Prime Minister Nouri Maliki said Saturday that the Iraqi army and police are capable of keeping security in the country when American troops leave “any time they want”, though he acknowledged the forces need further weapons and training.

 Western backing for the legally disputed emergency government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has demolished any lingering Arab belief that US President George W. Bush’s “freedom agenda” is going anywhere.

A Palestinian woman who fled her north Lebanon refugee camp two days ago says there was so little food there that she was prepared to eat cats to survive.