Afghanistan: U.S.-led coalition forces in Afghanistan say seven children have been killed in airstrikes against a compound where al-Qaida militants were believed to be hiding.
The coalition said in a statement today (Monday) it had intelligence that insurgents were at the complex, which included a mosque and a religious school.
A coalition spokesman (Major Chris Belcher) said surveillance on the compound gave no indications there were children present.
The statement said several militants were also believed to have been killed in the strike late Sunday in the eastern province of Paktika.
In Kabul today (Monday), authorities said they have detained a man in connection with the bombing Sunday of a police bus that killed at least 35 people.
The Taleban claimed responsibility for the bombing in Kabul.
Iraq: The U.S. military in Iraq says troops killed 20 suspected terrorists during an operation against a network transporting weapons from Iran to Iraq.
A military statement says six other suspected terrorists were wounded and one detained during the raids in Amarah and Majjar al-Kabir in eastern Iraq.
It says the terrorist network was also known to bring militants from Iraq to Iran for training.
In Nasiriyah, at least four people were killed and more than 50 wounded in clashes between Iraqi police and Mahdi Army fighters.
Meanwhile, the U.S. military commander in Iraq says hopeful signs, such as a drop in sectarian killings, have emerged since more American troops arrived in the country.
But General David Petraeus said on U.S. television (Fox News) Sunday that it could take up to a decade to completely stabilize Iraq.
Israel – Palestinians: The European Union foreign policy chief says the bloc plans to restart direct aid to the new Palestinian government in the West Bank.
Javier Solana made the announcement today (Monday), a day after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new Cabinet.
Mr. Abbas, whose Fatah group controls the West Bank, dismissed Hamas member Ismail Haniyeh from his post as prime minister during last week's fighting between the two factions in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says his country will work toward peace with the new Palestinian government if it becomes a "serious partner" in the West Bank.
Vietnam – US: Vietnam's president, Nguyen Minh Triet, is headed to the U.S. for the first visit by a Vietnamese head of state since the end of the Vietnam War.
An entourage of Vietnamese government and business leaders is accompanying Mr. Triet on the six-day trip to New York, Washington, and Los Angeles.
Mr. Triet's trip will focus mostly on trade (, which now totals nearly ten-billion-dollars a year between the U.S. and Vietnam.) He is also likely to raise still-unresolved matters such as cleaning up the wartime remains of a toxic defoliant known as "agent orange" used during the Vietnam War.
President Bush has said he will convey his deep concern about the arrest and trial of political activists in Vietnam. Ahead of the state visit, Mr. Triet released or granted amnesty to several jailed dissidents.
NoKor Nuclear: The chief U.S. negotiator on North Korea's nuclear program says Pyongyang could shut down its main nuclear reactor in a matter of weeks.
Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill made the comment today (Monday) in Beijing, where he and his Chinese counterpart are discussing North Korea's offer to allow U.N. inspectors into the country.
A North Korean official told Russia's Interfax news agency that Pyongyang plans to shut down the reactor in the second half of July.
China and the U.S. are working with South Korea, Russia and Japan to convince North Korea to fulfill its pledge to abandon its nuclear weapons program.
The long, drawn-out process got a boost Saturday, when North Korea said it had invited inspectors from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) into the country. In a statement, the IAEA said it would send a team to North Korea the week of June 25th.
Pyongyang made the offer after a banking dispute with the United States was settled.
Somalia: Authorities in Somalia say a roadside bomb blast has rocked the capital, Mogadishu.
Authorities say the bomb was intended for a military convoy passing through northern Mogadishu today (Monday). Some reports say two children were killed in the attack. Other sources say the victims were wounded.
Listen to our World News for details.