News Round-Up

Diwaniya, Iraq (Reuters) - U.S. forces launched an air strike in Diwaniya on Saturday as U.S. and Iraqi troops fought for a second day to overcome Shi'ite militias and bring the city back under government control. More.

+ British sailors say Iran forced their confessions

+ A Look at Chemical Attacks in Iraq

+ Roadside bomb kills 8 aboard bus in Sri Lanka

+ Chlorine gas attack by truck bomber kills up to 30 in Iraq

+ Taliban Ambush Leaves 7 Dead, 4 Wounded

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KABUL, Afghanistan -- More than 1,000 NATO and Afghan troops clashed with Taliban and took over control of a district center in southern Afghanistan long held by the militants, officials and witnesses said Saturday.
The troops used helicopters, armored vehicles and infantry in their push toward the town of Sangin in Helmand province, the world's biggest opium-producing region, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said in a statement late Friday.

"Military troops have successfully engaged several Taliban extremist strongholds and discovered a number of large weapon caches," the statement said. More.

+ Abbas: Israeli soldier to be freed France (Reuters) -- Cpl. Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held by militants in Gaza, will be released soon, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said in a television interview on Friday.

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+ CBS Video: Sen. John McCain in Iraq

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+ US has denied claims made by an Iranian diplomat abducted in Iraq that he was tortured in captivity by people who included CIA agents.

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+ Taliban terrorists ambushed Afghans working for a US landmine-clearing company in south-western Afghanistan yesterday, killing seven people and wounding four.

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+ Sectarian clashes kill 40 in remote northern Pakistan