The Syrian army raided cities across the country before dawn today, killing at least 34 people – most of them in the flashpoint city of Hama where a barrage of shelling and gunfire left bodies scattered in the streets, activists and residents said.

An armed group linked to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas’ ruling Fatah party today announced it would be willing to accept a ceasefire if Israel also agrees to stop its attacks.

A US military helicopter crashed west of Baghdad today, killing one soldier, and gunmen shot dead a Kurd as ethnic tension gripped the northern oil-rich city of Kirkuk.

An Islamic militant killed by Algerian security forces in a raid two months ago has been identified as a top al-Qaida operative for Africa, Algeria’s official news agency reported today.

Thousands of Palestinians, many defying military curfews, poured into West Bank and Gaza streets today to protest Israel’s assault on Yasser Arafat’s headquarters, and four demonstrators were killed by army fire.