IRAQ: Iraqi police say a suicide bomb attack has killed at least 28 people outside a police academy in Baghdad.
Officials say at least 57 others were injured in Sunday's attack.
Police say the bomber, who was riding a motorcycle, detonated his explosives as recruits lined up outside the academy.
Meanwhile Sunday, the United States military announced that it will pull about 12-thousand troops out of Iraq by September.
In other news, A British-based aid group says the plight of women in
Iraq remains bleak, despite an overall decrease in violence in the
country
AFGHANISTAN : Afghan President Hamid Karzai has welcomed the openness of his U.S.
counterpart Barack Obama to reaching out to moderate elements of the
Taliban insurgency.
In an interview published in "The New York Times" newspaper Sunday, Mr.
Obama says reconciliation could emerge as an important initiative, as
the U.S. reviews its strategy in Afghanistan.
Mr. Karzai said Sunday that his government has long supported dialogue with moderate Taliban members.
Mr. Obama said Afghanistan is a less governed region with a history of
fierce independence among tribes -- making outreach much more of a
challenge.
PAKISTAN: Pakistani authorities have released 12 Taliban militants as part of a
peace agreement with Islamist in the northwestern Swat Valley.
Pakistani media report that no prominent Taliban members were among those freed.
The controversial peace deal will allow officials from the North West Frontier Province to implement Sharia (Islamic law) in the region which includes Swat. In exchange, local Taliban militants promised to end their two-year violent insurgency.
ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS: The Israeli military says it has carried out three air strikes on Gaza following rocket attacks by Palestinian militants.
Gaza officials say no injuries were reported from the strikes.
The Israeli army says two of the strikes hit smuggling tunnels on the
territory's border with Egypt. Aircraft also struck a building
allegedly used by militants to store arms.
Palestinian militants fired two rockets into Israel Sunday causing no injuries.
NOKOR ELECTION: North Koreans went to the polls Sunday to vote for a new parliament, a
poll analysts are watching closely for hints leader kim Jong Il may be
grooming a successor.
The election for the rubber-stamp parliament is the first since
speculation that reclusive leader Kim Jong Il suffered a stroke last
August.
Officials in Seoul and Washington say the 67-year-old Kim has made a
good recovery from his stroke and is still in control of his country.
