Iraq A suicide bomber ripped through an Iraqi police recruitment centre in the northern Kurdish city of Arbil, killing 45 people and wounding up to 100 a day after Iraq's first democratic cabinet was sworn in. Iraq-Australia An Australian contractor held hostage by militants in Iraq has serious health problems, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said after appealing on Arabic television for his release. Britain Britain's politicians were embarking on one final campaign push, a day before an election which appears increasingly likely to hand Prime Minister Tony Blair a third straight term in office. Somalia Tuesday's deadly blast in a Mogadishu stadium was the result of a failed attempt to assassinate transitional Somali prime minister Ali Mohamed Gedi, diplomatic sources said. Taiwan-China China is rolling out the red carpet for Taiwan's opposition parties, offering tariff-free fruit imports and donating giant pandas, but little of substance has changed in cross-strait relations, analysts said. Iran Iran's reformist camp has launched a virulent attack against ex-police chief and top conservative presidential election contender Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf over his alleged backing of the repression of student demonstrators. Syria-Lebanon Lebanese Prime Minister Nagib Miqati arrived in Damascus for the first time since taking office last month as a UN team verified the withdrawal of Syrian troops from his country.