World highlights

• Hamas gunmen ambushed what the Islamist group said was a convoy carrying weapons to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's guard unit in the Gaza Strip yesterday and six people were killed, local residents said. Mr Abbas's Fatah faction said the four-truck convoy, which had crossed from Israel, was carrying medical equipment and tents, and accused Hamas of seriously endangering a three-day-old ceasefire.

• French President Jacques Chirac backtracked yesterday after saying it would not be dangerous for Iran to have a nuclear bomb, a sudden departure from the position France has long held with key allies. Mr Chirac made the comments to two US newspapers and a French magazine but called the reporters back for another interview the next day and said he thought he was speaking off the record.

• President Hugo Chavez said yesterday Venezuela's nationalisations would be limited to "strategic areas" after he launched a takeover drive this year of companies' assets in the oil, electricity and telecommunications sectors.

• The top US negotiator with North Korea said yesterday there is reason to believe talks on ending Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions can make progress when they resume next week but said there are no guarantees. Speaking before a trip to Seoul, Tokyo and Beijing, where the six-party talks are to start on February 8, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said he hoped to make a "substantial start" toward denuclearising the Korean Peninsula.