In Brief

* CABINET – Iraq’s prime minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki announced that the country’s first permanent post-Saddam Hussein cabinet will be “ready today or tomorrow”, after almost five months of tortuous negotiations.

* DISMISSED – The United States dismissed a surprise letter from Iran’s hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to President George W Bush as world powers debate how to respond to Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. * RATIFIED – The parliament in new European Union member state Estonia overwhelmingly ratified the EU constitution.* TRIAL – Four accused Islamic militants went on trial on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, facing charges that carry the death penalty over their roles in suicide bombings here in 2005.* UNREST – Japan’s special envoy held closed-door talks with Tamil Tigers in a bid to save Sri Lanka’s peace process as the government pressed the rebels to resume negotiations and halt violence.* COUP – East Timor’s Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said that deadly unrest last month and this week was a continuing attempt to stage a coup.* RECOVERING – Ailing former Indonesian dictator Suharto was recovering well from intestinal surgery and was no longer receiving blood transfusions, a member of his medical team said.* FAILED – Illusionist David Blaine was urgently pulled out of a water-filled sphere after failing to hold his breath for nine minutes inside the bubble that had been his underwater home for seven days.* INTELLIGENCE – President George W Bush named Michael Hayden to lead the CIA, despite lawmakers’ objections to a military general heading the civilian spy agency.* OPTIMISTIC – Italy’s incoming centre-left prime minister Romano Prodi was optimistic that parliament will elect a new state president thanks to an accord reached with a right-wing party.- Nampa-AFP* RATIFIED – The parliament in new European Union member state Estonia overwhelmingly ratified the EU constitution.* TRIAL – Four accused Islamic militants went on trial on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, facing charges that carry the death penalty over their roles in suicide bombings here in 2005.* UNREST – Japan’s special envoy held closed-door talks with Tamil Tigers in a bid to save Sri Lanka’s peace process as the government pressed the rebels to resume negotiations and halt violence.* COUP – East Timor’s Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri said that deadly unrest last month and this week was a continuing attempt to stage a coup.* RECOVERING – Ailing former Indonesian dictator Suharto was recovering well from intestinal surgery and was no longer receiving blood transfusions, a member of his medical team said.* FAILED – Illusionist David Blaine was urgently pulled out of a water-filled sphere after failing to hold his breath for nine minutes inside the bubble that had been his underwater home for seven days.* INTELLIGENCE – President George W Bush named Michael Hayden to lead the CIA, despite lawmakers’ objections to a military general heading the civilian spy agency.* OPTIMISTIC – Italy’s incoming centre-left prime minister Romano Prodi was optimistic that parliament will elect a new state president thanks to an accord reached with a right-wing party. – Nampa-AFP