Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Tuesday that the Middle East peace process had failed, in a speech about the conflict in Lebanon on Tuesday.

Lebanon’s army is preparing to move into south Lebanon as the United Nations plans to send an initial force of 3,500 troops to the region to enforce the truce between Israel and Hezbollah.

Syrian President Bashar Assad said Tuesday that the U.S. plan for a “new Middle East” has collapsed following Hizbullah’s victory against Israel.

Taliban fighters shot down a NATO aircraft in Karam Khail area of Nowbahar district in Zabul province on afternoon, August 14. The  NATO aircraft was shot down with a rocket, killing all the troops onboard.

White House denies as ‘flat wrong’ a US role in Hizbullah conflict, with an eye toward Iran. A special report in The New Yorker says the Bush administration was closely involved in the planning of

BEIRUT, Aug 14 (Reuters) – Guerrillas fire rockets and Israeli soldiers weep. Hizbollah’s television station tries to convince viewers that the Middle East’s strongest army is far from invincible.

TERHAN (Fars News Agency)- Iranian Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs Hadi Nezhad Hoseinian said that during the first day of his talks with Turkish officials, the two sides have decided to form 4 working groups to study issues related to the two countries’ energy cooperation.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a phone conversation with UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday, voiced Iran’s preparedness to help to the restoration of sustainable peace in the region.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei called on the government, Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution and other decision-making bodies and officials of the country to prepare Iran’s comprehensive scientific plan.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Pakistan’s President General Pervez Musharraf called on his nation to contribute an active role in making the country increasingly powerful.