Vatican A frail looking but alert Pope John Paul II made a 10-minute appearance at his hospital window, allaying immediate fears for his health and sending an eloquent signal that, even diminished by illness, he continues to lead the Roman Catholic Church. Iraq The spiritual leader of Iraqi Shiites, who are set to dominate the new government, demanded a major say for Islam in lawmaking as the abduction of four Egyptians heightened fears for foreigners. Iraq A previously unknown Islamist group said it abducted Italian journalist Giuliana Sgrena in Iraq, and threatened to kill her unless the "criminal government" in Rome announced a withdrawal of its troops from Iraq. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Washington was committed to Iraq's unity and to combatting Turkish Kurd rebels hiding in northern Iraq as she sought to soothe Turkish unease over US policies in its war-torn neighbor. Mideast US Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs William Burns held talks in Cairo on an unannounced visit just two days before a potentially breakthrough Middle East peace summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra claimed a historic reelection victory after polls which appeared to make him the most powerful person ever elected to lead Thailand. Togo The military in the west African state of Togo faced mounting international criticism after it hastily swore in the son of veteran president Gnassingbe Eyadema to succeed him on his death. Afghanistan Local and foreign police and troops struggled to reach the spot where an Afghan plane carrying 104 people crashed in rugged mountains east of Kabul, as officials admitted there was little or no chance of finding any survivors. Kuwait Kuwaiti security forces arrested five suspects in a crackdown on Islamist militants involved in a series of gunbattles as the Gulf emirate launched another offensive to confront extremist ideology. Georgia Georgia held the funeral of prime minister Zurab Zhvania, whose death this week sent shockwaves through the turbulent former Soviet republic where pro-US reformers took power just over a year ago. Health Cambodia's health ministry confirmed that a woman who died last week was the country's first bird flu victim while a new outbreak of the disease was reported in a village outside Phnom Penh, officials said.