The Soviet Union’s former KGB chief Vladimir Kryuchkov, one of Russia’s most influential hardline spy masters, has died aged 83, Russia’s foreign intelligence service said on Sunday.

Syria said on Sunday it would attend a U.S.-led conference aimed at launching talks to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, giving another boost to U.S. efforts to enlist wide Arab support a new peace drive.

Israel said on Sunday it believed Syria had decided to attend this week’s U.S.-hosted conference about Palestinian statehood.

A mobile group of Mujahideen attacked Russian positions in Zavodsky district of the Chechen capital of Jokhar on the night between September 30-October 1. Two  kafirs (infidels) were killed and not less than 4 others wounded  in the shooting.

Mujahideen attacked a reconnaissance unit of Russian invaders in a forested area near village Shamil Kotar in Vedeno district Tuesday, October 3. A fierce firefight lasted for 10 minutes.

Jordan’s pro-U.S. King Abdullah swore in on Sunday a reform-minded government charged with speeding up modernization of the kingdom.

A humvee of the Russian terrorist organization GRU has been blown up on a highway near  the the viilage of Vishny Vedeno in Vedeno district, severely wounding a head of a “Vostok” gang unit  and his deputy.

Lebanese opposition group Hezbollah said on Sunday that failure to reach agreement on a new president in the week ahead could leave the divided country without a head of state for a long time.

A bill that would ease curbs on former Baathists was presented to Iraq’s parliament on Sunday, but a row quickly erupted and forced postponement of debate on a draft law seen as vital to fostering national reconciliation.