Italy-Iraq Staunch US ally Italy will begin withdrawing its troops from Iraq in September, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said, citing public opposition that remains high two years after the US-led invasion. China-Taiwan Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian condemned China for "heightening regional tensions" by passing an anti-secession law this week, in his first comments since the legislation came into force. Mideast Palestinians prepared to take control of Jericho from Israel in the first of five West Bank security transfers, as Palestinian factions met in Cairo to discuss a formal ceasefire. Lebanon-Syria Syria took a further step toward ending its military presence in Lebanon as it began to dismantle its intelligence apparatus in a move that drew a guarded welcome from the United States. Iraq Kurdish, Shiite and Sunni politicians laboured to reach a deal on a national unity government, with less than 24 hours to go before the historic first session of Iraq's newly elected parliament. India-US US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice began talks here with Indian officials focused on the peace process with Pakistan and arms sales to the nuclear rivals. US Former WorldCom chief executive Bernard Ebbers, the largest fish in the biggest corporate collapse in US history, is found guilty on fraud charges, culminating a three-year criminal probe. Croatia The European Union is set to delay membership talks with Croatia this week despite a last-ditch bid by Zagreb to show it is doing all it can to find a key war crimes suspect, diplomats said. Kosovo A roadside bomb narrowly missed Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova as he drove to meet visiting EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, an attack that drew condemnation from Europe and the United States. Serbia A spate of Serb army officers deciding to surrender to the UN war crimes court at The Hague continued as the government in Belgrade tried to make its case for membership of the EU, but the "big fish" being sought over the wars of the 1990's remained at large.