BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Iraq’s political parties inched closer to sealing a deal on a unity government as Prime Minister-designate Nuri Maliki sketched out the sectarian balance among parliamentary blocs, officials said on Monday.

FOREIGN MINISTER Abdul Ilah Khatib left Monday for New York to join a meeting today of the Quartet of diplomatic powers seeking Middle East peace and hoping to revive its stalled efforts and unify its approach to the  new Palestinian leadership.

World Bank warns economic crisis much more alarming as 3 killed in Hamas-Fateh fighting GAZA CITY — With Hamas and the West locked in a standoff, the Palestinians are hurtling towards an abyss of poverty and chaos, and there seems to be no way to pull back.

BAKU (Azerbaijan), May 4: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday held in-depth discussions with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad covering the gas pipeline project, Iran’s nuclear issue, situation in the region and bilateral matters.

Russia and China have criticised a UN Security Council draft resolution on Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Russia says the draft needs rewriting with stronger emphasis put on building confidence between Iran and the UN.

SANAA — Sumayya Ali Rajja is dogged by rumours that her bid to become Yemen’s first female president is part of a shady deal struck with the incumbent leader, but she refuses to let gossip halt her fledgling campaign.

HEBRON (AFP) — Dozens of hardline Jewish settlers who had barricaded themselves inside a house in the West Bank city of Hebron were evicted on Sunday after Israeli police and troops stormed the building.

KHARTOUM (AP) — Sudan would welcome the help of the United Nations in Darfur to implement a peace agreement between Khartoum and one of the rebel groups, despite the country’s initial resistance, a government spokesman said.

TEHRAN (AP) — Iran’s hard-line parliament threatened Sunday to pass legislation that would force the government to withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty — a move that would put Tehran in company with North Korea — as the United States and its allies pressed for a UN Security Council vote …

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Car bombs killed 30 people in Iraq on Sunday and wounded more than 70 in one of the bloodiest spasms of violence of recent weeks as political leaders sought a deal to form a national unity government.