Mideast New Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas pressed ahead with truce talks with Hamas leaders even after the Islamist group claimed a Gaza suicide bombing that left six Israelis killed or wounded. Mideast A member of the Israeli internal security services was killed in a suicide attack by Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Israeli military sources said. Iraq Kidnappers released footage of eight Chinese hostages it threatened to execute unless Beijing "clarifies its role" in Iraq, while a Syrian Catholic archbishop was released a day after being captured. Mideast A leader of the militant Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades announced a halt to attacks in Israel by the group, an offshoot of the mainstream Fatah movement, after promises by new Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas to integrate it into the security forces. US US Secretary of State nominee Condoleezza Rice pledgs to place new emphasis on US diplomacy in combatting global terrorism and acknowledges that US forces are facing "big tactical challenges" in taming Iraq. US-Iraq An Iraqi-American businessman pleaded guilty to acting and conspiring to act as an unregistered agent of the Iraqi government in relation to the UN oil-for-food program, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced. Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko's inauguration cleared several hurdles in Ukraine, when the supreme court told his defeated rival to stop delaying the final appeal over his election and lifted its ban on publishing the results of the poll. Ireland Negotiations with Sinn Fein, the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, are likely to restart again soon, Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern said. Sudan The human rights watchdog Amnesty International said that perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Sudan should be brought to justice as a necessary step in securing a "lasting peace" in the country. Pakistan-India Pakistan denied Indian allegations that its forces had violated a 14-month ceasefire with India in the disputed Himalayan state of Kashmir. An Indian police spokesman said at least one person was injured when about 15 mortars were fired into India from Pakistan over the Line of Control, the de facto border separating them in Kashmir. Romania The 67-year-old Romanian woman who underwent a fertility treatment to become the world's oldest mother strongly defended her actions, saying she has fulfilled her mission.