The United States said it was pleased with a conference it held last week for over 25 Iraqi opposition scholars and intellectuals to discuss "democratic principles" for a post-Saddam Hussein government.

KUWAIT CITY – Authorities have released five Pakistanis arrested on September 6 for filming the coastal palace of Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah. Al Qabas newspaper said the men were admiring the entrance arches.

AMMAN – Ten Islamists accused of plotting to assassinate Americans in Jordan and launch attacks in Israel pleaded innocent at the opening of their trial on Monday, judiciary sources said. The charges are punishable with death. The trial was adjourned for a week.

Mainz, GERMANY – Jordan's Prince Hassan Bin Talal appealed on Monday for "bridges of understanding" between Western and Islamic countries in the fight against terrorism. The prince is the younger brother of the late King Hussein.

ISTANBUL – Hatice Ozturk, 32, late on Monday became the 57th Turkish inmate to die in a two-year hunger strike to protest against new high-security jails, a spokesman for TAYAD, a solidarity group for prisoners' families, said on Tuesday.

ISTANBUL – A Turkish prosecutor has demanded three years in jail for Ahmet Burak Ceylan, who allegedly sent threatening e-mails to the White House in the wake of the September 11 attacks, the Hurriyet daily reported on Tuesday.

MOSCOW – Russia expects to complete deals with several Arab states - including Algeria, Iran, Libya, Kuwait and Syria - for the upgrade of their T-72 main battle tanks, industry executives said.

ANKARA – The Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan signed an agreement in northern Iraq on Sunday to end hostilities. The two groups have long been rivals and fought each other over territory and trade routes.