Middle Orient

The Syrian Army has mobilized around 3,000 extra soldiers and heavy equipment near its western borders with neighboring Lebanon.

Damascus has warned that it will carry out ‘painful’ measures if the US fails to explain its recent cross-border raid into Syria.

Two bombs have exploded in a busy central Baghdad square, killing six people and wounding about 20 others, police say.

RAMALLAH, Nov. 1 – Palestinian National Authority (PNA) forces launched a limited crackdown against Islamic Jihad supporters in northern West Bank, arresting its four activists, sources from the movement said.

GAZA, Nov. 1 – The Islamic Hamas movement on Saturday warned against Israel’s intention to retrieve its captive soldier by force.

GAZA, Nov. 1 – A Hamas advisor on Saturday accused rival Fatah movement of not being interested in Egypt’s efforts to broker a national reconciliation between the two movements.

BRUSSELS, Oct. 31 – The European Union condemned on Friday “in the strongest possible terms the acts of violence and brutality committed against Palestinian civilians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank.”

TEHRAN (FNA)- Turkey’s energy minister said the multi-billion dollar gas deals with Iran are nearing completion and are expected to be signed by the year-end.

TEHRAN (FNA)- Tehran and Baghdad are to exchange the remains of soldiers killed during the 1980-88 Iraqi imposed war on Iran, Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said.

GAZA, Oct 31 – A Palestinian policeman was killed while three others were injured last night due to an explosion near a police headquarters in the Gaza Strip, a local radio reported on Friday.