DUBAI (AFP) — Britain’s Tony Blair on Wednesday accused Iran of being an obstacle to peace in the Middle East and urged moderate countries in the region to form an alliance to oppose its support for extremism.

CAIRO (AP) — The deputy leader of Al Qaeda, Ayman Zawahri, told the United States on Wednesday that it was negotiating with the wrong people in Iraq, strongly implying in a video broadcast on Jazeera that Washington should be talking to his group.

MOGADISHU (Reuters) — Somali Islamists and troops defending the government’s only stronghold battled with rockets and heavy weapons on Wednesday at two frontline areas, but a top Islamist leader denied it was the start of war.