Global scrutiny:

US-Iran talks could ease regional tensions

Talks between the US and Iran on Iraq could propel the international politics of the Gulf region and that of South West Asia into a qualitatively new and historic phase, if they materialize. They could also mean that 30 years of persistently strained relations between the states are finally coming to an end.

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Pakistan's mosque students refuse to free police

Pakistani authorities were trying on Saturday to secure the release of four policemen who radical Islamic students detained in Islamabad in their latest challenge to the government's authority.

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Blair arrives in Iraq

British Prime Minister Tony Blair arrived in Iraq on Saturday, the British embassy in Baghdad said, confirming what was likely to be his last visit to the country before he leaves office.

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