CAIRO — After 24 years as Egyptian president where his grip on power has been almost unchallenged, Hosni Mubarak will have to face up to unprecedented demands for reform if he wins a historic fifth term. Mubarak — one of the longest serving leaders in the Arab world — moved …

PARIS (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon met with France’s foreign minister Thursday for talks on Israel’s upcoming withdrawal from the Gaza Strip as the two countries tried to forget years of diplomatic tension and enter a new, friendlier period of relations. The morning talks between Sharon and Philippe …

GAZA CITY (AFP) — Factions pledged Thursday to work with the Palestinian Authority to ensure the success of Israel’s historic pullout from the Gaza Strip next month, Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia said. A recent wave of deadly violence has compounded fears that Israel’s pullout will be marred by attacks and …