Monday, February 05, 2007

02/05/07

* Germany's Merkel in Saudi for Mideast talks German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Sunday on the second leg of a Middle East tour.

* Baghdad Security Operation to Start Soon Violence raked the capital Monday as the general who will lead Iraqi forces in the coming security crackdown in Baghdad took charge.

* Mashaal says Mecca talks must end infighting Following weekend of clashes between Hamas and Fatah that claimed lives of 27 people, witnesses say gunmen begin withdrawing from streets.

* Syria accused over Iraq attacks A senior Iraqi official has said half of all insurgent attacks in Baghdad are carried out by militants from Syria.

* World braced for huge surge in bird flu cases The number of cases of the deadly bird flu virus is increasing around the world as scientists struggle to combat the disease.

* Iran: Giant achievements coming soon "Giant achievements" by Iran will be unveiled by its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in the coming days.

* Conference Aims to Help Child Soldiers An international conference aimed at preventing the recruitment of child soldiers around the world and returning them to normal society opened Monday.

* Rice ripped for avoiding terrorist label on Hamas A US Jewish group on Monday demanded US Secretary of State Condaleeza Rice immediately retract remarks she made during a press conference in Europe two weeks ago.

* City of David tunnel excavation proceeds without proper permit The excavation of a tunnel under Jerusalem's City of David has gone on for months without a license from the Israel Antiquities Authority.

* EU welcomes, Serbia rejects UN Kosovo draft The EU has strongly urged Serbs and Kosovan Albanians to engage in talks on the basis of a UN proposal on the future of Kosovo.