North and South Korea meet

SEOUL – North Korea’s reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il unexpectedly welcomed visiting South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun, raising hopes for a summit aimed at ending half a century of hostility.

Division after polls * KIEV – Ukraine slid toward renewed political turmoil as Moscow-backed and pro-western rivals both claimed victory in the country’s parliamentary election. Putin will run again * MOSCOW – Stocks rose and investors voiced optimism after President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that he would run for parliament and could remain in power as prime minister after leaving the Kremlin.New Army chief * ISLAMABAD – Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf appointed the former head of the country’s main spy agency to succeed him as army chief if he steps down as promised after his re-election.13 killed in Kabul * KABUL – A suicide bomber blew up a police bus in Kabul, killing 13 people including a mother and her two children in a new Taliban attack just days after another claimed 30 lives in the Afghan capital.29 prisoners freed * GAZA CITY – Twenty-nine Palestinian prisoners headed back toward the Gaza Strip as Israel released them after a day’s delay in a Ramadan goodwill gesture to president Mahmud Abbas.Nampa-AFPPutin will run again * MOSCOW – Stocks rose and investors voiced optimism after President Vladimir Putin’s announcement that he would run for parliament and could remain in power as prime minister after leaving the Kremlin.New Army chief * ISLAMABAD – Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf appointed the former head of the country’s main spy agency to succeed him as army chief if he steps down as promised after his re-election.13 killed in Kabul * KABUL – A suicide bomber blew up a police bus in Kabul, killing 13 people including a mother and her two children in a new Taliban attack just days after another claimed 30 lives in the Afghan capital.29 prisoners freed * GAZA CITY – Twenty-nine Palestinian prisoners headed back toward the Gaza Strip as Israel released them after a day’s delay in a Ramadan goodwill gesture to president Mahmud Abbas.Nampa-AFP