The Associated Press

Born in Germany, Jhabvala emigrated during the Nazi regime and became an award-winning novelist and screenwriter; greats include ‘A Room With A View’ and ‘Howards End.’

Russia's FM Sergei Lavrov says Moscow in close contact with the U.S., China, South Korea and Japan over request to evacuate; S.Korea reportedly dispatches two destroyers to watch for a possible North Korean missile launch.

An attack on Barzeh follows days of heavy fighting between Syrian rebels and Assad's military; opposition groups claim the Syrian military fired 14 rockets leaving people buried under rubble.

Boost to security comes amid Jordanian fears that Syria might try to retaliate for its support of rebel fighters.

Cyprus energy officials estimate that Cypriot waters are estimated to hold at least 60 trillion cubic feet of gas, enough to cover domestic needs for decades and supply Europe's growing demand for the fossil fuel.

Palestinian protesters gather in Hebron and near Yitzhar settlement ahead of prisoner's funeral, hurling rocks at Israeli forces; mortar shell explodes in south Israel, causing no casualties; two Palestinian youths killed by IDF fire late Wednesday after throwing firebombs at troops.

Archaeologists say the site dates back some 4,000 years to around the time Abraham would have lived there; it's believed to be an administrative center for Ur.

In veiled threat, Syrian state media warns that Amman is 'playing with fire' by hosting U.S.-backed training programs for rebels seeking to topple President Bashar Assad.

Experts suspect Pyongyang does not yet have the ability to launch nuclear-tipped missiles, but its other nuclear capabilities aren't fully known.

The comments by International Atomic Energy Agency head Yukiya Amano are bound to resonate with Israel and Western nations, which assert Iran is seeking nuclear weapons capacity even though it insists its atomic activities are transparent and peaceful.

Iran, Syria, North Korea last week blocked consensus for adoption, forcing British envoy to send draft to UN chief asking for it be taken to General Assembly.

Iran and Egypt make new bilateral deal to promote tourism and improve relations; group of Iranian tourists arrive on first commercial flights between two countries in 30 years.

61-year-old Fayyad felt pain in his abdomen while at his office and was taken to Ramallah Hospital. The prime minister suffered a heart attack two years ago while visiting family in the United States.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an increase in shelling and clashes around the country led to the high toll, which is incomplete because fighters on both sides tend to underreport their dead.

Viewers were expecting President Barack Obama. Instead, they got a surprise visitor to the press briefing room.

Haniyeh met with Raafat Shehata on Sunday, a day after arriving in Egypt; President Mohammed Morsi mediated a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel last year.

Syrian state media says blaze has cost nearly 5,000 barrels a day, and was started after disagreement over how to divide the oil; near Aleppo, at least four reported killed in heavy shelling.

Bassem Youssef is most prominent critic of Morsi to be called in for questioning in recent weeks in what opposition says is a campaign to intimidate critics amid political unrest in deeply polarized Egypt.

The aid will go toward tackling humanitarian and security needs brought on by Syria crisis.

In a symbolic move, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas committed to a special Jordanian role in caring for holy shrines in Jerusalem; Jordan's 1994 peace treaty with Israel already recognizes this role.

Leading Easter mass at the Vatican’s St. Peter’s square, Pope calls for peace in the Middle East, urges reconciliation in Korea and denounces terrorism in Africa.

Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal, the highest-ranking Roman Catholic representative in the Holy Land, led morning Mass in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

To help educate postwar generations, an exhibit at the Jewish Museum in Berlin features a Jewish man or woman seated inside a glass box for two hours a day to answer visitors' questions about Jews and Jewish life.

The North's continued threats toward Seoul and Washington, including a vow to launch a nuclear strike, have raised worries that a misjudgment between the sides could lead to a clash.

Single-page memo, relaying an unconfirmed report of flying saucers found in New Mexico, was made publicly available in late '70s.