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US presses Russia on Iran missile deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The United States on Monday said Russia’s plans to sell $1 billion in tactical missiles and other arms to Iran would not serve US or regional interests. Moscow announced the sale of tactical surface-to-air missiles and other hardware on Friday, after Washington urged the world to use …

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Egypt election marathon winds up

CAIRO (AFP) — Egypt’s monthlong parliamentary elections are due to wind up Wednesday, amid fears of more violence in the final round as security forces continue to round up supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood. With two phases of polling completed, the Islamist movement has already increased its seat tally five-fold …

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NATO FMs to discuss Mideast cooperation

BRUSSELS — Foreign ministers of the 26-member North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) here to hold their annual meeting on Thursday will begin with a special off-the-record session devoted to the Middle East, a senior NATO official said on Monday. “What happens in the Middle East is pivotal. There is a …

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Insurgents dismiss elections, brace for battle

BAGHDAD — Election posters promising a stable Iraq cut no ice with men like Abu Mohammed, who runs a women’s clothing boutique in Baghdad’s Adhamiya district by day. By night Abu Mohammed is an insurgent, attacking US military convoys with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 assault rifles, fighting Iraqi troops and …

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Iraq double attack kills 36 police

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Two Iraqi policewomen killed 36 fellow officers and cadets in a double suicide bombing in Baghdad Tuesday, as insurgents claimed the kidnapping of an American amid further violence just nine days before key elections. The blasts, on the same day that eight other Iraqi security personnel were …

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Tehran optimistic over talks with EU

TEHRAN (AP) — Iran said Sunday that a resumption of talks with Europe over Tehran’s controversial nuclear programme could lead to important results. But Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi reiterated that Iran would not accept conditions to the talks, which broke off in August. “If Europeans respect our right, …

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Many Iraqi voters want Americans to go home

BAGHDAD — Anti-Western feeling is running high ahead of Iraq’s election this month and many voters think sending US troops home should be the priority of the next government, an informal survey by Reuters indicated. Campaigning for the December 15 parliamentary election has not focused much on the US-led occupation, …

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