French parliament approved a law allowing same-sex couples to marry and to adopt children, a flagship reform pledge by president François Hollande which sparked often violent street protests and a rise in homophobic attacks.

Saudi King Abdullah has given the kingdom’s women the right to vote for first time in nationwide local elections, due in 2015.

Hamas came out of hiding today, holding a mass news conference for the first time in a decade.

Yasser Arafat will run for re-election, snubbing a call from President Bush for a new Palestinian leadership as part of a deal for provisional statehood.