Friends of Israel

DFATis providing consular assistance to a NSW man who has been jailed in Israel for helping the Islamist Hamas movement.

PROSECUTION in Hosni Mubarak trial wants fallen Egyptian dictator to hang for deaths of protesters during revolt that overthrew him.

A WAVE of bombings targeting Shi'ites in Iraq has killed 72 people, deepening tensions simmering in the region after US troops departed.

ARMED men seized a Red Cross worker from the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta today, police and the organization said.

SYRIA'S state-run TV says authorities have released 552 prisoners who were involved in anti-regime activities.

A SPATE of blasts against Shiite enclaves in Baghdad has killed at least 21 people, as Iraq grapples with a political row that has stoked sectarian tensions.

BOMB and grenade attacks north of Baghdad have killed three people - two children and a policeman - and wounded 17 other people.

TALIBAN'S move to open a political office abroad ahead of possible peace talks could be a step towards an end to Afghanistan's war.

CHINA says it opposes "unilateral" sanctions against Iran, after Barack Obama signed into law new measures targeting its central bank.

ISRAELI and Palestinian negotiators held a "positive" first face-to-face meeting in more than 15 months yesterday.

TWO suicide bombers struck Syrian security services bases in Damascus, killing more than 40 people and wounding more than 150 others.

PAKISTANI Taliban fighters have attacked a paramilitary fort in northwestern Pakistan, killing one soldier and kidnapping 15 others.

PLANNED crisis talks between Iraqi political leaders after deadly attacks in Baghdad have been cancelled.

TWIN bombs have hit two security service bases in the Syrian capital, state television says.

IRAQI political leaders are set for crisis talks after the country suffered its deadliest attacks in four months.

WAVE of attacks kills 67 people as the country faces a political crisis, with its vice-president accused of running death squads.

YEMENI security and military officials say a brother of Yemen's al-Qaeda leader was among five people killed in the latest of a series of battles raging for days in the south of the country.

A NATO investigation into an air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers has concluded that both alliance and Pakistani forces made mistakes.

A SPATE of blasts kill up to 63 people just days after US soldiers left Baghdad.

WAVE of attacks in Baghdad kill 57 people as Iraq faces a political crisis, with its vice president accused of running death squads.