Iraq: Iraqi authorities say four bomb attacks across the country today (Monday) killed at least 33 people and wounded many others.
In the deadliest attack, a suicide bomber driving a fuel tanker killed 15 people at police headquarters in the northern city of Baiji.
Earlier, a suicide car bomber killed eight people in an attack on the governor's offices in Hillah, a predominantly Shi'ite city, south of Baghdad.
And in the capital, a suicide bomber killed nine people when he set off his explosives in a crowded hotel lobby. One prominent tribal leader was killed in the blast.
Another bomb attack killed one person in the northern city of Mosul.
Also today (Monday), the U.S. military said coalition forces detained 43 suspected terrorists during operations in central Iraq. The military also said a U.S. soldier was killed in an attack today (Monday).
Israel – Palestinians: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert meets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today (Monday) in Egypt.
The summit at the Sharm el-Sheikh resort will also include Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Jordan's King Abdullah.
Mr. Olmert has played down expectations the talks could result in a breakthrough. Instead, he says the meeting will be important because it will show all four leaders expressing a desire to build on a process of peacemaking.
Mr. Olmert is expected to outline ways he intends to cooperate with the new Palestinian government.
Iran Nuclear:
U.N. nuclear agency officials say Iran has invited inspectors to visit Tehran to resolve issues over Iran's nuclear program.
The International Atomic Energy Agency said today (Monday) Iran's chief nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, issued the invitation Sunday during talks with agency chief Mohamad ElBaradei.
The IAEA says it plans to send a team to Iran as soon as possible.
ElBaradei and Larijani met in Vienna one day after the Iranian negotiator discussed Tehran's nuclear program with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana.
Members of the U.N. Security Council are discussing additional sanctions against Iran for its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that can be used to build nuclear weapons.
The Council has already imposed two rounds of limited sanctions on Iran.
France – Darfur:
A high-level, international conference has opened in Paris to discuss ways to end the violence in Sudan's Darfur region.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy welcomed the delegates and said the world must be "firm" with Sudan if it refuses to cooperate with the international peace process. He said "silence (about Darfur) kills".Participants in the one-day meeting include U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and foreign ministers or other senior officials from China, Egypt, the Arab League, and at least 11 European countries. However, neither Sudanese nor African Union (AU) representatives are attending.
Before the meeting, Mr. Sarkozy met with Rice. His spokesman says they discussed Lebanon, Afghanistan, and Iran in addition to Darfur. On Sunday, Rice said the international community has failed in its responsibility toward the people of the Sudanese region.
NoKor – Nuclear: North Korea says a financial dispute with the United States has been resolved, clearing the way for the shut down of its main nuclear reactor.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency made the announcement today (Monday) after a Russian bank (Dalkombank) confirmed it had completed the transfer of 25 million dollars to North Korea.
The money had been frozen in a Macau bank since 2005, when the U.S. sanctioned the institution for allegedly helping North Korea launder money.
North Korea had refused to implement a February agreement to close its main nuclear reactor until it was able to regain access to the money through the international banking system.
Pyongyang will host a team of U.N. nuclear inspectors Tuesday to discuss how its nuclear disarmament should be monitored.
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