Israel’s plan to build houses on occupied land near Jerusalem will cloud renewed peace talks, the Palestinian Authority said on Sunday, the day before an international aid conference opens in Paris.

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia expelled a journalist on Sunday who had alleged Kremlin malpractice in this month’s parliamentary election and tracked funds flowing from Kremlin officials to foreign banks.

Iraq’s government is planning to release thousands of detainees from custody as part of efforts to forge national reconciliation between Shi’ite and Sunni Muslims, a top Iraqi official said on Sunday.

Britain handed over security in Basra province to Iraqi forces on Sunday, effectively marking the end of nearly five years of British control of southern Iraq.

The Afghan army killed four insurgents on Sunday, the Defense Ministry said, the first fighting near the former Taliban stronghold of Musa Qala since it was captured from the militants five days ago.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian president’s special envoy Mohammad Reza Baqeri met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa on Friday.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Foreign Ministry Saturday summoned Azerbaijan’s ambassador to Tehran to voice Iran’s protest at the baseless allegations made in certain media of that country.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is scheduled to leave Tehran for Mecca, Saudi Arabia on a hajj pilgrimage on Monday.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Defense Ministry Saturday said it has launched production of a new generation of long and medium-range RADAR systems.

DIWANIYA, Iraq (Reuters) – A former police chief in southern Iraq has been arrested and accused of assisting insurgents, police said on Saturday.