• Dozens of loud explosions rocked southern Baghdad in quick succession yesterday evening, Reuters witnesses said. Iraqi military spokesman Brigadier Qassim Moussawi said the blasts were part of a new security offensive against militants in the capital, Iraqiya state television reported.

• Iran wants a negotiated solution to its nuclear standoff with world powers but this must recognise an Iranian right to a peaceful nuclear programme, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said. Four Western powers, Russia and China were due to discuss elements of a new UN resolution by telephone yesterday to pressure Tehran to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that can yield nuclear fuel for either power plants or bombs.

• North Korea is seeking humanitarian aid at talks with the South, an official said, signalling Pyongyang was trying to cash in on a reduction of tensions on the Korean peninsula. The communist state's second-ranking leader reaffirmed his country's commitment to dismantle its nuclear programme and pledged efforts to implement it, another official said, briefing on a special meeting given to visiting South Korean delegates.

• Romano Prodi's victory in a confidence vote has given his centre-left government a lease of life but Italy appeared unconvinced he can remain prime minister long enough to deliver promised reforms.

• Major rights groups snubbed a Moscow-sponsored rights forum in Chechnya as a sham to cover up abuses by its leader, but President Vladimir Putin praised him for bringing peace to the region.

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