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Report: N. Korea Tried to Ship Missile Parts to Syria

North Korea tried to export ballistic missile parts to Syria in May in violation of U.N. sanctions, Japanese media said Wednesday, citing diplomats who have seen a classified U.N. report.

South Korean authorities inspected North Korean cargo bound for Syria and confiscated hundreds of cylinders that could be used to build the weapons, the Asahi Shimbun said.

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U.S. Says New Syria Opposition Bloc 'a Legitimate Representative'

The United States said Tuesday the newly formed opposition National Coalition is "a legitimate representative" of the Syrian people, but stopped short of recognizing it as a government-in-exile.

"We now have a structure in place that can prepare for a political transition, but... we're looking for it to still establish the types of technical committees that will allow us to make sure our assistance gets to the right places," State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said.

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Paris Recognizes New Syria Opposition Bloc, to Review Arms Stance

President Francois Hollande announced Tuesday that France recognized the newly formed Syria opposition as the sole representative of the people of the conflict-ravaged country and said it was time to review whether the rebels should be given arms.

"I announce that France recognizes the Syrian National Coalition as the sole representative of the Syrian people and thus as the future provisional government of a democratic Syria, allowing an end to the Bashar Assad regime," Hollande told a press conference.

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Tehran to Host Inter-Syria Dialogue on Nov. 18

Iran will bring parties to the Syrian conflict to Tehran on Sunday to participate in a "national dialogue," the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

The meeting will focus on promoting diplomacy and ending the violence in Syria, Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian told the Arabic-language Al-Alam channel.

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Syria Opposition Chief Urges 'Specialized Weapons' for Rebels

The leader of Syria's new main opposition coalition called on world powers on Tuesday to arm rebels with "specialized weapons" as European Union and Arab League ministers met in Cairo.

Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib told Agence France Presse rebels desperately needed arms if they were to "cut short the suffering of the Syrians and their bloodshed."

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HRW: Syrian Opposition Leaders must Curb Abuses

Syria's new opposition leaders must act to monitor and curb any violations of international law by rebels fighting to oust President Bashar Assad's regime, human rights watchdogs said on Tuesday.

"Syria’s newly created opposition front should send a clear message to opposition fighters that they must adhere to the laws of war and human rights law, and that violators will be held accountable," said Human Rights Watch.

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France Calls for Recognition of New Syrian Opposition Bloc

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius urged world powers on Tuesday to recognize the newly formed Syrian opposition bloc.

"Our hope is that the different countries recognize the Syrian national coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people... France's role is to make that hope possible," Fabius told reporters in Cairo.

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63 Dead as Fighting Rages near Damascus, Border Town Bombed

Fierce battles and army shelling in and near Damascus on Tuesday killed at least 41 people, mostly civilians, a watchdog said, as warplanes launched more air raids on a town on the Turkish border.

A car bomb, meanwhile, struck the town of Ain al-Fijeh, west of the capital, "injuring a number of people and causing widespread material damage," said Syrian state television.

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Source: Palestinians Begin Work to Open Arafat's Grave

The Palestinians on Tuesday began work to open the grave of the late Yasser Arafat ahead of an exhumation of his body for a murder probe, a source close to his family told Agence France Presse.

"Today they started removing concrete and stones from Arafat's mausoleum and the work will last for almost 15 days," the source said.

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Defense Officials: Israel Considers Resumption of Gaza Assassinations

Israel is considering resuming its contentious practice of assassinating militant leaders in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in an effort to halt intensified rocket attacks on Israel's south, according to defense officials.

That Israel might renew a practice that brought it harsh international censure is evidence of the tight spot Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in. With Israeli elections two months away, rocket barrages from Gaza are disrupting the lives of 1 million residents of southern Israel, pressuring the government to come up with an effective response.

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