U.S. troops killed five Iraqi civilians, including a child, in two separate shootings in the past two days, the U.S. military said on Tuesday.On Monday, U.S. troops targeting al Qaeda fighters in Baiji, 180 km (110 miles)

Russia’s top election official appeared to rule out the possibility of President Vladimir Putin exploiting a legal loophole to run for a third term, a Moscow radio station reported.

US President George W. Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki agreed Monday to hold formal talks next year to decide the future of US forces in Iraq and other thorny issues, the White House said.