In Brief

* CRASH – Thirteen people were confirmed dead from the crash off Sicily of a Tunisian plane carrying Italian tourists, while two people were missing and there are 23 survivors, Italian officials said.

* PULLOUT – The Israeli cabinet was expected to give the final go-ahead for the evacuation of the first Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip, 10 days before the historic pullout from the territory is to begin. * FAREWELL – Huge crowds of grieving Sudanese bade a final farewell to late ex-rebel chief John Garang who led southern Sudan through two decades of war before becoming vice president in a landmark peace deal.* UNREST – Ten people were killed across Iraq as rebels carried out sustained attacks, police and interior ministry officials said.* ABDUCTIONS – Japan pressured North Korea about its Cold War abductions of Japanese nationals, during their first bilateral meeting on the sidelines of six-nation nuclear talks.* KILLED – Eight suspected Taliban militants were killed and three captured as Afghan and US-led troops raided their hideouts in southeastern Afghanistan.* TYPHOON – Eastern China began mopping up after Typhoon Matsa ravaged coastal areas, damaging roads, reservoirs and houses although the death toll was restricted to just three after 1.2 million people were evacuated.* POLIO – The number of children affected by the crippling polio virus in an outbreak in Indonesia has risen to 205 with most cases recorded in West Java province.* MARRIAGE – Malaysian Muslim men are allowed four wives under Islamic law, but a survey has found that 90 per cent are satisfied with just one spouse, a poll of 13 000 Malaysians by the Universiti Putra Malaysia showed.* ELECTION – Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi may call a general election as early as Monday if he loses a crunch vote on his signature reforms of breaking up the post office, officials and news reports said.- Nampa-AFP* FAREWELL – Huge crowds of grieving Sudanese bade a final farewell to late ex-rebel chief John Garang who led southern Sudan through two decades of war before becoming vice president in a landmark peace deal.* UNREST – Ten people were killed across Iraq as rebels carried out sustained attacks, police and interior ministry officials said.* ABDUCTIONS – Japan pressured North Korea about its Cold War abductions of Japanese nationals, during their first bilateral meeting on the sidelines of six-nation nuclear talks.* KILLED – Eight suspected Taliban militants were killed and three captured as Afghan and US-led troops raided their hideouts in southeastern Afghanistan.* TYPHOON – Eastern China began mopping up after Typhoon Matsa ravaged coastal areas, damaging roads, reservoirs and houses although the death toll was restricted to just three after 1.2 million people were evacuated.* POLIO – The number of children affected by the crippling polio virus in an outbreak in Indonesia has risen to 205 with most cases recorded in West Java province.* MARRIAGE – Malaysian Muslim men are allowed four wives under Islamic law, but a survey has found that 90 per cent are satisfied with just one spouse, a poll of 13 000 Malaysians by the Universiti Putra Malaysia showed. * ELECTION – Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi may call a general election as early as Monday if he loses a crunch vote on his signature reforms of breaking up the post office, officials and news reports said.- Nampa-AFP