iraq

IRAQ

Baghdad Bombing Kills 7 in Sunni Area

A suicide bomber on a bicycle attacked a checkpoint in northern Baghdad on Sunday, killing seven and wounding 13, police said. Among the dead was a well-known leader of a U.S.-backed program to protect neighborhoods.

The bomber detonated his explosives-laden belt near Abu Hanifa mosque, one of Iraq's most prominent Sunni shrines, in the mostly Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiyah.

Faruq Abu Omar, a commander of the Sons of Iraq, and five of his fighters were killed, said Maj. Gen. Abdul Karim al-Izzi, a senior military commander who visited the scene.

The U.S. military pays the Sons of Iraq, a force made up of former insurgents who have turned their weapons against al-Qaeda in Iraq. They are credited with helping reduce violence in the country. But fighters have increasingly targeted the group.

No group asserted responsibility for the bombing, but it followed recent attacks on Shiite pilgrims.

-- Sudarsan Raghavan

IRAN

Tehran Tests Satellite

Iran said it had put a dummy satellite into orbit on a homegrown rocket for the first time Sunday, a move likely to increase Western concerns about its nuclear ambitions.

The technology used to put satellites into space can also be used for launching weapons, although Iran says it has no plans to do so.

EGYPT

Woman Has Septuplets

A day after giving birth to septuplets, a 27-year-old Egyptian woman said she's only seen her babies on TV and hopes to hold them soon.

The newborns -- four boys and three girls -- weigh between 2.3 and 4 pounds. They are being kept in incubators but appear to be healthy, said Emad Darwish, the physician who delivered the babies Saturday at El-Shatbi Hospital in Alexandria.

Ghazala Khamis took fertility drugs to produce a son. She is already the mother of three girls.

8 Sudan Rebels Sentenced to Die

A Sudanese court convicted and sentenced to death two senior members of a Darfur rebel group and six others for their role in an attack May 10 near Khartoum. More than 200 people died. Defense attorney Kamal al-Jazouli said the eight convicted include Abdel Aziz Ushar, a commander in the Justice and Equality Movement, and Khalil Ibrahim, the half-brother of the group's leader.

Blast Kills 10 Afghan Policemen

A roadside blast killed 10 police officers in southern Afghanistan, according to the police chief of Kandahar province. The officers were on patrol in the Shah Wali Kot district Saturday when their vehicle was hit.

Agreement Near in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean negotiators have the basis for a power-sharing agreement and should quickly resolve their political differences and turn their attention to their nation's economic crisis, southern African leaders said.

200 Palestinians to Be Freed

Israel's Cabinet approved the release of about 200 Palestinian prisoners as a goodwill gesture to the government of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and to help energize peace talks between the sides.

From Staff Reports

and News Services