US forces hope to hand over half of Baghdad to Iraqi security control by the end of 2008, after violence in Iraq dropped to its lowest level since January 2006, the number two US general in Iraq has said. 

Ukrainian Communist Party leader Pyotr Simonenko plans to propose constitutional amendments to the Ukrainian Supreme Rada, in accordance with which Ukrainian president is to be elected by the parliament. Simonenko’s statement was released today by the Communist Party press office, a REGNUM correspondent informs.   

On Wednesday October 24, UN envoy in Darfur, Jan Eliasson said, speaking from Eritrea via videoconference to New York, that it is still unclear exactly how many rebel leaders will participate in the peace talks in Sirte, Libya. The peace conference scheduled to begin on Saturday faces the risk of …