EGYPT

U.S. President Barack Obama, said Tuesday he saw encouraging signs of a softening of Israel's resistance to his call for a freeze on settlement-building in the occupied West Bank.

U.S. President Barack Obama, looking to jump-start the stalled Middle East peace process, will hold talks Tuesday with Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, who Washington hopes can help to get things moving.

Crude oil futures declined to their lowest level in the entire month to below $66 per barrel on Monday on concerns over the economic recovery. Crude was trading down $1.42 at $66.09 per barrel in the New York Mercantile Exchange ahead of the opening of the market by 8:39 a.m. today.

Egypt has signed agreements for oil and natural gas exploration that are expected to bring in new investments of $2.3 billion, an official at the Oil Ministry said on Monday.

Palestinian Islamists Hamas struck back at an al-Qaeda challenge to their grip on the Gaza Strip by storming a mosque in overnight battles that left the leader of the Warriors of God splinter group among up to 28 dead.

United Arab Emirates-based Dana Gas said on Saturday it had made two gas finds in Egypt with reserves totalling an estimated 76 billion cubic feet.

The United States plans to transfer $200 million to the struggling Palestinian Authority to help cover its budget crisis, an Obama administration official said on Friday.

UAE telecoms firm Emirates Telecommunications Corp (Etisalat) could invest at least $500 million if it wins a tender for a telecom licence in Libya as it looks to boost its customer base into North Africa, a top executive said on Tuesday.

Almarai Co., the Gulf's largest diary company by market value, said on Sunday it will begin production on a 650 million riyal ($173.3 million) infant formula plant as well as a baked goods factory before the end of next year.

Israel was accused of using the Iranian opposition group, People's Mujahedeen of Iran (PMOI) to assassinate president Ahmadinejad during last month's presidential election.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday rejected suggestions she had been sidelined by President Barack Obama, her rival for last year's Democratic presidential nomination.

The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) closed the 15th summit Thursday with a declaration to continue supporting each other as well as to promote disarmament and international security, peacekeeping, human rights and democracy.

India And Pakistan Said On Thursday They Had Agreed To Continue Dialogue And Would Not Link Action On Fighting Terrorism To That Process, After Their Prime Ministers Met In Egypt.

North Korea's nominal number two leader said on Wednesday dialogue with foreign powers was impossible without respect for the sovereignty of the communist state.

Top diplomats from India and Pakistan have begun talks to reduce tensions between the two states in a meeting on the fringes of a gathering in Egypt, sources close to the talks said.

RHJ International (RHJI.BR) declared its interest in Opel on Monday and Qatar looked to be moving closer to a 7 billion euro bailout of Porsche (PSHG_p.DE), raising the stakes in the battles for control of both German carmakers.

G8 leaders pledged $20 billion (12.3 billion pounds) in farm aid to help poor nations feed themselves, surpassing expectations on the final day of a summit that has yielded little progress on climate change and trade.

Egypt's state-owned Misr Insurance may launch an initial public offering of its life unit by July 2010, if conditions permit, but the state would keep a majority interest, the Insurance Holding Company chairman said on Monday.

The surviving parts of the world's oldest Bible were reunited online Monday, generating excitement among scholars striving to unlock its mysteries.

The surviving parts of the world's oldest Christian Bible will be reunited online on Monday, generating excitement among biblical scholars still striving to unlock its mysteries.

North Korea fired seven ballistic missiles on Saturday, South Korea's defense ministry said, in an act of defiance against the United States as Washington cracks down on the secretive state's weapons proliferation.