At least one man has been shot dead and three others injured in clashes between security forces and Shia protesters in eastern Saudi Arabia region of Qatif. Issam Mohammed, 22, reportedly died when troops opened gunfire after demonstrators threw stones at them in the town of al-Awamiya. The violence came amid the first official visit of UK Prime Minister David Cameron, Bbc.co.uk reported.

Israel's Supreme Court has upheld a law banning Palestinians who spouse Israelis from getting Israeli citizenship. Civil rights activists had petitioned the court to annul the law, saying it was unconstitutional. "Human rights do not prescribe national suicide," Bbc.co.uk quotes judge Asher Grunis writing in the judgement as saying. The law was introduced in 2003, with its supporters expressing security concerns and the need to ensure Israel remains a Jewis... Read more »

Number two person of the US State Department's was to meet today with leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood's party after they had crushingly won first parliamentary polls since a popular uprising ousted Hosni Mubarak. William Burns "will meet leaders of the Freedom and Justice Party at their headquarters in Cairo," Middle-east-online.com quotes FJP spokesman Ahmed Sobea as saying. "It will be the highest-level meeting with any official from the United States,"... Read more »

Bahrain’s military court has sentenced a policeman to more than 12 years in jail for joining demonstrations against the royal family last year. Ali al-Ghanami, a 25-year-old junior police officer, had left his guard post and joined peaceful protesters on 17 February 2011. On that day police action against demonstrators in Manama left two protesters dead and more than a hundred injured. "He was very emotional. He stood in front of people in his uniform and s... Read more »

Yemen's ministers have approved a draft law granting President Ali Abdullah Saleh immunity from prosecution. The move is a part of a Gulf-brokered transition deal. The document would give amnesty to Mr Saleh and his aides in "all government, civil and military departments" during his 33-year presidency. The law is still to be approved by the country's parliament. Last week the UN human rights chief criticised the transition deal, which was signed in Novembe... Read more »

Sudanese rebels call on Libya’s NTC to arrest President Omar al-Bashir for war crimesl during his visit to Tripoli. In his first trip since Libya’s dictator Muammar Qaddafi was overthrown and killed last year, the Darfur rebels called for Bashir to be sent to the International Criminal Court (ICC). “We are calling for the Libyan authorities to arrest Bashir and send him to the ICC because he committed crimes against his people in Darfur,” Alarabiya.net quot... Read more »

Two Russian warships are expected to arrive in Syria today. According to Alarabiya.net , a visit that will likely be seen as a display of force and a support for President Bashar al-Assad. The destroyer Admiral Chabanenko and the frigate Yaroslav Mudry are scheduled to put in at the Syrian port of Tartus , former Soviet and now Russia’s naval maintenance and supply facility. The vessels, part of a group of Russian ships currently in the Mediterranean, were ... Read more »

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe and Gaza's Hamas PM Ismail Haniya arrived in Tunisia yesterday. Juppe’s two-day visit’s aim is to urge the North African state's new ministers to respect the rule of law. Haniya arrived on the next leg of his six-country tour to a welcome from Tunisia's new rulers and a crowd of some 2,000 people. The Palestinian PM was greeted on arrival by Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali and the leader of the dominant moderate Islamist Enn... Read more »

Algeria’s opposition parties have demanded that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika dissolve the cabinet, and appoint an new prime minister and interim government of technocrats to ensure a parliamentary election later this year is held without fraud. Algeria is the only country in North Africa mainly untouched by the “Arab Spring” events, but the election, scheduled for this May, could be a catalyst for uprisings which would destabilize the oil and gas exporter... Read more »

Four people have been killed and at least five wounded in a gufight which erupted earlier in the centre of Tripoli. The clash centred on an old intelligence building ealier bombed by Nato in the uprising against ex-leader Muammar Gaddafi. A brigade from the city of Misrata tried to release prisoners held inside, leading to a clash with another armed group from Tripoli. The casualties were from both sides. The firefight broke out near the building between Za... Read more »