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U.S. Official: Erakat to Meet Clinton Next Week

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat will meet here next week with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a bid to try to breathe new life into stalled peace talks, a U.S. official said Friday.

Clinton had already met with Israeli negotiator Yitzhak Molho and "she'll see Erakat next week," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

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Obama to Discuss Syria Tuesday with Russia, China Leaders

U.S. President Barack Obama and his Russian and Chinese counterparts will discuss differences over what to do about the conflict in Syria at a G20 summit next week, the U.S. said on Friday.

"Obviously disagreements persist with regard to Syria, but it will be a good opportunity for the presidents to meet and work it through," said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, referring to the Mexico talks.

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Poll: Turks Oppose Direct Intervention in Syria

Most Turks oppose direct intervention by their country in neighboring Syria, a Turkish opinion poll revealed Friday, as the escalating conflict threatens to become outright civil war.

Fifty-seven percent said they were against Turkey intervening in Syria, while 11.7 percent said they were for a military confrontation with the Damascus regime, according to the poll sponsored by an Istanbul-based think-tank, the Center for Economic and Foreign Policy Studies (EDAM).

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Tunisia Quiet Ahead of Canceled Marches

Public security in Tunisia was "normal throughout the country" ahead of Friday prayers, after which several religious groups had planned protest rallies, an interior ministry spokesman said.

At the last minute Thursday, fundamentalist Islamic groups and the moderate Muslim Ennahda party in power called off the rallies they had planned to hold following Friday prayers, after the government issued a ban.

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U.N. Mission Chief Appeals to Both Sides in Syria

The U.N. observer force on Friday accused both sides in the Syrian conflict of hampering its peace mission and admitted its limitations in the face of escalating violence.

France, meanwhile, said that world powers could hold a summit on the Syrian crisis as the deadly anti-regime revolt entered its 16th month.

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Egypt Army Aims to Keep Center Ground in Politics

A controversial court decision on the eve of Egypt's second round presidential vote gives the nation's army the means to keep its key political role and challenge the Muslim Brotherhood, analysts say.

The constitutional court's decision on Thursday to invalidate parliament on the grounds that a third of its members were elected illegally was a blow for Islamists, who currently dominate the house but stand to lose ground in any new election.

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Turkey Says Syrian Refugee Numbers Exceed 30,000

The number of Syrian refugees registered in Turkey has topped 30,000, a Turkish foreign ministry official told Agance France Press on Friday.

"Four hundred more Syrians crossed into Turkey on Thursday, bringing the total number to 30,800," said the official, who wished to remain anonymous.

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26 Dead as Thousands Rally in Syria on 'Friday of Readiness'

At least 26 people were killed in violence on Friday as thousands protested against the regime across Syria, activists and a monitoring group said.

Activists uploaded videos of protests outside mosques or street marches on what they named a "Friday of Readiness."

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Jordan Protesters Brave Heat Wave to Demand Reform

More than 2,000 Jordanians braved blistering temperatures on Friday to demonstrate across the country against recent hikes in commodity prices, demanding sweeping political change and constitutional reform.

"Instead of raising prices, hold the corrupt accountable. Reform the constitution and let the people see the light," read one of the banners carried by around 1,000 protesters, including Islamists, leftists and youths, who marched in central Amman.

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Syrian Opposition Meets to 'Unify' Vision

Syrian opposition leaders were meeting in Turkey on Friday in a bid to settle their differences and forge a united front to confront the escalating conflict in their homeland.

"We will work towards a unified vision," said Burhan Ghalioun, who stepped down last month as head of the main opposition group the Syrian National Council in the face of mounting splits that were undermining its credibility.

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