No let up in Gaza fighting

GAZA – Israel’s air force killed two Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, one of them a rocket squad member who had launched a salvo across the border, militant and medical sources said.

China’s defence spending up * BEIJING – China will raise its heavily scrutinised defence spending by nearly a fifth this year, a top official says, warning self-ruled Taiwan that Beijing would “tolerate no division”. Russia cuts gas to Ukraine * MOSCOW – Russian gas company Gazprom says it will halve gas supplies to Ukraine, one day after its chairman, Dmitry Medvedev, was elected Russian president.More bombers strike in Pakistan * LAHORE – A suicide bomber exploded a truck at the entrance to a naval college in eastern Pakistani city of Lahore killing at least six people, adding to concern over deteriorating security situation in the nuclear armed state.Nato discusses new members * BRUSSELS – Nato foreign ministers are set to discuss possible membership invitations to Croatia, Albania and Macedonia as part of alliance efforts to foster Balkans stability after Kosovo’s secession from Serbia.Spanish PM wins 2nd debate * MADRID – Spain’s Socialist prime minister is judged the victor of a second televised debate before Sunday’s election but a big rise in unemployment might have done him more damage than the leader of the opposition.Poll for Nigeria’s ruling party * ABUJA – Political power struggles intensify in Nigeria as the ruling party prepares to elect new leaders on Saturday, with many party members wary of the influence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.Policeman killed in Afghanistan * KABUL – A suicide car bomber killed a policeman in an attack on a government building in eastern Afghanistan, a day after a similar blast left four people including two Nato soldiers dead, officials said.Six shot in fast food outlet * WEST PALM BEACH – A gunman opened fire inside a Wendy’s fast food restaurant during the lunchtime rush, killing a paramedic who had gone back to fetch the right toy to go with his child’s meal and wounding five others.The 60-year-old shooter then commited suicide.SL troops take Tamil Tiger terrain * COLOMBO – Sri Lankan troops captured stretches of Tamil Tiger-held terrain in the island’s northwest on Tuesday, killing seven rebels in clashes that took the two-day death toll to 23, the military said.Somalis stage anti-US demo * MOGADISHU – Hundreds of residents of a remote town in southern Somalia staged an anti-American demonstration yesterday after the United States launched an air strike against “a known al Qaeda terrorist” there.Russia cuts gas to Ukraine * MOSCOW – Russian gas company Gazprom says it will halve gas supplies to Ukraine, one day after its chairman, Dmitry Medvedev, was elected Russian president.More bombers strike in Pakistan * LAHORE – A suicide bomber exploded a truck at the entrance to a naval college in eastern Pakistani city of Lahore killing at least six people, adding to concern over deteriorating security situation in the nuclear armed state.Nato discusses new members * BRUSSELS – Nato foreign ministers are set to discuss possible membership invitations to Croatia, Albania and Macedonia as part of alliance efforts to foster Balkans stability after Kosovo’s secession from Serbia.Spanish PM wins 2nd debate * MADRID – Spain’s Socialist prime minister is judged the victor of a second televised debate before Sunday’s election but a big rise in unemployment might have done him more damage than the leader of the opposition.Poll for Nigeria’s ruling party * ABUJA – Political power struggles intensify in Nigeria as the ruling party prepares to elect new leaders on Saturday, with many party members wary of the influence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.Policeman killed in Afghanistan * KABUL – A suicide car bomber killed a policeman in an attack on a government building in eastern Afghanistan, a day after a similar blast left four people including two Nato soldiers dead, officials said. Six shot in fast food outlet * WEST PALM BEACH – A gunman opened fire inside a Wendy’s fast food restaurant during the lunchtime rush, killing a paramedic who had gone back to fetch the right toy to go with his child’s meal and wounding five others.The 60-year-old shooter then commited suicide.SL troops take Tamil Tiger terrain * COLOMBO – Sri Lankan troops captured stretches of Tamil Tiger-held terrain in the island’s northwest on Tuesday, killing seven rebels in clashes that took the two-day death toll to 23, the military said.Somalis stage anti-US demo * MOGADISHU – Hundreds of residents of a remote town in southern Somalia staged an anti-American demonstration yesterday after the United States launched an air strike against “a known al Qaeda terrorist” there.