13 Palestinian groups agree to new truce talks

JERUSALEM -- Thirteen Palestinian factions, including major militant groups, have agreed to attend truce talks in Cairo next month, and Palestinian officials said Thursday they expect the conference to be successful -- provided Israel agrees to halt military operations. An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has hinted at a softer stance, although senior officials want to maintain the strategy of targeting "ticking bombs," described as militants en route to attack or militant group leaders.

Ailment forces Egyptian leader to bow out again

CAIRO, Egypt -- An ailing Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak canceled a speech on doctor's orders Thursday, a day after abruptly leaving the podium for more than 30 minutes in the middle of a nationally televised speech. Mubarak was to speak at an annual meeting in honor of the Quran. Mubarak's aides described his illness as a cold aggravated by fasting following the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Troubled Georgian voting validated by commission

TBILISI, Georgia -- Georgia's election commission Thursday validated the ruling party's win in parliamentary elections, rejecting allegations of fraud that drew thousands of protesters into the streets of the former Soviet republic. President Eduard Shevardnadze immediately ordered the newly elected parliament to convene Saturday, but the opposition vowed to try to block the session and began rallying its supporters to march on the capital, Tbilisi. The Nov. 2 elections have drawn criticism from the United States.

U.N. nuclear agency talks of censure for Iran

VIENNA, Austria -- The U.N. atomic agency has identified Russia, China and Pakistan as among the probable suppliers of equipment Iran used to conduct suspected nuclear weapons programs, diplomats said Thursday. The diplomats spoke as the International Atomic Energy Agency weighed how harshly to censure Tehran for two decades of covert nuclear activities Iran says were aimed at peaceful purposes. The talks, which broke off Thursday after less than two hours, are to continue today.

U.N. oil-for-food program taken over by coalition

UNITED NATIONS -- The gradual shutdown of the U.N.'s oil-for-food program in Iraq continued Thursday as the multibillion-dollar operation was transfered to the U.S.-led coalition. The program allowed the former Iraqi regime to sell unlimited quantities of oil, provided the money went primarily to buy humanitarian goods and pay reparations to victims of the 1991 Gulf War. All proceeds from Iraqi oil sales are now going into the Development Fund for Iraq, which was established after the war and is controlled by the United States and Britain.

U.S., S. Korea meet to plan nuke talks

SEOUL, South Korea -- North Korean rhetoric against the United States continued Thursday as a U.S. State Department official discussed the North's nuclear weapons program with South Korean officials. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly met with his South Korean counterpart to coordinate policy amid hopes for a second round of six-nation talks on the nuclear standoff, perhaps later this month. Meanwhile, North Korea described Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's trip to South Korea earlier this week as "criminal."

ChevronTexaco workers held hostage on oil rig

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Ethnic militants reportedly armed with automatic weapons and hand grenades were holding 14 ChevronTexaco oil workers hostage aboard two ocean platforms off southeastern Nigeria, company officials said Thursday. Four other workers were released by their captors late Wednesday. All the captives were Nigerian nationals. The militants used speedboats to capture ChevronTexaco's Middleton and Pennington oil platforms early Wednesday.

-- From wire reports