AFGHANISTAN: Taliban suicide bombings kill 26
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, (Reuters): TALIBAN SUICIDE bombers killed at least 26 people in two separate attacks in southern Afghanistan yesterday, a day after a Canadian diplomat and two civilians were killed in another attack in the area.

TURKEY: Hospital declares Agca unfit for military
ANKARA, Turkey (AP): A MILITARY hospital yesterday declared the Turkish man who shot Pope John Paul II in 1981 unfit for mandatory military service, ending days of speculation that the draft dodger could be conscripted following his release...

UNITED STATES: 'God mad at America'
NEW ORLEANS (AP): MAYOR RAY Nagin suggested yesterday that Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and other storms were a sign that "God is mad at America" and at black communities, too, for tearing themselves apart with violence and political infighting.

ITALY: TV in the bedroom halves your sex life - study
ROME, (Reuters): THINKING OF buying a TV for the bedroom? Think again - it could ruin your sex life. A study by an Italian sexologist has found that couples who have a TV set in their bedroom have sex...

ISRAEL: Sharon opens eyes after hearing grandson's voice
JERUSALEM (AP): PRIME MINISTER Ariel Sharon yesterday briefly opened his eyes in response to a recording of his grandson's voice, family members told doctors, though hospital officials warned there were no signs...

IRAQ: Saddam judge insists on quitting
BAGHDAD, (Reuters): THE JUDGE trying Saddam Hussein refused to withdraw his resignation yesterday and the court named a stand-in to preside over next week's hearings while efforts continue to persuade Judge Rizgar Amin to return.

CHILE: Michelle Bachelet to tackle inequality
SANTIAGO, Chile, (Reuters): Chile president-elect Michelle Bachelet, a Socialist who will be the country's first female leader, vowed yesterday to shrink the gap between rich and poor that persists in the South American nation...

IRAN: CNN barred
TEHRAN, Iran (AP): IRAN SAID yesterday that it was barring CNN from working in Iran due to its mistranslation of comments made by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a recent news conference.