China Thousands of people staged violent anti-Japanese rallies across China in a second weekend of protests as Beijing said relations with its neighbour were at a "crossroads". Vatican Roman Catholic cardinals preparing to elect a successor to the late Pope John Paul II held their final round of consultations, two days before beginning the ultra-secret conclave where the voting will take place. Iraq Iraqi Shiites were fleeing a town south of Baghdad after gunmen, believed to be Sunni militants, rounded up more than 80 residents and threatened to kill them unless the Shiites left, an army officer and local residents said. India Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf offered prayers for peace, kicking off his visit to nuclear rival India at the shrine of a revered Sufi saint in the desert state of Rajasthan. Lebanon Nagib Miqati, a moderate named Lebanon's prime minister with backing from both pro-Syrian and opposition figures, began talks to form a cabinet amid rising hopes for prompt elections. Mideast The dominant Fatah faction of Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas was locked in a debate over whether to delay key legislative elections due to be held in July. EU The European Union struggled to hide a growing sense of alarm that French voters could reject the EU constitution in a ballot next month, in what would be a devastating blow for the expanding bloc. Italy Italians wondered how Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi will dig himself out of the worst political crisis in his four years in office, triggered by his right-wing coalition's massive defeat in regional elections earlier this month. Britain The British government ordered an enquiry into the collapse of British automaker MG Rover that has led to the immediate loss of 5,000 jobs. Finland The Indonesian government and Aceh separatists agreed on a fourth round of peace talks next month, saying the third round ended on a "constructive note", the Finnish hosts said. Ethiopia The European Union expressed concern over reports of "harassment" in Ethiopia, ahead of general elections set for next month in the Horn of Africa nation, officials said.