Bid for Middle East peace begins
The US Secretary of State tells the Israeli and Palestinian leaders they have the "opportunity to end this conflict" as direct peace talks begin.

US hails end of operation in Iraq
The US president hails the end of US combat operations in Iraq, saying the US has paid "a huge price" to "put Iraq's future in its people's hands".

Netherlands frees Yemeni suspects
Two Yemenis arrested in Amsterdam on suspicion of planning a terror attack are released, prosecutors in the Netherlands say.

Iran's Bruni slurs 'unacceptable'
France says that "insults" in Iran's media aimed at France's first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, are "unacceptable".

Israel academics shun settlements
More than 150 Israeli academics say they will no longer lecture or work in Jewish settlements in the West Bank.

Rabbi calls for Abbas to 'vanish'
An Israeli rabbi says the world would be better without Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, prompting strong criticism from US officials.

Biden in Iraq for mission change
US Vice President Joe Biden arrives in Iraq ahead of the official end of the US combat mission there at midnight on Tuesday.

Nails removed from 'abused' maid
Doctors remove 13 nails and five needles from a Sri Lankan housemaid who said her employer in Saudi Arabia hammered them into her body.

Call for Iraq deaths inquiry in UK
A full judicial inquiry into all those killed in the war in Iraq should be held, the UK-based Iraq Body Count campaign group says.

Iran-bound tiger found in baggage
A two-month-old tiger cub is found sedated and hidden among stuffed toys in a woman's luggage at Bangkok's international airport.

Cairo zoo puts lions on the pill
Vets at Cairo's Giza Zoo are experimenting with the human birth control pill in an attempt to slow their rapidly expanding population of lions.

Syrian soaps confront taboos
Syrian soaps have become popular across the region in recent years due to their realistic plots which have also caused controversy.