-aerial-bombs.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/sudanese-hide-in-caves-en-masse-from-aerial-bombs.html

Seeking safety in the Nuba mountains in Sudan.

The bitter war between Sudan and South Sudan is taking a heavy toll on the Sudanese, as civilians flee to rocky hills seeking shelter from the bombing.

[Nafisa Juad, War Amputee]:

"Because we fear the weapons, the fighter jets and helicopter gunships, we hid in the caves.

Local authorities say about 100,000 people are living in caves, scrambling to stay alive.

[Nafisa Juad, War Amputee]:

"There is no food. This is what we eat, the seeds and leaves of trees."

On Wednesday South Sudan accused Sudan's armed forces of carrying out fresh bombing raids on border areas. Khartoum routinely denies such accusations.

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0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 21 <![CDATA[NATO General - Afghans On Track to Handle Security in 2014]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 08:00:56 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/nato-general-afghans-on-track-to-handle-security-in-2014.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/nato-general-afghans-on-track-to-handle-security-in-2014.html

The civilian death toll declines in Afghanistan.

The United Nations is reporting that after five years of mounting civilian causalities, the death tolls was down 20 percent in the first four months of the year.

Protecting civilians is one of the prime tenets of the Afghan counter-insurgency strategy.

Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson in Kabul was made available to Reuters by the Pentagon.

[Carsten Jacobson, U.S. Brigadier General, NATO]:

"We have to take every step that is possible to protect the population as this is the prime target and the prime task of the international security assistance force."

Following a series of recent civilian casualties blamed on NATO, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said this week a strategic partnership agreement signed with the United States earlier this month was at risk of becoming "meaningless" if Afghans do not feel safe.

Ties between Kabul and Washington have already been strained over a string of incidents involving U.S. forces this year, including the killing of Afghan villagers for which a U.S. soldier was charged and the inadvertent burning of copies of the Koran.

With NATO's international Security Assistance Force hoping to hand over full responsibility to Afghan forces by the end of 2014, Jacobson is confident those forces will be up for the job.

[Carsten Jacobson, U.S. Brigadier General, NATO]:

"It really takes the civilian population to believe that their security forces can protect them and we are very confident that we will move them there within the next two and a half years."

On Sunday, Karzai is expected to announce the transfer of more than 20 districts to Afghan control in the third phase of the handover.

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0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 15 <![CDATA[Egypt Holds First Ever Presidential Debate]]> Tue, 15 May 2012 07:55:40 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/egypt-holds-first-ever-presidential-debate.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-15/egypt-holds-first-ever-presidential-debate.html

Egyptian presidential hopefuls Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh trade barbs about their past in an election debate.

One is a veteran diplomat who once served as Mubarak's foreign minister.

The other an Islamist who was jailed by his administration.

Now Abol Fotouh and Moussa are front runners in the race to replace the deposed president.

In the debate, Fotouh questions Moussa's credibility because he was a minister in the old regime.

[Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh, Presidential Candidate]:

"There is a rule that says the one who created the problem cannot solve it. We revolted against this regime."

[Amr Moussa, Presidential Candidate]:

"I can also say that you too were silent. You used to defend the positions of the Muslim Brotherhood, not Egyptian interests but the position of the institution itself. So, the opposition concerned you, not Egypt nor the situation in Egypt. I opposed the situation in Egypt and I was a foreign minister serving Egyptian interests and therefore there was full support from the people of the position of the foreign minister.''

Such a debate would have been unthinkable under the old regime deposed in a mass uprising 15 months ago.

Viewers across Egypt tuned in to watch the contenders battle it out ahead of the historic elections in May.

The debate is the first of a series of face offs between the presidential candidates.

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0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0 13 <![CDATA[Mortal Clashes Erupt in Syria's Rastan]]> Mon, 14 May 2012 22:35:10 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-14/mortal-clashes-erupt-in-syria-s-rastan.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-14/mortal-clashes-erupt-in-syria-s-rastan.html

Rebels killed 23 Syrian soldiers on Monday, according to a rights group opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, in battles around the town of Rastan.

The fighting on the outskirts of Rastan followed heavy army shelling of the town, in which opposition sources said at least nine people were killed.

This amateur video which was posted to a social media website purports to show Monday's fighting.

Reuters is unable to independently verify it, due to the Syrian authorities' restrictions on the media.

Rastan is 25 kilometers north of Homs, and has slipped in and out of government control several times since the uprising against Assad's rule began in March of last year.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said fighting began at dawn on Monday, and that rebels had destroyed three armored personnel carriers, seized two others, and captured around 15 soldiers.

