RIYADH – Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal met Saudi officials in Riyadh on Monday as part of a Saudi bid to mediate the return of Gaza, under Israeli blockade, to Palestinian Authority control, Saudi and Palestinian officials said.

Lebanon has been going through the worst political crisis since the 1975-90 civil war. The country has been without a president since November as leaders of its rival factions are unable to agree on a national unity government.

ISLAMABAD – Militants took hostage up to 250 Pakistani school children in the northwestern town of Bannu on Monday, the interior minister said.

RAFAH, Egypt – Thousands of Palestinians streamed home through the breaches in Gaza’s border with Egypt on Sunday after Egyptian authorities choked off supplies to the area and moved to restore control.

BRUSSELS – EU foreign ministers will debate on Monday whether to sign an interim trade agreement with Serbia — a move seen as boosting pro-European President Boris Tadic ahead of a February 3 presidential run-off.

TEHRAN (FNA) – Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki warned of serious consequences if the UN Security Council adopts fresh sanctions against Iran for its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.

TEHRAN (FNA) – Iran received the eighth and last consignment of nuclear fuel from Russia on Monday for the Islamic Republic’s first atomic power plant in the southern port city of Bushehr.

TEHRAN (FNA) – Iraqi President Jalal Talabani has extended an invitation of visit to his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an Iraqi official said on Wednesday.

TEHRAN (FNA) – Sri Lanka’s Minister of Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Sarath Amunugama appealed to Iran to help defend the country’s Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) plus status when it comes under review by the European Union later this year.

TEHRAN (FNA) – Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned on Sunday Norway’s top envoy to Tehran over Oslo’s recent allegations and “meddling stance” on human rights conditions in Iran.