Middle East, 2009 | featured news

The year's tally was 319, compared with 155 in 2008, due mostly to the crude but ever larger and deadlier roadside bombs built by the Taliban.

Afghanistan will hardly have enough time to provide full security during a presidential election run-off in November, a senior official said on Thursday as preparations for the second round entered full swing.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Tuesday that he accepted a finding of widespread fraud in the August presidential elections and endorsed a runoff vote scheduled for Nov. 7.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in Egypt on Monday for talks seen aimed at showing he can be a true Middle East peace partner before he heads to the White House on May 18.