LEBANON: Bomb explodes in refugee camp

A bomb exploded Tuesday near a house in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon, the owner of which is the brother of a member of the fundamentalist movement Hamas, Palestinian sources said.

LEBANON: Bomb explodes in refugee camp

A bomb exploded Tuesday near a house in a refugee camp in southern Lebanon, the owner of which is the brother of a member of the fundamentalist movement Hamas, Palestinian sources said.

TURKEY-US: Officials fail to agree on US deployment

Turkish and US officials failed to agree on conditions for deploying tens of thousands of US troops after marathon talks overnight Tuesday, likely delaying a parliamentary vote authorizing the deployment, diplomats said.

TURKEY-US: Officials fail to agree on US deployment

Turkish and US officials failed to agree on conditions for deploying tens of thousands of US troops after marathon talks overnight Tuesday, likely delaying a parliamentary vote authorizing the deployment, diplomats said.

TURKEY-US: Officials fail to agree on US deployment

Turkish and US officials failed to agree on conditions for deploying tens of thousands of US troops after marathon talks overnight Tuesday, likely delaying a parliamentary vote authorizing the deployment, diplomats said.

IRAQ: Peace activists storm into Spanish Embassy in Baghdad

A group of Spanish peace activists today stormed into their country's Embassy in Baghdad to protest a looming military attack against Iraq.

MALAYSIA-NAM SUMMIT: Arafat urges sending fact-finding mission to Palestine

Palestinian President Yasser Arafat today urged leaders of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) to send a fact-finding mission to Palestine to examine at close range the reality of the happenings there.

IRAQ: Multi-polar world to make the world safer

A call was made here in the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today for the need for a multi-polar world to ensure a safer world.

IRAQ: Arabs, Muslims against war, says Syria

A US-led war on Iraq will take humanity back to the ever-worst age of colonialism, a Syrian top official warned today.

GULF: Oil income up $246 million a day, region’s economy set to grow 3.6% in

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are earning an additional US $246 million a day as a result of higher oil prices, compared with February 2002, a leading Saudi Arabian-based economist today told delegates attending the International Islamic Finance Forum, in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

IRAQ: Don’t turn Arab League into talking shop, says UAE paper

A United Arab Emirates (UAE) English daily has warned that the Arab League will be "a great talking shop", just the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) is, but with no empowerment, if it fails to appreciate the urgency of issues in hand.

NORTH KOREA: Powell to announce resumption of US food aid

US Secretary of State Colin Powell will announce Tuesday Washington intends to resume food aid to North Korea, sources said.

PAKISTAN: Musharraf rakes up Kashmir issue at NAM summit

Violating the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) charter that bars raising of bilateral issues, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf Monday raked up the Kashmir issue at the NAM here saying the grouping should recognize the right of self-determination in Kashmir.

CHINA: Worst-ever earthquake in northwest kills 242

At least 242 people, including schoolchildren, were killed and over 1,000 others injured when a devastating earthquake struck the quake-prone Xinjiang region in northwest China Monday.

MIDDLE EAST: Israeli army withdraws from Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun

Israeli troops withdrew from the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun today, after a more than 24-hour operation, Israeli media reported.

POLITICS-IRAQ: Turkey Pushes for its Own Gains

Turkey is beginning to fall in line with U.S. war plans in Iraq after a week of wavering, but for its own reasons.

IRAQ: International community should not expect a miracle, says UAE daily

A major United Arab Emirates (UAE) Arabic newspaper today commented on the US and Britain's determination to mount military operations against Iraq over allegations that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.

RELIGION-UAE: Archbishop of Jerusalem praises tolerance in the country

The Archbishop of Jerusalem and the Near East, Ata Abraham, has accused the West of trying to marginalize the "political and national role" of the Christian Arabs.

ENVIRONMENT-UAE: Conservation does not believe in political borders

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA), Sharjah, in a joint venture with the UAE Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency (ERWDA), is holding the 4th International Conservation Workshop on "The Threatened Fauna of Arabia" from Sunday to Wednesday at Arabia's Wildlife Center in Sharjah.

IRAQ: Outgoing NAM chairman calls for cooperation with UN Security Council

Outgoing Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Chairman Thabo Mbeki called on Iraq today to cooperate with the United Nations Security Council and the weapons inspectors to satisfy them that it has no weapons of mass destruction.

IRAQ: Postponement of Arab summit

Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri said today that his country had asked for the postponement of the Arab summit due to convene March 1, to March 14.