Iraq International aid organisation CARE suspended its operations in Iraq, following the kidnapping of the head of its Baghdad office, who had been delivering aid to the country's poor for 25 years. Iraq The Us military said US-led air raids had destroyed two safe houses allegedly belonging to the network of top Islamic militant Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi in the rebel-held Iraqi city of Fallujah. Indonesia Former general Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was sworn in as Indonesia's first directly elected president, facing huge challenges to revive an economy ravaged by graft and tackle terrorism in the world's largest Muslim nation. Iran Iran is ready to cooperate fully with the international community over its nuclear programme provided its "rights" are respected and believes dialogue is the only solution, President Mohammad Khatami said Wednesday. UN The United Nations Security Council called unanimously for Syria to pull its troops out of Lebanon but Syria rejected the demand, pointing out the UN had taken no action over Israel's deadly offensive against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Corruption Corruption is hobbling the fight against poverty and robbing oil-rich countries of their development potential, according to a respected annual report on sleaze. The survey by watchdog Transparency International said Haiti and Bangladesh had the worst perceived levels of corruption among public officials and politicians. South Africa Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert arrived in South Africa for a four-day visit that pro-Palestinian groups here have branded a "national shame" for President Thabo Mbeki's government. Mideast Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz was to hold talks with the spiritual leader of the main ultra-Orthodox party Shas as part of efforts to blunt religious opposition to the planned withdrawal of Jewish settlements from the Gaza Strip. US Facing public outcry and strong investor pressure, a US media conglomerate has backed down from its plan to air what was billed as a lengthy expose of John Kerry's role in the Vietnam War -- less than two weeks before the November 2 vote. Cambodia Cambodia's new king, Norodom Sihamoni, arrived home, less than a week after he was appointed to the throne vacated by his revered father, who accompanied him from Beijing.