GAZA CITY (AFP) — The Islamist movement Hamas and defeated Fateh Party postponed until Thursday talks on forming a Palestinian government, amid slim prospects for success after slanging matches between the two sides in parliament. The talks between the chief of Fateh’s parliamentary bloc, Azzam Ahmed, and his Hamas counterpart, …

VIENNA (AP) — Iran threatened the United States with “harm and pain” on Wednesday for its role in hauling Tehran before the UN Security Council over its nuclear programme.Washington in return warned that Tehran had enough nuclear material to make up to 10 atomic bombs,

WASHINGTON (AFP) — US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld accused Iran Tuesday of sending Revolutionary Guard forces into Iraq to make trouble, and warned Tehran it was “an error in judgement.””They are currently putting people into Iraq to do things that are harmful to the future of Iraq, and we know …

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli army has increased the number of roadblocks and barriers in the West Bank by 25 per cent since last summer, tightening travel restrictions for Palestinians and making it harder for them to reach properties, markets and medical services, according to a new United Nations …

KHARTOUM (Reuters) — Shouting “Down, Down USA,” thousands of Sudanese protested in Khartoum on Wednesday against any deployment of UN troops to the western Darfur region.”Get out all foreigners, we don’t want you here,” shouted 21-year-old student Zeinab Kheir Al Sir.

KUWAIT CITY — In early March last year, women rights activist Maasuma Al Mubarak was leading a rally outside parliament to press MPs to pass a law enfranchising Kuwaiti women. Three months later, the US-educated liberal academic became Kuwait’s first woman minister, scoring the second coup in as many months …

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 …

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 …