Middle Orient

Thousands of Palestinians are leaving a refugee camp in northern Lebanon after three days of fighting between Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese army. “Nahr al-Bared residents have taken advantage of the truce in the fighting to escape the besieged and heavily bombarded camp,” Hajj Rifaat, an official from the mainstream …

OSLO (AP) — Norway is set to make the first transfer of direct aid to the Palestinians’ new government, the foreign minister said Monday — more than two months after the Nordic country broke with most Western nations by recognising the Hamas-led coalition.

TEHRAN (AFP) — One of Iraq’s most powerful Shiite leaders, Abdel Aziz Hakim, said on Monday he was in Iran for medical tests on a “swelling” after undergoing similar treatment in the United States.

MOGADISHU (AFP) — The Somali president warned that “terrorists” were threatening his shattered country’s security and slammed international donors for failing to help as promised, in an interview with AFP.

ANKARA — Turkey’s ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party hopes to project a moderate image by fielding more women and entrepreneurs as candidates in July’s election, but it may struggle to retain the support of urban middle-class voters.

GAZA CITY (AP) — Israeli-Palestinian violence escalated dangerously Monday when Israel killed five fighters in air strikes and indicated that Hamas political leaders could be their next target, and a rocket fired from Gaza killed an Israeli woman, inviting a harsh Israeli response.

NAHR AL BARED (AFP) — Lebanese troops bombarded Islamist gunmen with tanks and heavy artillery on Monday, the second day of the bloodiest internal fighting since the civil war that has killed 58 people.

Moving Palestinian issue in right direction gives world flexibility to tackle other Mideast problems, Monarch tells BBC

Lebanese troops have continued to battle an armed Palestinian group at a refugee camp in northern Lebanon for the second straight day, security sources have said.

El Salvador’s President Elias Antonio Saca was in Egypt Monday in the first visit by a Salvadoran leader since Cairo cut ties with San Salvador in 1984.