Iran’s rulers stiffen stance against protesters, keep troops on streets to stop rallies

CAIRO — Iran’s rulers stiffened their stance against protesters Tuesday, firmly rejecting demands to annul the election over fraud allegations, setting up a special court for detained demonstrators, and keeping troops in riot gear on the streets to break up any gatherings.

‘Air of sadness’ sweeps Iran as regime issues sternest warning yet to election protesters

CAIRO — Riot police cracked down anew on demonstrators in Iran’s capital on Monday hours after the feared Revolutionary Guard threatened to crush any further post-election protests. A witness described an “air of sadness” marked by people wailing prayers into the night.

Analysis of Iranian election results casts doubt on Ahmadinejad’s victory

CAIRO — An analysis by a British think tank highlights profound differences between voting patterns in Iran’s recent election and hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s first victory in 2005, casting doubt on whether they could have occurred without manipulation.

Iran election turmoil bodes ill for country’s struggling oil industry, economy

CAIRO — Political uncertainty and unrest in the wake of Iran’s disputed presidential election are casting a deeper pall on the country’s prospects of a near-term economic recovery, with the vital oil sector likely to witness a stasis it can ill afford amid faltering production and investments.

Turmoil at home could distract Iran from expanding regional muscle

CAIRO — Iran has had an impressive run for the past decade — expanding its regional muscle through proxy militias, its expanding missile capabilities and its big brother role with Iraq’s Shiites after the toppling of arch-foe Saddam Hussein.

Amateur video turns young woman bleeding on street into icon of Iranian unrest

CAIRO — She lies in the Tehran street with her headscarf half-off, blood pooling around her jeans and white sneakers.

World’s media innovates and adapts to Iran’s information clampdown

CAIRO — Protesters and security forces gather. They collide in a cloud of tear gas and a shower of rocks and bottles.

Senior cleric Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani may be playing key role in Iran’s escalating crisis

CAIRO — One of Iran’s most powerful men may be playing a key role behind closed doors in the country’s escalating postelection crisis.

Feared Basij militia could turn Iran’s post-election showdown into all-out street fight

CAIRO — They’re the most feared men on the streets of Iran.

International human rights organizations say Iranian protesters, reformists detained

CAIRO — International human rights organizations said Wednesday that many prominent activists and politicians have been arrested in Iran in response to protests over the country’s disputed presidential election.

Despite the high stakes, Arabs largely silent on Iranian election and unrest

CAIRO — Key Arab nations have kept silent about Iran’s political upheaval, possibly reluctant to antagonize the powerful nation that sponsors such militant groups as Hezbollah and Hamas.

Despite the high stakes, Arabs largely silent on Iranian elections and unrest

CAIRO — Key Arab nations have kept silent about Iran’s political upheaval, possibly reluctant to antagonize the powerful nation sponsoring such militant groups as Hezbollah and Hamas. But there are signs the young and reform-minded are inspired by mass protests over the disputed election.

Wiesenthal Center appeals Berlin prosecutor’s decision not to investigate case of Nazi doctor

BERLIN — The Simon Wiesenthal Center is appealing a Berlin prosecutors’ office decision to drop an investigation into whether the family or attorneys of Nazi war criminal Aribert Heim lied about whether he was dead, the agency’s top Nazi-hunter said Wednesday.

Iran’s ruling clerics face public anger; they are expected to survive but will Ahmadinejad?

CAIRO — Iran’s Islamic regime has survived a devastating war with Iraq, strong American sanctions and international isolation in its 30 years of power. It has seen reformist and hard-line presidents come and go, with barely a flinch.

Iran bars journalists for foreign media from firsthand reporting on the streets

CAIRO — Iranian authorities are restricting all journalists working for foreign media from firsthand reporting on the streets.

California-born al-Qaida spokesman says his grandfather was Jewish

CAIRO — Al-Qaida’s American spokesman said in a message released over the weekend that his grandfather was Jewish and encouraged him to visit Israel and meet relatives there.

In chaotic aftermath of Iran elections, some turn to Twitter to fill the information void

CAIRO — An opposition activist spreads word of an upcoming protest in the streets of Tehran. Another posts pictures of clashes between demonstrators and police.

The speed of Iran’s presidential vote count and lack of detailed data fuel fraud suspicions

CAIRO — How do you count almost 40 million handwritten paper ballots in a matter of hours and declare a winner? That’s a key question in Iran’s disputed presidential election.

Iran’s supreme leader moves into role as political referee after disputed election

CAIRO — Iran’s violence-tinged election dispute has pushed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the state’s most powerful figure, into the high-profile role of political referee.

US-born al-Qaida spokesman Adam Gadahn says that his grandfather was Jewish

CAIRO — Al-Qaida’s American spokesman said in a message released over the weekend that his grandfather was Jewish and encouraged him to visit Israel and meet relatives there.

Iran puts wide curbs on media as street protests rage in wake of disputed election results

CAIRO — Iranian authorities criticized international media reports and took steps to control the flow of information from independent news sources as anti-government protests raged in the country for a second day Sunday.

Saudi’s Kingdom Holding picks Dubai’s Emaar to oversee development of world’s tallest building

CAIRO — The Saudi investment firm run by a Saudi billionaire with a big Citigroup stake is pressing ahead with plans to build the world’s tallest building despite the global meltdown.

US urges Arabs to make concessions to convince Israelis to resume peace talks, say officials

CAIRO — Egyptian officials said Thursday that America’s Mideast envoy has urged Arab nations to reopen Israeli diplomatic missions and take other steps to normalize relations immediately as incentives for the Jewish state to revive the peace process with Palestinians.

Former President Jimmy Carter says Mideast peace not possible without Hamas

DAMASCUS, Syria — Former President Jimmy Carter Thursday reiterated that there can be no peace between Israel and the Palestinians without involving the militant group Hamas.

Al-Qaida leader in Afghanistan says militants are short on funds

CAIRO — Al-Qaida’s top commander in Afghanistan urged Turkish Muslims in a new audio message to send money to militants fighting coalition troops in the country, saying they are low on funds.

Egypt’s president praises Obama’s outreach to Muslim world as welcome change from Bush

CAIRO — Egypt’s president praised President Barack Obama on Wednesday, saying his outreach to the Muslim world is a welcome change from the policies of his predecessor.

Hamas leader says halt in Israeli settlement construction is ‘essential step’

CAIRO — The top leader of the militant Hamas group said Tuesday that President Barack Obama’s pressure on Israel to freeze construction in West Bank settlements was an essential step toward restarting peace efforts.

Text of President Barack Obama’s speech at Cairo University in Egypt

Text of President Barack Obama’s speech at Cairo University, as provided by CQ Transcriptions.

Saudi conglomerate Saad Group pushes ahead with restructuring amid debt woes

CAIRO — A privately held Saudi Arabian conglomerate facing stiff financial troubles because of defaults has denied reports its accounts in Kuwait were frozen, and said it was pushing ahead with debt restructuring plans.

Lebanon’s pro-Western majority declares victory over Hezbollah in key Lebanese elections

BEIRUT — Lebanon’s pro-Western coalition declared victory early Monday, as local television stations reported the faction had successfully fended off a serious challenge by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah and its allies to grab the majority in parliament.