Canada An Air France jet that may have been struck by lightning skidded off the runway and burst into flames at Toronto's airport, but officials said there were only 43 minor injuries. Saudi Saudi clerics, tribal chiefs and officials were set to converge on a government palace in Riyadh to pledge allegiance to King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, the new monarch of the wealthy oil powerhouse. Iraq US freelance journalist, Steven Vincent, was killed by unknown gunmen in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, police said. Sudan Mourners paid tribute to Sudan's John Garang, as his successor vowed to pursue the rebel-turned-statesman's peace drive and urged restraint as riots flared again in the capital Khartoum. Iran The European Union and United States issued sharp warnings to Iran over its threatened violation of a deal suspending its nuclear activities, saying it could trigger unspecified consequences from the UN Security Council. Mideast Israel's settler movement bitterly denounced their old champion Ariel Sharon as they gathered in their thousands to protest the imminent implementation of the prime minister's Gaza pullout plan. Iraq Iraqis tasked with drafting the new constitution failed to make progress in resolving issues holding up the completion of the charter as rebel attacks left at least 33 dead. US Discovery astronauts preparing to carry out a risky repair to the underside of the shuttle admitted they are nervous about the operation. NKorea The United States signaled some painful progress in the six-party negotiations on North Korea's nuclear program despite Pyongyang's insistence the Beijing talks had made no headway. Britain British officials were endeavouring to get a key suspect in the London bombings removed from Italy, while Muslim groups feared a post-attacks backlash after figures showed a sudden and dramatic rise in religious hate crimes. Russia Russia will not renew accreditation of journalists from the US television channel ABC in retaliation for the network's airing last week of an interview with Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev, the foreign ministry said.