World highlights

• US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged to bolster Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, as Israel tightened the diplomatic and economic embargo on Hamas Islamists who control Gaza. • Shuttle Atlantis started...

• US President George W. Bush and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged to bolster Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, as Israel tightened the diplomatic and economic embargo on Hamas Islamists who control Gaza.

• Shuttle Atlantis started for home, leaving the International Space Station with new solar power wings, a fresh crew member and a mystery over what knocked out the space station's computers.

• North Korea should move quickly to shut down its source of bomb-grade plutonium, a top US envoy said, voicing hope that stalled six-party talks on scrapping its nuclear arms programme could resume next month.

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