Britain – Mideast: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says he is ready to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to revive peace talks without preconditions.
Mr. Abbas made the comment today (Sunday) after meeting British Prime Minister Tony Blair in the
West Bank city of Ramallah.
Mr. Olmert said Saturday he is also ready to meet the Palestinian president to advance the stalled "road map" peace plan.
A date has yet to be set for any such meeting. The two leaders last met in June for informal talks in Jordan.
In a joint news conference today with Mr. Abbas, British Prime Minister Blair welcomed prospect of a Palestinian unity government. He says the international community should deal with such a government, if it is based on the requirements of the Quartet dealing with the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.
Afghanistan: NATO officials say NATO and Afghan troops have killed 94 Taleban rebels in overnight fighting in southern Kandahar province.
The alliance officials say the insurgents were killed late Saturday and early today (Sunday) in four separate incidents. There is no word of any NATO or Afghan troop casualties.
NATO-led troops have been on a major offensive in southern Afghanistan, to put down a new Taleban insurgency. NATO says more than 400 insurgents have been killed during the week-long offensive.
Meanwhile, police say a suicide bomber has killed the governor of eastern Paktika province (Abdul Hakim Taniwal) and two of his aides today (Sunday). At least three police officers were wounded in the attack.
Officials say the governor was in his car outside his office when a man with explosives strapped to his body ran toward the vehicle and detonated the bomb.
Sri Lanka: Sri Lankan military officials say 28 troops have been killed and 119 wounded in renewed fighting with separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in the northern part of the country.
A military spokesman (General Prasad Samarasinghe) said today (Sunday) the military is responding to recent rebel artillery attacks against Sri Lankan troops on the Jaffna peninsula.
Saturday, the military conducted airstrikes on rebel positions in the region. There is no confirmed report on the number of rebel casualties.
Government officials say a naval ship has been sent to the peninsula to evacuate nearly 800 trapped civilians.
Thousands of people have been stranded in northern Sri Lanka since rebels started new attacks last month.
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