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.