Rastan has in the past been a major source of Sunni Muslim conscripts who provide most of the manpower in Syria's military.

But officers from Rastan began defecting after security forces shot dead dozens of demonstrators in the town, and arrested many notable citizens.

The area was the scene of the first serious armed confrontation between army defectors and loyalist forces last year.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 35 <![CDATA[Deadly Blasts Stun Damascus]]> Fri, 11 May 2012 03:38:51 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-11/deadly-blasts-stun-damascus.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-11/deadly-blasts-stun-damascus.html

A huge bomb blast echoes through what is purportedly the Syrian capital - captured by an amateur videographer and uploaded to a social media website.

It's one of two blasts that went off in Damascus early Thursday morning, killing scores and wounding more than 100 others.

Syrian state television said the explosions, one of which left a giant crater surrounded by destroyed cars and damaged buildings, were the work of "terrorists".

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least one of the explosions was caused by a car bomb, and that the target was government intelligence buildings.

The blasts caused limited damage to the nearby Palestine Branch Military Intelligence complex - one of the country's most feared secret police organizations.

U.N. ceasefire monitors visited the site shortly after the explosions went off - and were quickly surrounded by supporters of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

According to the United Nations, at least 9,000 people have been killed since a popular revolt began over a year ago.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 30 <![CDATA[Blast Hits Near U.N. Convoy in Syria]]> Thu, 10 May 2012 01:42:11 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-10/blast-hits-near-u-n-convoy-in-syria.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-10/blast-hits-near-u-n-convoy-in-syria.html

A large explosion hit cars accompanying United Nations ceasefire monitors in the southern Syrian province of Deraa on Wednesday, according to activists and state TV.

Up to eight Syrian guards were reportedly injured in the blast.

There have been no reports that any U.N. personnel were injured, but a local television channel said a number of cars were damaged, including one belonging to Syrian state media.

One Syrian soldier described what happened.

[Unidentified Syrian Soldier]:

"We were accompanying the delegation and after we crossed the checkpoint by 100 metres, the bomb exploded. A subaltern and five soldiers were injured. I am one of them. This means six soldiers and a subaltern."

Seventy unarmed observers are now in Syria - travelling between cities and towns where violence has flared.

The number of truce monitors is expected to double this week, and increase to 300 by the end of the month.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 30 <![CDATA[Fear in Congo as Army Clashes With Rebels]]> Thu, 10 May 2012 01:35:50 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-10/fear-in-congo-as-army-clashes-with-rebels.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-10/fear-in-congo-as-army-clashes-with-rebels.html

Tension presides over the region of Masisi in the Democratic Republic of Congo after clashes between government troops and rebel fighters.

The army says they routed General Bosco Ntaganda and his rebels, and is trying to reassure villagers that the fighting is over.

Government forces displayed weapons and ammunition that they say was left behind by the rebels when they fled.

But villagers say they are still afraid, and the situation remains tense.

[Kaurwa Muzingu, Masisi Administrator]:

"We are afraid and all the people are in fear because Ntagnda with his group were being pursued. We don't know where he is, he disappeared, we don't know where he is hiding. The army is scattered in the forest so the population is worried. Tomorrow or the day after, he could come back, because we know what has happened before with the army."

General Ntaganda is wanted by the International Criminal Court on charges he recruited children to fight in a bloody ethnic conflict in north-eastern Congo.

Congolese president Joseph Kabila previously resisted calls for his arrest, saying Ntaganda was a lynchpin in a fragile peace deal that integrated his fighters.

But he announced in mid April that he would try to arrest the renegade general as requested by the ICC.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 44 <![CDATA[Somali Rebel Attacks Kills Civilians]]> Tue, 08 May 2012 22:36:26 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_europe/2012-05-08/somali-rebel-attacks-kills-civilians.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_europe/2012-05-08/somali-rebel-attacks-kills-civilians.html

Residents of Mogadishu are mourning after several civilians were killed in a rebel attack on African Union forces late Monday night.

Al Shabaab militants, who are allied to Al Qaeda, fired shells at Burundi troops in Northern Mogadishu.

They missed their positions and hit two residential houses, killing at least seven civilians, and sparking a deadly overnight battle.

As people gathered to collect the bodies and offer prayers, a neighbor of the deceased recounted what had happened.

[Amina Ali, Neighbor of Dead Family]:

"Now you see, our neighbors' families died last night when artillery shelling landed behind their home. We are very shocked and sad to see this tragedy."

The overnight fighting took place in Mogadishu's northern Daynile district, the rebels' last position after an AU peacekeeping mission and Somali troops forced them out of the city last year.

