CAIRO — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a deal with Arab leaders this week: Washington will show an interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Arabs will say they support the new US strategy for Iraq.

MOGADISHU (AP) — Somalia’s fledgling government received a boost Saturday when the last major warlord turned over his weapons and militia, but it faced a renewed threat from Islamists, who took credit for a string of attacks and promised to continue fighting until the government agrees to talks.

BEIRUT (AFP) — The Lebanese opposition called Saturday for a one-day general strike, stepping up a protest campaign to bring down the Western-backed government that has paralysed the nation’s leadership for weeks.