Vatican Pope John Paul II moved closer to death in his long battle against crippling infirmity as the Vatican announced his health had worsened and prepared Catholics the world over for his demise. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's ruling party prevailed in parliamentary elections as the opposition charged "massive fraud" and accused the veteran leader of treating Zimbabwe like his "private property." Mideast Jewish settler leaders and Israeli security chiefs have clinched a deal to try to avoid armed confrontation during the controversial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip planned for later this year. Iraq Insurgents gunned down an Iraqi police chief and blew up the top of a centuries-old minaret as Sunni Arab leaders feuded over their role in a government still a long way from being finalised. Sudan-Darfur Sudan's ruling party called on the government to reject in its entirety a UN Security Council resolution referring individuals accused of war crimes in Darfur to the International Criminal Court. Lebanon-Syria Pro-Syrian Lebanese politicians rejected prime minister-designate Omar Karameh's resignation after he failed to persuade the opposition to join a coalition, prolonging the country's political deadlock.