In Brief

* ATTACK – An Israeli missile strike on a vehicle carrying a Palestinian rocket-launching squad in Gaza killed at least nine people, including two children, witnesses and medics said.

It was one of the deadliest strikes from the air in years and came amid a surge of rocket fire from militants in Gaza following the killing of seven Palestinians, including three children, on a day of Israeli artillery shelling on Friday. * UNREST – East Timor’s President Xanana Gusmao is to address parliament this week for the first time since the small nation descended into violence, an aide said as his supporters met over the crisis.* FEUDING – Yemen has offered to mediate in dialogue between the Somali government and hardline Islamic courts that are currently feuding over the planned deployment of east African peacekeepers in the shattered African nation, officials said.* VIOLENCE – East Timor’s President Xanana Gusmao is to address parliament this week for the first time since the tiny nation descended into violence, one of his senior aides said.* DETENTION – Lawyers for Guantanamo Bay inmates accused the US government of showing a rampant disregard for humanity, after top officials termed three suicides at the camp as a PR stunt and an act of war.* MILESTONE – Turkey hailed a “milestone” in its drive to join the European Union after launching entry talks with the bloc, but was immediately warned that its EU-bound train may soon derail over Cyprus.* DIPLOMACY – Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert suggested that his British counterpart Tony Blair had at least tacitly backed a plan to set unilaterally Israel’s borders with the Palestinians in the West Bank.- Nampa-AFP* UNREST – East Timor’s President Xanana Gusmao is to address parliament this week for the first time since the small nation descended into violence, an aide said as his supporters met over the crisis.* FEUDING – Yemen has offered to mediate in dialogue between the Somali government and hardline Islamic courts that are currently feuding over the planned deployment of east African peacekeepers in the shattered African nation, officials said.* VIOLENCE – East Timor’s President Xanana Gusmao is to address parliament this week for the first time since the tiny nation descended into violence, one of his senior aides said.* DETENTION – Lawyers for Guantanamo Bay inmates accused the US government of showing a rampant disregard for humanity, after top officials termed three suicides at the camp as a PR stunt and an act of war.* MILESTONE – Turkey hailed a “milestone” in its drive to join the European Union after launching entry talks with the bloc, but was immediately warned that its EU-bound train may soon derail over Cyprus.* DIPLOMACY – Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert suggested that his British counterpart Tony Blair had at least tacitly backed a plan to set unilaterally Israel’s borders with the Palestinians in the West Bank.- Nampa-AFP