Eurasia Press & News

RAMALLAH (AP) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday announced new presidential and parliament elections to end an increasingly violent standoff with Hamas — a huge gamble that could strengthen the Islamists, drive his people into civil war and further put off peace talks with Israel.

January 25: In its first electoral outing, Hamas sweeps legislative elections in the Palestinian territories, ending 10 years of Fateh domination

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s prime minister reached out to Sunni Arabs at a national reconciliation conference on Saturday, urging Saddam Hussein-era officers to join the new army and urging a review of the ban against members of the former dictator’s ruling party.

TEHRAN (Reuters) — Iran said on Saturday turnout was high in elections for local councils and a powerful clerical body, with some initial reports suggesting allies of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad might not have won resounding backing.

NAJAF — Najaf, home to the golden domed shrine of the Imam Ali, is Iraq’s holiest Shiite city and has long lived off a constant flow of pilgrims. Now, with Iraq engulfed in a vicious sectarian war

BEIRUT — Lebanese opposition protesters led by Shiite group Hizbollah are digging in for the winter and vowing not to quit their central Beirut encampment until the Western-backed government falls.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday she would ask the US Congress for tens of millions of dollars to strengthen the security forces of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Visiting Pakistani Foreign Minister Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri met with chairman of Iran-Pakistan parliamentary friendship group Ali Aghayee here on Thursday.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Pakistani Foreign Minister Mian Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri stressed Iran’s right to access and use peaceful nuclear technology, and further reiterated that Tehran’s nuclear issue should be resolved through peaceful means.

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Tehran’s Interim Friday Prayers leader Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati said here on Friday that massive participation of the Iranians in elections proved their loyalty to Islam, the Supreme Leader and the Islamic Republic.