Iraq Iraq's Shiite majority made its final proposals on the text of a new constitution as US President George W. Bush personally intervened to bring the tortuous negotiations to a head. France Shock and outrage took hold in Paris after a blaze claimed the lives of 14 children and three adults when it raced through a rundown apartment block housing African immigrant families. China The EU and China held a second day of talks on a dispute over textile exports that has left millions of items of Chinese-made clothes stuck in customs and off European market shelves. Burundi Burundi's new president, Pierre Nkurunziza, who was sworn in as the country's first elected leader after 12 years of war, pledged to fight corruption and promote an all-inclusive government in the central African nation. Pakistan Five people have been sentenced to death in Pakistan for their involvement in a 2003 attempt to assassinate President Pervez Musharraf in which 15 people were killed, an official said. Mideast Israel wants to control the borders of the Gaza Strip even after its historic pullout, citing fears that the Palestinian territory could turn into a bastion of militancy awash with weapons. US Storm-weary Florida braced for yet another hit as Hurricane Katrina strengthened over the Gulf of Mexico after pummeling the Miami area, killing seven people and leaving over a million without power. Uzbekistan The Uzbekistan Senate gave final approval to an order evicting US military forces from the country and many lawmakers demanded financial compensation from Washington for alleged environmental damage caused by the US military presence in the country. China The European Union and China began a third day of talks on resolving a trade dispute that has left millions of items of Chinese-made clothes blocked at European ports. Iran Iran plans to come up within a month with new proposals for nuclear talks with Europe and does not fear UN action against it for atomic fuel work it has resumed and vows to continue, Iran's new chief nuclear negotiator said. SriLanka Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ruled that President Chandrika Kumaratunga's final term expires in December, ending her controversial 11-year reign and clearing the way for a vote before November 21.