Russia Russian special forces stormed two buildings held by pro-Chechen gunmen, bringing to an end a massive raid by the militants in the southern city of Nalchik which killed around 100 people, officials said. Health European countries boosted defences against bird flu and tried to prevent panic as they awaited test results to show whether the feared H5N1 strain -- killer of more than 60 people in Asia -- had crossed into Europe for the first time. Quake The search for survivors in quake-hit Pakistan was being abandoned as rescuers battling blocked roads and a shortage of helicopters focused on getting aid to remote mountain villages. Pakistan Construction experts in Pakistan have called for an official probe into why so many government-funded schools and hospitals collapsed in the massive South Asian earthquake, killing untold hundreds. Iraq Iraqis prepared for an historic referendum on their draft constitution as authorities imposed a security clampdown in a bid to thwart insurgents seeking to disrupt the vote. Japan Japan's parliament enacted plans to privatize the huge post office as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi achieved his long-held dream of breaking up the three-trillion-dollar financial giant. Germany The leadership of German chancellor designate Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats were seeking ministers who could hold their own in a coalition government against a Social Democrat line-up loyal to former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. Somalia Somali pirates have abandoned a UN-chartered food aid vessel they hijacked earlier this week as it was offloading cargo at a port in the south of the lawless country, the shipowner said. China China's second manned space flight was going smoothly but weather conditions at the landing site would determine the timing of its return, state media and space experts said. Netherlands A Dutch court ruled that an Islamic radical convicted of murdering filmmaker Theo van Gogh can go on trial again on charges of belonging to a terrorist organisation.