US Secretary of State John Kerry began talks with his Russian counterpart Tuesday aimed at bridging differences over Syria after voicing confidence the two could find "common ground".

A Yemen court Tuesday ordered the freezing of the assets of two top security officials who served under ousted strongman Ali Abdullah Saleh for refusing to testify in the case of a deadly Sanaa suicide bombing, a judicial source said.

World powers and Iran on Tuesday exchanged offers at "useful" talks in Kazakhstan aimed at breaking a decade of deadlock over Tehran's disputed nuclear drive.

Avigdor Lieberman, the head of Israel's foreign and defence committee, on Tuesday called for tougher sanctions against Iran to curb its nuclear drive, saying the current measures were not enough.

Gaza militants from Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades fired a rocket at Israel on Tuesday as a "preliminary response" after one of its members died following an interrogation in an Israeli jail.

Russia's foreign minister on Tuesday slammed "extremists" in the Syrian opposition who he said were blocking the start of dialogue with Damascus by making unrealistic demands, ahead of talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry.

World powers and Iran on Tuesday exchanged offers in crunch talks in Kazakhstan aimed at breaking a decade of deadlock over Tehran's nuclear drive despite low expectations of any deal.

Egypt's main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front, said Tuesday it will boycott upcoming parliamentary elections due to a lack of guarantees of a transparent process.

Egypt's main opposition coalition, the National Salvation Front (NSF), said on Tuesday it would not participate in April's parliamentary elections due to a lack of guarantees of a transparent process.

US Secretary of State John Kerry insisted on Tuesday there was a "diplomatic path" to be forged with Iran on its disputed nuclear programme, as world powers and Tehran held crunch talks.

Gaza militants from Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades fired a rocket at Israel on Tuesday in a "preliminary" step after one of its men died following an Israeli interrogation.

Saudi Arabia has been supplying Syrian rebels battling the regime of President Bashar al-Assad with arms bought from Croatia, according to The New York Times.

Gaza-based militants from Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades on Tuesday claimed responsibility for firing a rocket at Israel after one of its members died in jail after being interrogated.

World powers were Tuesday offering Iran a softening of sanctions in exchange for concessions over its controversial nuclear programme, in crunch talks in Kazakhstan aimed at ending a decade of deadlock in the crisis.

Israel has called on the Palestinian Authority to rein in unrest as militants vowed revenge over the death of a prisoner whom the Palestinians allege died under Israeli torture.

Syria's opposition has cancelled a planned boycott of an international conference on the two-year conflict after appeals from Britain and the US, but rejected an offer of talks from Damascus.

World powers meet negotiators from Iran in Kazakhstan on Tuesday in the hope of reaching a breakthrough in the decade-long crisis over its nuclear programme, despite low expectations after years of dashed hopes.

The United Nations called Monday for an independent inquiry into the death of a Palestinian in Israeli custody, warning that mounting tensions risk an eruption of violence in the occupied territories.

The Syrian government said Monday it was "ready" for talks with rebels as the opposition overturned its planned boycott of a conference to conside the "next steps" in ending the deadly two-year conflict.

World powers will present Iran with an updated and "good" offer at talks this week on its nuclear programme, an EU official said Monday, although hopes for a breakthrough appear slim.