OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — A lethal arrest raid, a suicide bombing, fresh land expropriations, a threatening Hamas video: So far, that’s the follow-up to Israel’s historic Gaza pullout. Rather than seize the moment to jump-start negotiations, Israelis and Palestinians appear to be falling into a familiar pattern of violence and rhetoric. …

CAIRO — Five years ago, sociologist and activist Saadeddin Ibrahim broke a taboo by publicly criticising Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Hours later, he was in jail. “Everybody said that was the red line I crossed,” said Ibrahim, who wrote in a magazine article that leaders of Arab republics, including Egypt, …

US says `known terrorist’ killed as 45 die in fighting BAGHDAD (AP) — In a dramatic turn, the US ambassador opened the door Tuesday to further changes in Iraq’s draft constitution and signalled the Bush administration had not given up on a campaign to push through a charter that will …