Algerians began voting on Thursday in an election President Abdelaziz Bouteflika needs to win convincingly to show he can re-connect with disillusioned voters and snuff out a lingering Islamist insurgency. Bouteflika, a 72-year-old veteran of Algeria's war for independence from France, hopes that a score better than the 84.99 percent he achieved in the last presidential election in 2004 -- when turnout was a little under 60 percent -- will give him an enhanced authority... Read more »

ALGIERS - Algerians vote Thursday in an election that is widely expected to see President Abdelaziz Bouteflika win a third five-year term in office, despite challenges from five rivals. Although the outcome is seen by many Algerians as foregone conclusion, Bouteflika is urging citizens to give him a solid mandate to keep leading the North African nation where rising prices are the main preoccupation. Five others are vying for the presidency, but none of them stand out a... Read more »

A visiting United States congressional team met Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday to express their optimism that the two countries could work together to advance their common interests in the region. "We had a candid and constructive meeting," the delegation made up of Stephen Lynch, a Democrat, and Republican Bob Inglis said in a statement issued by the American embassy after the talks. They said the talks covered Lebanon, the security situation on the Syrian... Read more »

KHARTOUM - The humanitarian crisis in Darfur is "on the brink of deepening," US envoy Scott Gration said on Saturday of the war-ravaged Sudanese region, calling for renewed cooperation with the government and an end to hostilities. "I came away very concerned about what I saw and believe that we are on the brink of a deepening crisis in Darfur," he told journalists after a morning visit to the Zam Zam displaced persons camp in region's north.

"We have to come up wit... Read more »

The United Nations has appointed a former war crimes prosecutor to investigate offences allegedly committed by Israeli and Palestinian fighters during Israel's war on Gaza. Richard Goldstone, a Jewish judge from South Africa, will lead a fact-finding team on the mission, ordered by the Human Rights Council in January. "I am confident the mission will be in a position to assess, in an independent and impartial manner, all human rights and humanitarian law violations comm... Read more »

RIYADH - Saudi King Abdullah called for Arab and Palestinian unity in the face of Israeli aggression as he opened the new session of the kingdom's Shura (consultative) Council on Tuesday. Speaking a week before an Arab League summit in Qatar, Abdullah told the 150-member appointed body that differences among Arab and Islamic countries had been exploited by Israel and contributed to a "dark atmosphere" in the region. But he added that the deep rift between Palestinian fa... Read more »

At least 25 people have been killed and dozens of others injured in a suspected suicide bomb attack at a wake in northeastern Iraq, police say. The suspected bomber blew himself up at a funeral tent in Jalawla, Diyala, on Monday and police say the number of casualties is likely to rise. A police officer told the Voices of Iraq news agency "the death toll will likely be high because of the strength of the blast". Mohammed Osman, a local official, said that Monday's bombi... Read more »

BAGHDAD - Thousands of Iraqis, mainly followers of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, called for an end to US occupation of Iraq on Friday. Death tolls have tumbled since Iraq's deadliest days in late 2007, and in just three months time American forces are to withdraw from major cities and towns in a prelude to a total pullout in 2011. Neither the Iraqi authorities nor the US military marked the March 20, 2003 invasion. But Sadr's devotees used Friday prayers to call for an end to... Read more »

Talks between rival Palestinian factions have concluded with no agreement on the formation of a government of national unity, Al Jazeera reports. Negotiations between Hamas and Fatah representatives, mediated by Egypt, have been taking place in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, for weeks, with reports on Thursday suggesting that a deal was close. Talks, however, paused on Thursday, and Egypt told negotiators to "go home", according to the AP news agency.

Amr El-Khaky, Al... Read more »

The emir of Kuwait has dissolved parliament for the second time in a year after a bitter dispute with the government. In a televised speech on Wednesday, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah also called for a snap general election to elect a new 50-seat parliament. Sheikh Sabah did not give a date for new elections, but under the Kuwaiti constitution they must be held within two months.

The emir said the MPs had abused democracy and become a threat to stability, pointing ... Read more »