EREZ CROSSING, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israel is beefing up its border with the Gaza Strip after next month’s withdrawal, the army said Thursday, disclosing details of a high-tech triple complex to ring the coastal strip with what they hope will be the world’s most impenetrable barrier. The barrier system …

CAIRO (AFP) — Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday confirmed he will seek a fifth mandate in the country’s first-ever competitive presidential poll in September, ending months of speculation about his future. Mubarak’s announcement comes at a pivotal moment for Egypt as it copes with the aftermath of the Sharm …

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Insurgents set off a huge blaze when they blew up a train carrying petroleum products in Baghdad on Thursday, as governments around the world condemned the murder of two Algerian diplomats kidnapped last week. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari accused the insurgents of seeking to undermine diplomatic …