BANJUL (Reuters) — A two-day Africa summit opened in Gambia on Saturday with a call for urgent action to damp down conflicts in Somalia and Sudan’s Darfur region, but diplomats said there was little chance of much progress on either issue

DUBAI (Reuters) —  A purported audiotape by Al Qaeda leader Osama Ben Laden warned Iraq’s Shiite majority on Saturday of retaliation over attacks on Sunni Arabs and that his group would fight the United States anywhere in the world.

BAGHDAD (AP) — A huge car bomb exploded Saturday at a bustling outdoor market in a Shiite district of Baghdad, killing at least 66 people and injuring about 100 in the deadliest attack since the new national unity government took office six weeks ago.

În cadrul unei emisiuni televizate, Traian Băsescu a afirmat că nu „au existat niciun fel de consultări pe această temă”, referindu-se la propunerea premierului şi a ministrului Apărării de a retrage trupele din Irak.

Hamas government proposes freeing captured Israeli soldier in exchange for releasing their prisoners held by Israel. By Charles Levinson – RAFAH, Gaza Strip Israel launched a ground and air assault on the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, vowing it would use “extreme measures” to try to free a teenage soldier held …

Israeli warplanes overflow Syrian President’s palace in northern Syria, sparking Damascus retaliation. By Jennie Matthew – JERUSALEM Israel was on high alert Thursday for possible retaliation after it threatened to kill Hamas militants harboured by the Damascus regime and flew warplanes over Syria’s presidential palace.

Body of Jewish settler abducted by gunmen found in West Bank as Israel turns up heat on Hamas. By Nasser Abu Bakr – RAMALLAH, West Bank Israel arrested Hamas ministers and stepped up its Gaza offensive Thursday, ratcheting up pressure on the Palestinians over the kidnapping of a soldier that …

CAIRO — Arabs across the Mideast on Wednesday criticised an Israeli ground offensive into Gaza aimed at pressuring Palestinian fighters to release a captured soldier, even as Arab leaders continued to work behind-the-scenes to get the soldier freed.

Israeli warplanes have flown over one of the Syrian president’s palaces to warn Damascus against supporting Palestinian fighters who abducted an Israeli soldier, the Israeli army says.

GAZA CITY (AP) — A Palestinian group said Tuesday an abducted Israeli soldier was alive in a “secure place”, as thousands of Israeli and Egyptian troops massed along the borders with Gaza in anticipation of an Israeli invasion.