Iraq Iraq's political leaders hailed the country's first free election in half a century as the start of a new era as they cast their votes against a background of violence and fears of a low turnout. Iraq Six people were killed and a dozen wounded barely hours into Iraq's first post-Saddam election as insurgents launched a swathe of mortar and rocket attacks on polling stations. OPEC OPEC ministers were to meet with stubbornly high oil prices expected to force them to maintain current production quotas for crude even if they may move before March to reduce output as spring, and reduced demand, approach in the northern hemisphere. Forum-Davos After years at the heart of the World Economic Forum, big business was pushed to one side of the annual meeting, which winds up Sunday, overshadowed by star power and seemingly relentless pressure to help poor countries out of the rut. Mideast Israeli Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz said the government was ready to hand over control of several towns in the occupied West Bank to the Palestinian Authority within days ahead of a summmit likely next month between Ariel Sharon and Mahmud Abbas. Kuwait One policeman and a suspected Islamist militant were killed, and two suspects arrested during heavy clashes in a district just outside Kuwait City, a security source said. AfricanUnion The African Union was to begin a two-day summit aimed at restoring stability and security and addressing the humanitarian needs of the continent's 830 million people, 300 million of whom live in abject poverty. Asia Indonesia said a clearer agenda was needed for dialogue with separatist rebels after talks in Finland failed to yield a formal truce, even as its troops killed four guerrillas in a new skirmish in tsunami-hit Aceh. Thailand Indian Ocean nations seeking to build an early warning system to prevent another tsunami tragedy agreed to move ahead with the scheme at the weekend in Thailand but face a slew of future debates. China The family of deposed Chinese leader Zhao Ziyang expressed frustration and unhappiness over having had little say in the funeral arrangements of the reformist leader, a day after it took place under heavy security. Vietnam Bird flu cases in Vietnam have grown since December at around the same rate as last year but scientists are carefully watching for any change in the way the virus is spreading. US Incestuous love story "Forty Shades of Blue" won the top dramatic prize at the Sundance Film Festival in a year dominated by the theme of war and political struggle.