Sheik threatens voter boycott over ballot purge
A prominent sheik and U.S. ally is weighing whether to urge fellow Sunnis to boycott upcoming elections in protest of the government's ballot purge of hundreds of candidates suspected of links to Saddam Hussein's regime. Such a call by Ahmed Abu Risha risks derailing Obama administration hopes that the March 7 parliamentary elections will bring stronger reconciliation between Iraq's majority Shiites and minority Sunnis who want to reclaim more political power.
Taliban deny meeting UN envoy to talk peace in Afghanistan
The Taliban denied Saturday that leaders of the Islamist group fighting to overthrow the Afghan government had met with UN representatives to discuss bringing peace to Afghanistan.
Afghan ex-minister confirms Taliban talks
India softens stand on negotiating with Taliban
India is willing to back efforts to seek peace with Taliban to stabilise Afghanistan, foreign minister S.M. Krishna said, indicating a softening of stand towards a group known to be close to rival Pakistan.
Deaths in Pakistan 'drone' attack
At least nine people have been killed in a suspected US drone attack in northwestern Pakistan, intelligence officials say.
Qaeda would face pressure from Afghan deal-making
Bringing the Taliban into reconciliation talks with the U.S.-backed Afghan government would strain the insurgents' ties to al Qaeda and lift Western hopes of denying Osama bin Laden the refuge his hosts provide.
Skyrocketing costs may have doomed NYC trial plan
The letter written by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to Washington earlier this month set a whopping $200-million-a-year price tag to secure the city during the trial - more than double the original estimate. The speech by Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly detailed a planned lockdown of lower Manhattan certain to set new standards for gridlock.
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