Vatican City Pope John Paul II lay close to death, his organs failing, as millions prayed for the pontiff who has led the Catholic Church for more than a quarter of a century. Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's ruling party swept to victory in elections as the opposition leveled charges of "massive fraud" and accused the veteran leader of treating Zimbabwe like his "private property." Mideast Jewish settler leaders and Israeli security chiefs have clinched a deal to try to avoid armed confrontation during the controversial withdrawal from the Gaza Strip planned for later this year. Iraq Insurgents gunned down an Iraqi police chief and blew up the top of a centuries-old minaret as Sunni Arab leaders feuded over their role in a government still a long way from being finalised. Sudan Sudan's ruling party called on the government to reject in its entirety a UN Security Council resolution referring individuals accused of war crimes in Darfur to the International Criminal Court. Lebanon Five people were wounded in the latest bombing of a Christian area of Lebanon, police said, as prime minister-designate Omar Karameh reversed a decision to step down. North Korea Hopes for a speedy resumption of six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons drive faded after Pyongyang declared itself a nuclear power on a par with Washington and said its new goal was regional disarmament. Monaco Prince Rainier of Monaco's chances of survival were described as extremely slim, as his son and heir Prince Albert took over the reins of power in the Mediterranean microstate. Indonesia Relief workers struggled to push vital aid through to survivors of a massive earthquake off northwestern Indonesia five days ago, battling damaged roads and bottlenecks to reach the hungry and hurt.