From Washington,this is VOA News.

A blast rocked a densely populated neighborhood of south Beirut Thursday, killing at least five people in an area known as a Hezbollah stronghold.

The explosion wounded about 20 people.

Edward Yeranian filed this report from CAIRO.

Ambulances rushed to the scene of the blast in the mostly Shiite suburb of Haret Hreik, as rescue workers and young men searched for victims amid the rubble.

Hezbollah's Al-Manar television reported that the explosion took place 200 meters from a political office belonging to the group, but denied that any top official had been targeted by the blast.

The city has been recently been hit by attacks linked to heightened Sunni-Shiite tensions over the Syrian war.

Edward Yeranian VOA News Cairo.

There was heavy fighting Thursday between Iraqi forces and al-Qaida-linked militants who have seized control of parts of two major cities.

The government used fighter jets and rockets against militants in Falluja and Ramadi. Casualty numbers are unclear.

Fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant stormed parts of Fallujah and Ramadi on Wednesday, barging into police stations, taking over military posts, and freeing prisoners.

The pro-Sunni extremists are taking advantage of the ongoing violence and tension between Iraq's Shi'ite-led government and the Sunni minority.

The Sunnis accuse the government of discrimination and ignoring their needs. Ethnic violence killed thousands throughout much of 2013.

Also Thursday, separate bombings in Baghdad and elsewhere killed at least 24 people, including a number of soldiers.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is continuing talks with Israeli and Palestinian Authority leaders, who he hopes can soon come to an agreement on a framework peace deal.

Kerry will meet Friday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel before heading to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

VOA's Scott Bobb filed this report.

Secretary of State John Kerry met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu several hours after he landed in Israel.
 
He said he realized that many people are skeptical that peace can be attained but noted that Israeli peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan show that peace is possible.
 
“The time is soon arriving where leaders are going to have to make difficult decisions. We are close to that time if not at it and I think we understand the circumstances within which we are working,”
 
Netanyahu in his welcoming remarks accused Palestinian leaders of inciting their people to attack Israelis and said this created doubt that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas sincerely wants peace.

Scott Bobb VOA News JERUSALEM.

The New York Times and Britain's Guardian newspaper are calling for clemency for Edward Snowden, the former U.S. national security contractor who leaked a massive trove of details about clandestine American spying.

The 30-year-old Snowden is living in asylum in Russia as the United States seeks his return to face espionage charges and a lengthy prison term if he is convicted.

A Congolese military commander who helped the government defeat M23 rebels has been killed in a rocket attack.

He died from injuries sustained when his convoy was ambushed in North Kivu province on Thursday. At least two other security officers were also killed.

A reporter for VOA who was traveling in the convoy says the rocket struck the vehicle near the town of Beni.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

South Sudan's army continues to battle rebel forces, even as negotiators from the warring sides came together for talks aimed at ending the violence that has pushed the world's newest country toward civil war.

Representatives of President Salva Kiir and former vice president Riek Machar gathered in Ethiopia's capital to discuss ways of ending the escalating unrest.

A VOA reporter in Addis Ababa says the start time for talks has slipped several times. She says negotiators may meet face-to-face on Friday or even later in the week.And follow the developing story at geilien.cn.

And for more of all our stories, visit geilien.cn.

Reporting from Washtington.I'm Bill Michales.

VOA News.