World highlights

• Gunmen killed a much-loved Iraqi comedian as attacks and kidnaps of senior politicians and dozens of ordinary people prompted the defence minister to declare that Iraq was now in a "state of war". As pressure mounted on US President George W. Bush to change tack and his allies urged him to approach Washington's adversaries Syria and Iran to help stabilise Iraq, Syria's foreign minister visited Baghdad for the first time since the US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein in March 2003.

• Asian giants India and China hope to transform their cagey friendship into a trusting relationship as Hu Jintao arrived in New Delhi for the second visit by a Chinese president. The world's two most populous nations have been able to put behind the bitter memories of a brutal border war and forged new ties on the back of soaring trade and business links.

• At least five people were killed and 70 wounded when a powerful explosion believed to have been caused by a bomb ripped through a train in eastern India, police said.The blast hit two crowded coaches near a remote railway station in West Bengal state, about 665 km north of state capital Kolkata, Raj Kanojia, a top police officer said.

• More than 2,000 civilians from western Democratic Republic of Congo have fled across the Congo river to escape fighting between supporters of the two rivals who contested the presidential election, the UN said yesterday. The clashes at Bolobo, 280 km upriver from the capital Kinshasa, were the first violent incidents since electoral authorities announced a provisional result giving victory in the October 29 run-off to incumbent President Joseph Kabila.

• At least 20 people were wounded in gunbattles between rival activists as a transport blockade to force the removal of election officials paralysed Bangladesh yesterday, police and witnesses said.