Lebanon’s presidential election was postponed for a week to December 7 to allow for more talks between rival leaders on a compromise candidate, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said on Thursday.

Iraqi legislators thwarted Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s attempts to get approval for nominees to fill two vacant cabinet posts on Thursday, indicating deep political divisions remain despite falling sectarian violence.

Pope Benedict has accepted an unprecedented call by Muslim scholars for dialogue between Christians and Islam, inviting them for meetings in Vatican City, the Vatican said on Thursday.

Anyone listening to Russian President Vladimir Putin beseeching people to vote for his United Russia party might think Sunday’s parliamentary election would be a tight race.

Lebanese leaders will put off a presidential election set for Friday for a sixth time to allow for talks expected to focus on the army chief’s nomination for a post now vacant for a week, political sources said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Washington on Thursday of threatening the future of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) by rejecting reform of its election monitoring arm.

Former world chess champion Garry Kasparov said on Thursday Russia risked becoming a dictatorship, as he left jail after serving a five-day sentence for organizing an illegal opposition protest.

One old investor used binoculars to watch stock prices. Others yelled out instructions to brokers who scribbled down prices on a white board.

When does a legitimate Russian political protest become an illegal gathering? Answer: When a second person joins in to spoil it.

Chances of a breakthrough appear slim when Iran’s main nuclear negotiator meets Europe’s top diplomat on Friday in a last effort to avert tougher sanctions over Tehran’s disputed atomic program.