Iraq’s embattled prime minister has fought off an attempt to push him out of office, aided by divisions among his opponents and Iranian intervention on his behalf.

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has warned that Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip could cause an “explosion” in the Islamic world. So far, however, Arabs have staged only small and sporadic demonstrations and their governments have made few complaints.

A new weapon that could change the face of war is about to be tested by the US Air Force, it was reported today.