Middle Orient

BAQUBA — As the death squads’ grim threats began to mount against Shiite families in the Mafraq neighbourhood of Baqouba, north of Baghdad, fewer and fewer people attended their local prayer hall. Soon, the only members of the embattled Shiite community to brave the narrow streets of this religiously-mixed quarter …

BAGHDAD (AP) — The leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq called Thursday for explosives experts and nuclear scientists to join his group’s holy war and help attack US bases around the country. The audio message posted on the Internet came as at least 23 people were killed primarily in and …

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday that he hopes to hold a long-delayed meeting with Mahmoud Abbas in the coming days, but ruled out releasing prisoners or offering other goodwill gestures to the Palestinian president until a captured Israeli soldier is freed.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday announced plans to visit the Middle East next week to try to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace moves but analysts doubt she will make much headway. Rice will leave Washington on Sunday and plans to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel and …

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel’s prime minister said Thursday he did not expect another fight with Hizbollah soon, amid stalled talks on a timetable for the Jewish state to withdraw its remaining troops from Lebanon. “The chances that Hizbollah would be persuaded to mount in the short term a major …

MARUN AR-RAS — At home, Lina and her family tread on dangerous ground. The house, partly destroyed by rockets, has two unexploded bombs still buried underneath it. Israeli soldiers are still controlling the entrance of the hilltop village which was the first area to be occupied in southern Lebanon at …

RAMALLAH — Israel yesterday released Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Nasser Shaer, the most senior of 31 Hamas legislators and ministers detained after the June capture of an Israeli soldier in the Gaza Strip. The release comes a day after an Israeli military court had reversed a decision to release 21 …

BAGHDAD (Agencies) — Sunni tribal leaders who have vowed to drive Al Qaeda out of Iraq’s most restive province met the Shiite premier on Wednesday, marking what Washington hopes will be a breakthrough alliance against the group. Sattar Buzayi, a Sunni sheikh from Anbar province who has emerged in recent …

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AFP) — Disputes over how the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers will deal with Hizbollah fighters is holding up the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, Israel’s military chief of staff said Wednesday. “Yesterday we met with UNIFIL and the Lebanese army,” a government official quoted Lieutenant General …

DUBAI (AP) — Saudi Arabia is pushing ahead with plans to build a fence along its entire 900-kilometre border with Iraq to prevent armed groups from entering the kingdom from the chaotic northern neighbour. The barrier, which will likely take five to six years to complete, is part of a …