Iraq The Egyptian ambassador designate to Iraq was kidnapped while walking alone on a Baghdad street in the first abduction of a head of mission since the spate of foreign hostage-takings began. Afghanistan One member of a US special operations team missing in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan has been rescued, US television reported. Saudi Al-Qaeda's suspected frontman in Saudi Arabia was killed in a shootout with security forces in the capital only five days after authorities put him at the top of a new list of wanted militants. Russia French President Jacques Chirac hailed a possible breakthrough on climate change at this week's G8 summit talks in Scotland after meeting with his Russian counterpart and Germany's chancellor. Greece Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis will travel to Turkey, officials said, in the first official visit in 46 years as ties between the former arch-foes continue to warm. Vatican Pope Benedict XVI called on G8 leaders to adopt concrete measures to eradicate poverty and aid real development in Africa at their summit meeting this week in Scotland. AfricanUnion On the eve of a summit meeting of African Union states, the pan-African grouping admitted it was facing financial difficulties, with a 35-million-dollar (29-million-euro) shortfall in contributions from members. Albania Albanians went to the polls in legislative elections seen as a crucial test for the former communist state's fledgling democracy, amid fears extremists from rival parties will reject the result. Mideast Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon saw off an attempt by hardliners to derail his Gaza pullout plan as his cabinet overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to postpone the withdrawal for three months. US Planet Earth fired its first ever shot at a passing comet in the hopes of peeking into its core. But it will take 24 hours to find out whether it was a hit or miss.