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Gaza pounded despite truce pledge

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel shut down charities with ties to Hamas across the West Bank and fired artillery into the Gaza Strip for the first time, as it widened a five-day offensive against Palestinian fighters, despite their pledges to stop firing rockets at Israel. A senior army officer said …

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Shalom reiterates vote threat

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israel reiterated threats Wednesday to hamper January’s Palestinian election if the Islamist movement Hamas stands despite being urged by Washington to cooperate in organising the polls. “We will not allow Hamas to take part in the elections” on January 25, said Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom in …

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Unity Cabinet faces tough task

KHARTOUM — Sudan’s first unity Cabinet was born of months of intense jockeying between former foes and now has six years to make a united Sudan appear an attractive option to a largely pro-secession south. The national unity government was announced late Tuesday, ending a bitter bout of wrangling over …

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UK plays down Basra raid dispute

BASRA (Reuters) — Iraqi police staged an angry anti-British protest in Basra on Wednesday as London and Baghdad sought to quell tension over a British raid to free two undercover soldiers held in the southern city. About 200 policemen who work at the police station damaged during the British raid …

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Hamas flexes muscles in Gaza City rally

RAFAH — Hamas supporters, including thousands of men and vehicles flaunting rockets, filled the streets of Gaza City in an impressive show of strength as Palestinian and Egyptian forces were busy imposing order on their chaotic border crossing. The Hamas rally on Sunday was a military-style victory parade. Masked men, …

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US keeps pressure on Syria

NEW YORK (AP) — The US is using the largest gathering of world leaders to try to keep up international pressure on Syria by branding it a meddlesome neighbour and a holdout against democratic advances in the Middle East. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice takes up the charge in meetings …

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