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Paris Warns It May Seek Chapter 7 Resolution on Syria

France warned Wednesday that it may push for a resolution allowing the use of force in Syria and said it wanted U.N. monitors to deploy within a fortnight as the peace plan was "strongly compromised".

"Things are not going well, the (Kofi) Annan plan is strongly compromised but there is still a chance for this mediation, on the condition of the rapid deployment of the 300 monitors," Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said.

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Israel Army Chief Says Iran Leadership 'Very Rational'

Israel's military chief toned down the rhetoric over Iran's nuclear program on Wednesday, describing the Iranian leadership as "very rational" and unlikely to take the decision to build a bomb.

Speaking to Haaretz newspaper, Lieutenant General Benny Gantz said Iran was approaching the point at which it would be able to decide on whether to build a bomb, but that Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had not yet decided "whether to go the extra mile."

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Palestinian Hunger Striker Appeal Nixed by Israel Supreme Court

Israel's Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by a Palestinian prisoner who has been refusing food for more than seven weeks to protest being held without charge, his lawyer told Agence France Presse on Wednesday.

Hassan Safdi, 31, was arrested on June 29, 2011 and has been held without charge under a procedure called administrative detention, which means a prisoner can be held for renewable periods of up to six months.

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Islamist Cousin of Ras al-Khaimah Ruler Arrested

A member of the ruling family of Ras al-Khaimah, one of seven states that make up the United Arab Emirates, has been held "without charge" for days, his son said on Wednesday.

Sheikh Sultan al-Qassimi, a first cousin of the emir who heads the local branch of the Islamist group al-Islah, was arrested on Friday by "armed men in civilian clothing," his son Sheikh Abdullah told Agence France Presse by telephone.

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Offices of Top Shiite Clerics in Iraq Attacked

Unknown people have attacked the offices of two of Iraq's top four Shiite clerics in the central city of Najaf with sound bombs, a security official there said on Wednesday.

"The office of Grand Ayatollah Bashir al-Najafi in central Najaf city was attacked with a sound bomb on Tuesday evening," the official said, adding that "there was an attack with a sound bomb that targeted the office of Grand Ayatollah Ishaq al-Fayadh on Sunday evening."

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At Least 21 Civilians, 3 Troops Killed in Violence across Syria

At least 21 civilians and three soldiers were killed on Wednesday in violence across Syria, activists said, 13 days after a tenuous truce came into effect.

Regime forces killed six people in the northwestern province of Idlib, four in the Damascus suburbs of Harasta and Douma, four in the southern province of Daraa, three in the northern province of Aleppo, two in the central province of Hama, a person in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and another in the central province of Homs, the Local Coordination Committees, the main activist group spurring protests on the ground, reported.

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Algeria Premier Fears Scattering of Votes in May Election

Algeria's Prime Minister, fearing a wide scattering of votes in the May 10 general elections in which 44 parties are running, Wednesday urged voters to support the main ruling coalition partners.

Ahmed Ouyahia, who heads the National Rally for Democracy (RND), belonging to a three party political alliance loyal to President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, called for "useful" votes.

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Libya's ex-Rebels Arrive in Jordan for Training

The first batch of 10,000 former Libyan rebels arrived on Wednesday in Jordan for training in order integrate into their country's interior ministry, the kingdom's security department said.

Under a deal signed between Amman and Tripoli in December, the former rebels who helped topple Moammar Gadhafi's regime last year will receive training at an international police center east of Amman, deputy police chief Major-General Mohammed Raqqad said in a statement.

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Annan Urges Quick Deployment of U.N. Observers to Syria

A handful of U.N. observers resumed their tour of Syrian hot spots on Wednesday as envoy Kofi Annan urged the fast deployment of the full, 300-strong mission and voiced alarm about persistent violence.

Nine civilians were reportedly killed across country, taking to nearly 300 the number of people who have died since a tenuous ceasefire went into effect on April 12.

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Turkey Says No Weapons Destined to Syria Found on German Ship

Turkish authorities found no weapons after searching a German-owned vessel docked at a southern port last week on suspicion of smuggling arms to Syria, an official report has disclosed.

"As a result of the investigation, nothing was encountered which can be described as weapons, munitions or military materials inside any of the checked goods," according to the report which was signed by Turkish customs officials.

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