Key Saddam lawyers boycott trial

The last phase of the turbulent trial of Saddam Hussein on charges of crimes against humanity resumed on Monday with a boycott by the deposed Iraqi leader and key members of the defence team. The Iraqi high tribunal said it would continue to hear the defence's closing arguments with or without Saddam or his lawyers.

Deadly street battles prompt daytime Baghdad curfew

A daytime gun battle in the capital between Sunni insurgents and Shi'ite militiamen prompted the Iraqi government to tighten the Baghdad curfew on Friday as 22 people died in two bombings. The street fighting on Haifa Street on Baghdad's west side broke out after militiamen loyal to Shi'ite radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army came under attack from Sunni Arab gunmen.

Egyptian ferry sinks in Red Sea

Many people were feared dead on Friday when an Egyptian ferry with about 1 400 on board, including many Muslim pilgrims, sank in the Red Sea during a crossing from Saudi Arabia to Egypt. Twenty bodies were recovered amid fears of a much higher death toll, while survivors were battling for their lives in lifeboats in heavy seas.

Egypt Islamists ready to contact Washington

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, which control one in five parliamentary seats after spectacular gains in recent polls, says it is ready to break a long-standing taboo and engage in contacts with Washington, which welcomed the results of Egypt's month-long parliamentary polls.

Islamists cry foul over Egypt vote

Egypt's opposition Muslim Brotherhood cried foul on Friday after a slump in its performance in the latest round of parliamentary polls, which were marred by violence and widespread voter obstruction. None of its 49 candidates involved in the third and final phase of voting had won outright.

Egyptians start parliamentary voting

Egyptians started voting on Wednesday in parliamentary polls expected to see President Hosni Mubarak's ruling party retain its grip on power, amid accusations of mass fraud from the opposition Muslim Brotherhood. Thousands of polling stations opened for the first round of the initial phase in legislative elections that will last a month.
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