JERUSALEM, June 22 (UPI) -- Israel has refused to free 30 specific prisoners demanded by Hamas in exchange for a soldier kidnapped in Gaza, an Arab newspaper in London reported.

WASHINGTON, March 24 (UPI) -- The Saudi government is launching a program to retrain 40,000 Islamic clerics in a "culture of dialogue … centrism and moderation," reports as-Sharq al-Awsat.

CAIRO, March 18 (UPI) -- Egyptian intelligence chief Gen. Omar Suleiman Tuesday delayed a trip to Israel alleging Israel's "lack of commitment" to end the conflict in Gaza.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- As Washington, Baghdad and Ankara intensively seek a last-minute diplomatic solution to Turkey's intention to invade Iraqi Kurdistan to deal a decisive blow to Kurdistan Workers Party guerrillas, the ominous consequences of an invasion are becoming clearer.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- Iraq’s pipelines and oil infrastructure await a promised attack by Kurdish separatists in response to Turkish attacks on the rebel mountain bases.

JERUSALEM, Oct. 3 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met Wednesday at Olmert's Jerusalem residence.

GAZA, July 31 (UPI) -- The Palestinian political and militia group Hamas is recruiting for a new security service for the Gaza Strip, Ynetnews reported Tuesday.

DAMASCUS, Syria, July 21 (UPI) -- Iran has reportedly agreed to help Syria acquire a massive arsenal of weapons in exchange for Syria refusing to enter into peace talks with Israel.

BEIRUT, Lebanon, April 16 (UPI) -- A senior political adviser to Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group said Monday the group is sufficiently armed to defend the entire country.