Iraq: Iraqi officials say U.S. and Iraqi forces have killed about 300 militants in a day-long battle that began early Sunday near the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf.
Iraqi forces called in U.S. airstrikes to support the offensive against hundreds of well-organized gunmen.
The U.S. military says two American soldiers were killed when their attack helicopter crashed during the battle.
Iraqi authorities said today (Monday) at least three Iraqi security personnel were killed in the fighting and about 30 were wounded. They say more than 10 gunmen were captured, while an unknown number escaped.
In other violence, Iraqi police say a series of bombings in Baghdad today (Monday) killed at least five people.
Palestinian Fighting: Rival groups of Palestinian gunmen are fighting each other for a fifth day in Gaza after another night of deadly violence.
Supporters of Hamas and Fatah battled through the night in Gaza City, the southern town of Khan Younis, and northern Gaza. Palestinian officials said today (Monday) 30 people have been killed since the factional fighting began late Thursday, including several children.
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah offered Sunday to host a meeting of Hamas and Fatah leaders in Mecca for talks on ending the violence, which the king described as "shameful". Both sides accepted the offer, but no date for a meeting has been announced.
The factional fighting spread to the West Bank Sunday, where Fatah fighters set fire to the Hamas-controlled Education Ministry building in Nablus. Militants also carried out tit-for-tat kidnappings today in both Gaza and the West Bank.
Israel - Arab Minister: Israel's parliament is scheduled today (Monday) to approve the appointment of Raleb Majadele as the country's first Arab Muslim minister.
The Israeli Cabinet voted overwhelmingly Sunday to appoint Majadele of the center-left Labor Party. Only one Israeli minister, ultranationalist politician Avigdor Lieberman, voted against the appointment.
Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said the time has come to have an Arab minister in Israel's Cabinet.
Majadele said he hopes to improve the plight of Israeli Arabs, who comprise 20 percent of Israel's population and who complain of discrimination by the Jewish majority.
Malaysia – Burma: Malaysian officials say 176 illegal immigrants from Burma have been detained on the outskirts of the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
Civilian volunteers working to combat illegal immigration rounded up the group Sunday from a makeshift settlement. The settlement consisted of several tents, a volleyball court and bathrooms.
Officials say the immigrants were sent to a detention camp and that most of them do not have legal travel documents.
Thousands of Burmese have left their country seeking sanctuary and work in nearby countries such as Thailand and Malaysia.
Burma has been run by its military for more than four decades and has been accused by many nations, including the United States and the European Union, of committing grave human rights violations against its citizens.
Thailand Drugs: Thailand's Health Ministry says it has approved generic versions of drugs used to treat heart disease and H.I.V.-AIDS.
A ministry spokesman said today (Monday) the government has issued licenses for generic versions of the heart drug Plavik and and the AIDS drug, Kaletra.
He said the move was necessary because many Thai citizens cannot afford the higher-priced patented drugs.
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