CAIRO (AFP) — The Arab League on Saturday declared the Middle East peace process to be “dead” as foreign ministers met in an emergency session in Cairo and unanimously condemned the Israeli offensive in Lebanon.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Gunmen in uniforms seized 30 or more Iraqi sports officials, including the national Olympics chief, and their bodyguards in Baghdad on Saturday, barely an hour after parliament voted to extend a state of emergency.

ST PETERSBURG — Middle East conflict muscled its way onto the Group of Eight (G-8) agenda on Saturday, setting the United States, a strong backer of Israel, against those who say the Jewish state has been too violent.