Middle Orient

CAIRO — The true identity of Abu Ayyub Masri, the man said to have succeeded the slain Abu Musab Zarqawi as leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, remains an enigma in his reported homeland of Egypt.

EL FASHER (AP) — The only rebel leader to have endorsed the Darfur Peace Agreement threatened to pull out of the deal geared at ending three years of war if the international community does not move to support him fast.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The story of the Iraq war can be told in stark numbers and mournful milestones as the death toll for US troops reached 2,500 and the price tag rose to $320 billion.

Chinese president Hu Jintao expressed his delight in the way things between China and Russia have been evolving in diplomatic terms, just before an important regional security forum summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, due for June 15th in Shanghai.

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Opposition Democrats on Tuesday used President George W. Bush’s secret visit to Iraq as an opportunity to renew their calls for speedy end to America’s military involvement there.

BEIRUT — The identity of Abu Hamza Muhajir, named to succeed Abu Mussab Zarqawi as leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq, has mystified outsiders wondering if he will replicate the bloody tactics of his slain predecessor.

BAGHDAD (AP) — The judge declared an end the defence phase of Saddam Hussein’s trial on Tuesday, shrugging off protests from the former Iraqi leader’s lawyers that they haven’t had a fair chance to present their case and want to put more witnesses on the stand.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — President George W. Bush said during a surprise trip to Baghdad on Tuesday he was encouraged by Iraq’s new government but warned of difficult times ahead, as Al Qaeda in Iraq vowed retaliation for the death of its leader.

BRUSSELS — Still ruffled by the furor over the Prophet Mohammad cartoons, the European Union is refining a communication strategy in an effort to help stop disenchanted Muslim youths turning to terrorism.

RIYADH — A stock market crash and an invigorated Islamist lobby appear to have stymied progress on political reforms in ultraconservative Saudi Arabia, analysts and diplomats say.