RAMALLAH — Hamas leaders on an official visit to Moscow yesterday called talks with the Russian government an “important breakthrough” and rejected pressure on the group to recognise Israel. In Nazareth, meanwhile, thousands marched through the city Saturday afternoon protesting an incident Friday when an Israeli, his wife and daughter …

CAIRO (AP) — The Arab League will open offices in Iraq for the first time since the 2003 US-led invasion, part of its efforts to help reconcile the country’s sharply divided Sunni Arab, Shiite and Kurdish communities, the league’s chief said Saturday.

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Iraqi President Jalal Talabani announced Saturday that parliament will soon hold its first session since December elections in a bid to form a unity government and foil extremist efforts to trigger a civil war.His comments followed a meeting with the head of regional US Central Command, General …

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Members of the anti-Zionist movement of Neturei Karta International paid a visit to Fars News Agency here on Friday and conferred with FNA Managing Director. The meeting was attended by Neturei Karta International spokesman Rabbi Yisroel Dovid Weiss, Neturei Karta spokesman for the UK branch, Rabbi …

EU warns Iran on uranium work ahead of pivotal meetingAgencies Iran’s top nuclear negotiator insisted Thursday that bilateral talks should continue on a Russian offer to enrich uranium for Iran, and warned that handing over the nuclear issue to the UN Security Council — as the United States has demanded …

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanon’s rival leaders on Thursday overcame differences relating to the consequences of the assassination of former premier Rafiq Hariri as they sat together for the first time to resolve divisions that still remain following the end of Syrian domination.The leaders — Muslim and Christian, pro- and anti-Syrian …

BAGHDAD (AP) — Gunmen attacked the disabled car of Iraq’s top Sunni politician on Thursday, killing one bodyguard and wounding five after the Sunni leader sped away in another vehicle. Thirty-five other people died in a new round of violence.

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s foreign minister said Tuesday it would be premature to cut off international aid for a Palestinian government, even if Hamas is at its helm, dashing Bush administration hopes for a unified front as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stood stiffly at his side.

GAZA CITY (AFP) — Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas formally tasked Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh on Tuesday with forming the first government controlled by Islamists one month after the faction’s election victory. Abbas gave an official nomination letter to Haniyeh at his Gaza City office, an arrangement agreed in talks between the …

MOGADISHU (AFP) — At least 15 people were killed and 23 wounded Tuesday in fighting between gunmen loyal to warlords controlling the Somali capital and Islamic court security militia, witnesses and medical sources said.This brings the death toll to 33 and dozens wounded since the clashes erupted on Saturday, pitting …