Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko was sworn in Ukraine's president and vowed to steer the country toward the West, capping a popular revolt and a bitter months-long fight over the destiny of a nation historically entwined with Russia. Iraq Iraq's most wanted man vowed to wreck next week's landmark polls and claimed to have murdered a candidate on the prime minister's list, while Chinese officials took custody of eight freed hostages. Mideast Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas was confident that the armed factions would soon call a formal ceasefire as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon acknowledged a respite in rocket attacks from Gaza. Iran Iran said it was not taking talk of a US attack seriously, but nevertheless cautioned Washington that military action against the Islamic republic would be a "major strategic blunder". Indonesia The Indonesian death toll from last month's earthquake and tsunamis climbed to 173,981, according to health ministry figures released as authorities said the relief operation's emergency stage was drawing to a close. Saudi Hundreds of thousands of Muslim faithful bid Mecca farewell as the annual pilgrimage to Islam's holiest sites drew to an end without major incident despite unusual heavy rains. India-China Asian giants India and China opened a first round of "strategic dialogue", officials said, as their regional and international influence surges despite a nagging border dispute. NKorea-China Eight people who said they were North Korean defectors raced into a Japanese school in Beijing to seek refuge, the Japanese embassy in the Chinese capital said. US Travellers were stranded across the northeastern United States after a fierce snowstorm shut down airports and made roads treacherous.