Syrian, Saudi leaders make historic Lebanon visit

BEIRUT (AFP) -- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Saudi Arabian King Abdullah traveled to Beirut on Friday for a joint mission to help defuse a tense political situation in Lebanon.

Nasrin Khosravi portrayed children’s desires in her illustrations: scholar
Tehran Times Art Desk

TEHRAN -- Nasrin Khosravi portrayed children’s desires in her illustrations, scholar Shahram Eqbalzadeh mentioned at the commemoration ceremony held for the late children’s book illustrator Khosravi.

Death toll for U.S. troops in Afghanistan hits 63 in July
By staff and agencies

KABUL – Three U.S. troops died in blasts in Afghanistan, bringing the death toll for July to at least 63 and surpassing the previous month's record as the deadliest for American forces in the nearly 9-year-old occupation war.

Former UK deputy PM admits intelligence doubts prior to Iraq war

LONDON (The Guardian) -- Lord Prescott Friday said he had doubts about the intelligence on Saddam Hussein's weapons programs before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

China supports Iran's renewed efforts to hold nuclear talks
China opposes EU sanctions against Iran

BEIJING (AP) – China said Friday that it opposes the sanctions the European Union is imposing on Iran over its civilian nuclear program, saying it supports Iran's renewed efforts to hold talks on a possible swap of nuclear fuel.

Most Pakistanis see U.S. as an enemy: poll

WASHINGTON (Agencies) -- A majority of Pakistanis view the United States as an enemy, oppose the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan and are less concerned about the Taliban than a year ago, a Pew Research poll said Thursday.

Iran ready to reconsider 20% enrichment
Tehran Times Political Desk

TEHRAN -- Iran will reconsider its decision to enrich uranium to 20 percent if it acquires nuclear fuel to power the Tehran research reactor, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Director Ali Akbar Salehi has announced.

French mother admits killing babies

LILLE, France (AFP) – The French mother who admitted killing eight of her newborn babies is relieved that her secret is finally out in the open, her lawyer said Friday.

Climate change: The last resort
By Gwynne Dyer

It may seem premature to talk about last-ditch measures to deal with runaway climate change, but Ben Lieberman has it right. Lieberman, an energy expert at the Heritage Foundation, a Washington think-tank, responded to the news that the U.S. Senate will not pass any climate legislation this year by saying: “It's pretty clear that no post-Kyoto treaty is in the making -- certainly not in Cancun, and maybe not ever.”

Pakistan monsoon floods kill more than 320

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) – Flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential monsoon rains have killed more than 320 people in Pakistan in three days and affected at least 300,000, officials said Friday.