Iran Iran was preparing to defy the European Union by restarting an ultra-sensitive nuclear activity that could plunge talks with the EU on its atomic programme into crisis and risk UN Security Council action. Britain British police arrested seven more people over the botched July 21 terror attacks in London, a spokeswoman said, as the investigation widened following the capture of the four alleged bombers. Sudan Sudan's newly appointed first Vice President John Garang has been killed in a weekend helicopter crash, the ex-rebel leader's former guerrilla group has told diplomats, Kenyan and UN officials said. US Astronauts aboard the Discovery awaited NASA's decision on whether the space shuttle is safe to return to Earth as they meanwhile prepared for their second space walk. Lebanon Lebanon's new Prime Minister Fuad Siniora held talks in Damascus aimed at repairing ties with former power broker Syria, with both sides promising to build their future on "mutual respect". ECB The first president of the European Central Bank, former Dutch finance minister Wim Duisenberg, was found dead in the pool at his villa in southeastern France. NKorea Marathon six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons drive moved into a seventh day with officials saying the process was moving forward despite differences on key disarmament issues. India Torrential rain lashed Mumbai again disrupting flights, hampering rescue efforts and bringing more misery as the death toll from the heaviest downpours in the Indian city's history neared 1,000. Mideast Israel threatened a massive ground offensive into the Gaza Strip should Palestinian militants open fire on soldiers or settlers during next month's pullout from the occupied territory. Iraq Iraq's constitutional panel vowed to conclude its work by mid-August to allow parliament to vote on a draft basic law, rejecting suggestions more time was needed to hammer out a deal.