World Highlights

O Kenya's former anti-corruption chief says he has incontrovertible" proof government ministers were caught up in a multimillion-dollar scam that has heightened Western donor disillusionment, documents seen by Reuters show.

O Iraq's biggest Sunni political bloc committed itself to talks with Shi'ites and Kurds to form a government of national unity, but said its key demands, including changes to the constitution, must be met.

O Kuwait's parliamentary speaker agreed yesterday that the Gulf state's new emir should take his oath of office today, despite a rift in the ruling family over whether he is too ill to rule.

O Seventeen Maoist guerillas and six security personnel were killed in the deadliest gun battle in restive Nepal since the rebels ended a four-month-old truce three weeks ago, an army officer said.

O Iran urged the European Union to return to negotiations on its nuclear programme, saying talks were the only way to defuse its nuclear standoff with the West.

O Ethnic militants holding four foreign oil workers hostage in the Niger Delta threatened to keep them for years if necessary and repeated demands for Nigeria to free two Ijaw leaders.

O Canadian political leaders made one last cross-country dash on the eve of an election expected to end 12 years of Liberal rule, move Canada to the right and improve ties with the United States.