Al Shabaab has waged a bloody five-year campaign to topple Somalia's Western-backed government and impose its harsh interpretation of Islamic Sharia law.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 30 <![CDATA[Israeli PM Pulls Together Surprise Coalition Government]]> Tue, 08 May 2012 22:36:09 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_europe/2012-05-08/israeli-pm-pulls-together-surprise-coalition-government.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_europe/2012-05-08/israeli-pm-pulls-together-surprise-coalition-government.html

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pulls out a last-minute coalition deal to avoid early elections.

The PM announced a unity government with the centrist Kadima Party that was put in place during a meeting overnight.

Netanyahu's party heralded the agreement, which gives the coalition 94 of parliament's 120 seats.

But opposition leaders called the deal corrupt and a conspiracy.

[Shelly Yachimovich, Labor Party Leader]:

"In the last 24 hours we witnessed the most contemptible and preposterous zigzag ever to be seen in Israel's political history. No one will forget this conspiracy, it will be remembered forever and be mentioned in the politics books used in universities. It will bite back those who executed it."

The coalition deal also took local residents by surprise.

[Avi Kimchi, Jerusalem Resident]:

"It's a surprise. They are supposed to set an example for the citizens, they are selling themselves for a seat and all to be in government. I'm very very surprised but if Bibi (Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) made such a move and was able to convince them, congratulations."

With plans for early elections on hold, Netanyahu now has more latitude to push his agenda, including potential strikes on Iran over its nuclear program.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 17 <![CDATA[Syrians Boycott Parliamentary Elections]]> Tue, 08 May 2012 00:52:19 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-08/syrians-boycott-parliamentary-elections.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-08/syrians-boycott-parliamentary-elections.html

Election day in Syria.

Amateur video shows a fake voting station with citizens mocking the nationwide parliamentary elections - casting votes for people who have been killed in the Syrian uprising.

In Hama - video which could not be independently verified by Reuters shows closed shops said to be on strike in protest against the poll.

Footage purportedly out of Amouda shows another fake ballot box with more names of those who have died in the revolt. Signs say 'Your vote is your dignity, don't waste your dignity''.

More signs of a boycott in the quiet streets of Idlib.

Syrian authorities view the parliamentary elections as a milestone of political reform.

The opposition has dismissed the vote as a facade.

And yet the demonstrations goes on.

Violence has continued in Syria since a UN backed ceasefire was declared in mid-April.

Unlike autocratic leaders who were toppled by the Arab Spring, President Bashar al Assad has kept enough support among the military to withstand the 14-month-old revolt.

The United Nations estimates that more than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising began last March.

The government blames the violence on foreign backed insurgent groups.

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0,0,0,0,1,0,0,0 26 <![CDATA[Dubai: 3rd Biggest Expo in World, Arabian Travel Market 2012]]> Tue, 08 May 2012 00:05:32 GMT EST http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-08/dubai-3rd-biggest-expo-in-world-arabian-travel-market-2012.html http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/news_middleeast_africa/2012-05-08/dubai-3rd-biggest-expo-in-world-arabian-travel-market-2012.html

In line with its ambition to set world records and poise itself as the tourist hub in the Middle East, Dubai has just played host to one the world's largest trade exhibitions.

And unsurprisingly, perhaps, the theme of the event is travel and tourism.

Called Arabian Travel Market 2012, the biggest event of its kind in the Middle East, featured over 2400 exhibitors from 87 countries.

[Abdullah Bin Suwaidan, Deputy Director, Overseas Promotions & Inward Missions]:

“The travel market 2012 is very important, it’s one of the biggest exhibitions in the world, the third actually biggest exhibition in the world.”

The event's organizers say it unlocks tourism business potential in the Middle East.

[Abdullah Bin Suwaidan, Deputy Director, Overseas Promotions & Inward Missions]:

“The theme as host is to attract new things for Dubai. Everything is Dubai is very new to attract the travel agencies and to attract the visitors to come to Dubai. We are expecting to receive more than 24,000 visitors in 4 days.”

Besides government programs to stimulate tourism, the fallout from the Arab Spring revolutions has helped Dubai grow as a tourist destination. In the region, Dubai is widely seen as a safe destination.

[Monika Canty, Editor of Arabian Travel News]:

“Dubai this year has been absolutely booming for tourists. I think they announced yesterday that tourist figures were 9 percent up and tourism revenue has increased. A lot of this I think has been to do with the Arab Spring, with countries around the region have been suffering so lots of the tourists have been coming in to Dubai."

The Arabian Travel Market exibition is fast approaching its 20th year in 2013, and preparations for the next edition are already underway.

NTD News, Dubai

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