BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) – Thousands of Shi’ite Muslims in southern Iraq are wrestling with a choice of religion or democracy before a pilgrimage which may prevent them from voting in an upcoming election. Pilgrims from the southern city of Basra are setting out on an arduous walk hundreds of km …

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Barack Obama vowed on Monday that his new Middle East envoy George Mitchell would engage vigorously in the quest for Israeli-Palestinian peace and expressed confidence he would achieve concrete results. Wading quickly into Middle East diplomacy, Obama dispatched Mitchell, a veteran international trouble-shooter, to tackle a …

GAZA (Reuters) – An Israeli soldier was killed and three were wounded in a blast near the border with the Gaza Strip, Al Arabiya television said on Tuesday, in the deadliest incident for Israel since it declared a ceasefire 10 days ago. Palestinians living near the Kissufim border crossing told …