Iraq Iraqi Prime minister-designate Ibrahim Jaafari announced he had formed a cabinet, more than 12 weeks after watershed elections, as suspected insurgents shot dead a female lawmaker in the first such assassination since the vote. Japan The death toll in Japan's worst train crash in four decades topped the 100 mark Thursday, with the discovery of nine more bodies bringing the death toll to 106, the fire department said. France The Airbus A380, the world's biggest airliner, made its maiden flight on, opening a new chapter in aviation history. Iraq Three Romanian journalists being held hostage in Iraq are alive, a source close to the presidency said, several hours after a deadline set by their kidnappers had expired. Mideast Russian President Vladimir Putin was to push his idea for a Middle East peace conference and to defend a planned weapons sale to Syria during talks with Israeli leaders. Lebanon Lebanon's new government, bolstered by a strong vote of confidence in parliament just a day after the last Syrian soldier left the country, said parliamentary elections would be held next month. Mideast Tens of thousands of people took part in one of the largest gatherings of Israelis in the Gaza Strip to protest the planned pullout of troops and settlers from the territory. Togo At least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 people hurt in clashes between opposition supporters and security forces after the ruling party candidate was declared winner of Togo's disputed presidential poll, officials said Taiwan The White House urged Beijing to find "new ways to reach out" to Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian, who favors independence from the mainland. Philippines A military helicopter carrying a group of government scientists crashed in a mountainous area of the northern Philippines, killing all nine people on board, officials said.