Arab League to open office in Iraq

The Arab League's chief says the 22-member organization will soon open an office in Iraq.Amr Moussa made the pledge during a joint news conference Thursday in Baghdad alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari. Mr. al-Jaafari echoed criticism of the League for not establishing a presence sooner in Iraq, saying he had hoped that the League would have had a "greater role" there earlier.

The two leaders met against a backdrop of new violence, with at least six Iraqis killed in attacks across the country.

Meanwhile, the Arab world's media reacted with mixed emotions to the start Wednesday of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's trial on charges of killing 143 of his countrymen. Some papers welcomed the trial, but others said it could fuel ethnic and sectarian tensions in Iraq, reports Voice of America. I.L.