THE HAGUE- The prosecutor of a court set up to try the killers of Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri on Wednesday dismissed as "groundless" claims of political influence in its work. "Given the fact...

WASHINGTON- US President Barack Obama Tuesday congratulated Iraq after parliament endorsed a new government, saying the move was a "significant" historic moment and represented a rejection of...

AMMAN- Two Jordanian news websites said on Tuesday they have started to translate into Arabic WikiLeaks-released cables issued by the US embassy in Amman about Jordan and the Arab region....

LONDON- Britain and Russia have each expelled a member of each other's embassy staff over espionage allegations, Britain said Tuesday, following a row over the arrest of a young Russian woman in...

JERUSALEM- Israel has ordered its envoys abroad to launch a "comprehensive defence" against Palestinian efforts for international recognition of an independent state, Haaretz newspaper reported on...

TEHRAN- Iran and Qatar on Monday pledged to cooperate for greater regional security during a visit to Tehran by the emir of the tiny but energy-rich Gulf state, official media reported. "By...

JERUSALEM- Palestinians in the occupied West Bank lack basic amenities and are effectively being forcibly displaced by discriminatory Israeli policies, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report...

BAGHDAD- A half-brother of executed president Saddam Hussein has apologised to the Iraqi people for the dictatorial rule of his Baath party and charged ex-deputy premier Tareq Aziz was its...

JERUSALEM- Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad has said a unilateral declaration of independence by his people would only lead to a "Mickey Mouse state" as long as Israel remains the occupying...