Mideast Sources close to Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, hospitalized near Paris, denied he was "brain dead" and breathing only thanks to artificial life support systems, as a French medical official had said after conflicting reports as to whether he was alive or dead. US Claiming a broad popular mandate, President George W. Bush vowed to battle terrorism, win back allies divided over Iraq, and push ahead at home with controversial tax cuts and pension reforms. Iraq US warplanes launched five airstrikes against suspected insurgent positions in Fallujah in the last 24 hours ahead of an anticipated assault on the rebel-held Iraqi city, the US military said. Iraq Three British soldiers were killed in an attack south of Baghdad, Britain announced, as the rebel city of Fallujah braced for an all-out assault after the re-election of US President George W. Bush. Iraq Two US marines were killed and four wounded "in action" in the restive Iraqi province of al-Anbar, which houses the rebel hotspots of Ramadi and Fallujah, the US military said. Sudan Rebel leaders from the war-torn region of Darfur in west Sudan agreed to sign up to a compromise security deal proposed by the African Union, but the Sudanese government balked, hoping for amendments. EU European Union leaders welcomed a breakthrough over the EU's executive line-up after a standoff with lawmakers left the 25-nation bloc in institutional limbo. North Korea North Korea wants big concessions from second-term US President George W. Bush before it will discuss ending its nuclear weapons drive, a top Pyongyang envoy said in a report. ICoast Three people died and at least 40 were wounded in Ivory Coast, as government forces carried out repeated air raids on positions held by former rebels in the divided west African country, sources said. US In its first foreign policy move since President George W. Bush won reelection this week, the United States enraged NATO ally Greece by siding with neighboring Macedonia in a bitter row over the use of the country's name.