US Official Says Iran Restraining Shi'ite Militias in Iraq

IRAQ: A U.S. official says Iran has reined in the Shi'ite militias it supports in Iraq -- causing a sharp drop in sophisticated roadside bomb attacks. The Washington Post today (Sunday) quoted the State Department's top official in Iraq, David Satterfield, as saying Iran has decided "at the most senior levels" to restrain the Shi'ite militias. In an interview with the newspaper, Satterfield said that while the flow of roadside bombs from Iran may not have stopped, the drop in their use and a decline in overall attacks must be attributed to an Iranian policy decision.

TURKEY-KURDS-IRAQ: Turkey's military says its warplanes have bombed Kurdish rebel targets inside northern Iraq -- the third confirmed cross-border attack in less than a week. In a statement on its Web site, the military says Saturday's airstrike lasted nearly a half-hour, and was followed by shelling from inside the Turkish border. The statement said the offensive against rebels of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, will continue, and that the rebels have no chance against Turkey's military.

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS: Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has ruled out cease-fire talks with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, saying Israel will continue operations against militants in the Gaza Strip. Mr. Olmert says there is a true war going on in Gaza between the Israeli army and terror groups. Mr. Olmert told his cabinet today (Sunday) that Israel has no interest in negotiating with groups that do not recognize the conditions of the international quartet for Middle East peace.

THAILAND ELECTION: Exit polls in Thailand's first national election since a military coup last year show allies of deposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra winning the most parliamentary seats. However, the polls from Thailand's two leading polling agencies differ on whether the People Power Party has won an absolute majority in the 480-seat lower house of parliament. An exit poll by the Assumption University gives the pro-Thaksin PPP 202 seats, while a poll by Rajabhat University gives the it solid majority of 256 seats.

UZBEKISTAN ELECTION: Voters in (the Central Asian nation of) Uzbekistan are casting ballots in a tightly controlled election that is widely expected to extend the rule of the current president. Autocratic leader Islam Karimov is attempting to win a third term in office against three lesser-known candidates (Asliddin Rustamov, Diloram Tashmukhamedova and Akmal Saidov) from pro-government parties. During almost two decades of his rule, the former Communist leader has jailed or exiled his political opponents, suppressed freedom of the press and cracked down on Muslims worshiping outside state-controlled institutions.

Audio in Lao.