Ukraine Ukraine's outgoing President Leonid Kuchma held urgent talks in Moscow with his Russian counterpart and ally Vladimir Putin, as his divided country awaited a crucial supreme court ruling aimed at ending its political deadlock. Philippines Nearly 1,000 people are dead or missing after a storm triggered landslides and floods in the Philippines this week, rescuers said as a new and even more powerful deadly typhoon approached the main island of Luzon. Iraq The United States announced plans to increase its forces in Iraq to the highest level since the invasion, as Prime Minister Iyad Allawi headed to Europe to rally support for next month's crucial elections and seek more debt relief. Mideast The Palestinian leadership was in turmoil after jailed intifada leader Marwan Barghuti entered the presidential campaign, pitting himself against PLO chairman Mahmud Abbas and eight other candidates. US US President George W. Bush said that Iraq elections, set for January 30, should not be put back despite deadly chaos that may compromise their legitimacy. India A series of torchlight rallies and vigils were held in this central Indian city as victims and activists jointly commemorated a night of horror 20 years ago when lethal gas leaked from a pesticide plant and killed thousands. Sweden Sweden's Supreme Court sentenced the killer of Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh to life in prison, ending nearly 15 months of uncertainty over one of the country's most high-profile murder cases. Romania Outgoing Prime Minister Adrian Nastase, whose ruling social democrats won the most votes in legislative elections, rejected forming an alliance with the far-right saying this would hurt Romania's image abroad. Peru The Inter-American Human Rights Court has upheld a terrorism conviction against an American, Lori Berenson, who is serving a 20 year prison term in Peru, President Alejandro Toledo said. China Three new explosions rocked the Chenjiashan mine in north China but rescuers searching for the bodies of 166 workers killed in a weekend blast escaped unharmed, as relatives demanded better compensation.