MOGADISHU (AFP) — Somalia’s powerful Islamists Tuesday said they were finalising plans to fight Ethiopian forces deployed in the lawless country as a seven-day ultimatum for Addis Ababa to pull out its troops was due to expire.

BAGHDAD (AFP) — Graphic video footage of villagers fleeing or falling dead from what prosecutors called a chemical attack against Kurdish civilians was shown at Saddam Hussein’s genocide trial on Tuesday.

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed Syrian leader Bashar Assad for talks Tuesday focusing on fighting between Palestinian factions and the political crisis in Lebanon — as part of Moscow’s effort to strengthen its role in the Middle East amid escalating tensions in the region.