Vatican A solemn mass inaugurating Pope Benedict XVI as the 265th head of the Roman Catholic Church was celebrated in front of world leaders and pilgrims, as the pope appealed for unity among Christians. Iraq Two suicide bombers detonated powerful car bombs outside an Iraqi police academy, a day after US President George W. Bush announced that local security forces now outnumber US troops in Iraq. Mideast Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas moved to stamp his authority on the security services after a sweeping revamp of the top brass which saw key allies of the late Yasser Arafat pushed upstairs. Armenia-Turkey Tens of thousands of Armenians including the president and top officials filed through the towering Genocide Memorial in Yerevan to commemorate the 90th anniversary of mass killings by Ottoman Turks. Asia-Africa Relations between Japan and China remained tense, a day after talks between the leaders of the two Asian heavyweights, with Beijing demanding Tokyo further address its wartime past. Asia-Africa Asian and African leaders signed a new strategic alliance to boost trade and tackle poverty, but warned their attempt to revive an historic bond forged half a century ago would falter without firm action. NKorea-US North Korea's military chief vowed to "steadily bolster" the Stalinist nation's nuclear deterrent as a result of hostile moves by the United States. Togo Togo voted in a tense presidential election following a campaign marred by violence after the death of long-time strongman Gnassingbe Eyadema threw the west African state into political turmoil. Ecuador A diplomatic standoff over ex-Ecuadoran leader Lucio Gutierrez inched closer to resolution following word from Brazil the ousted president will be flown out of the country later in the day. Chine Flooding at a coal mine in northeast China trapped 69 workers in Jiaohe, Jilin province, the state news agency reported.