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The Palestinian intelligence service's chief has been seriously injured in a blast at the organisation's main office in Gaza City, officials said. General Tareq Abu Rajab's staff said he was the victim of a bomb attack they called an assassination attempt. At least one person died and several others were injured in the blast, after they stepped into a lift. Correspondents say the incident is s ...

The UK is to ask the European Court of Human Rights to review its absolute ban on deporting people to countries where they could face torture or death. The government wants to be able to take public safety into account when dealing with criminals from such nations, the Attorney General told the BBC. But guarantees on returnees' safety would be sought, Lord Goldsmith said. The comments come amid the row over the Home Office failure to consider foreign prisoners for deportation. The European C ...

Freddie Garrity, the lead singer of the 1960s pop band Freddie and the Dreamers, has died. The 65-year-old, originally from Manchester, had been receiving treatment for what were described as "circulation problems". He died on Friday at Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital in Bangor, north Wales. The five-piece band had success in both Britain and the US with hits such as I'm Telling You Now and You Were Made For Me.

Iraq's parliament has approved a new government, including members of the main Shia, Kurd and Sunni parties. But three crucial ministries - national security, interior and defence - have still been not agreed. For now, Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, a Shia, will run the interior ministry and deputy Prime Minister, Salam Zaubai, a Sunni, will run defence. It is hoped the 37-minister team, the first full-term government since the 2003 invasion, can curb Iraq's unrest. But the BBC's Jim Muir in  ...

Businesses have warned that they face potential ruin with the emergency closure of part of the A5, one of north Wales' most important roads. The 1km stretch between Ty Nant in Denbighshire and Dinmael in Conwy could be shut for several months from 26 May because of an unstable rock face. Some small businesses are worried the lack of passing trade will mean huge losses during the tourist season. The assembly government apologised, but said safety was a priority. The A5 trunk road leads past L ...

By Kate Holton LONDON (Reuters) - The government is to ask the European Court of Human Rights to review legislation which forbids member states from deporting people to countries where they could be tortured, the Attorney General said on Saturday. The question of deportation has risen up the political agenda in recent months due to a row about the failure to consider for deportation over 1,000 f ...

By Mariam Karouny BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's parliament finally approved a new national unity government on Saturday, ending months of deadlock as bomb attacks that killed 24 people served a grim reminder of the security challenges it will face. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's cabinet was approved by a show of hands, minister by minister, after a turbulent start to the parliamentary session, whe ...

(CNN) -- Iraq's parliament has approved the Cabinet presented by incoming Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a turning point in the building of Iraq's first democratic government. Deputy parliament speaker Khalid al-Attiyah declared it a "historic day for Iraq." Speaking before the Cabinet was presented, he said the government would "be formed in 37 ministerial portfolios" and according to the constitution "the voting will be done in two ways: the first granting approval t ...

By Robert Birsel KABUL (Reuters) - Heavy fighting erupted in southern Afghanistan on Saturday and both international and Afghan government forces suffered casualties, military officials said. Fighting in recent days has been some of the fiercest since the Taliban were overthrown in 2001, and it comes as thousands of NATO peacekeepers are arriving in the south. The violence on Saturday erupted i ...

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan may begin withdrawing its noncombat troops from southern Iraq as early as next month, winding down the country's riskiest mission since World War Two, a newspaper reported on Saturday. No formal decision had been made on when to bring the roughly 600 troops home from the southern city of Samawa, where they have been engaged in reconstruction work. But some officials had sa ...