Middle Orient

BEIRUT — This time there are no angry protests in Arab streets or recalls of diplomats — only a low-key bid to mediate between Israelis and Palestinians.

BANJUL (Reuters) — A two-day Africa summit opened in Gambia on Saturday with a call for urgent action to damp down conflicts in Somalia and Sudan’s Darfur region, but diplomats said there was little chance of much progress on either issue

DUBAI (Reuters) —  A purported audiotape by Al Qaeda leader Osama Ben Laden warned Iraq’s Shiite majority on Saturday of retaliation over attacks on Sunni Arabs and that his group would fight the United States anywhere in the world.

BAGHDAD (AP) — A huge car bomb exploded Saturday at a bustling outdoor market in a Shiite district of Baghdad, killing at least 66 people and injuring about 100 in the deadliest attack since the new national unity government took office six weeks ago.

The United States invasion of Iraq in March-April 2003, and the occupation of the country since then, has cost more than three thou­sand American lives and many tens of billions of dollars, and has brought death to tens of thousands of Iraqis.

KUWAIT — Kuwaiti women competing for the first time in a general election are shattering social taboos and campaigning in the uncharted territory of the all-male “diwaniya”, the Gulf Arab state’s version of a gentlemen’s club.

DUBAI — Construction worker B. Lal arrived in the affluent Gulf Arab city of Dubai more than a year ago, hoping to end the grinding poverty of his family in India.

CAIRO (AP) — Egyptian judges rejected Friday a bill on the judiciary, with their elected body saying it does not ensure judicial independence and allows the state to retain too much power.

SULEIMANIYAH — This year’s Iraqi cup final is to be played in the autonomous Kurdish north for the first time amid safety fears around a tie that threatens to fan sectarian passions.

NOUAKCHOTT (AFP) — A new constitution proposed by Mauritania’s military junta with the aim of bolstering democracy will be put to the test Sunday when the country votes in a referendum.