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Saying that "circumstances have changed" since the election of U.S. President Barack Obama, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced that he is preparing a new set of proposals aimed at breaking the diplomatic deadlock over his country's controversial nuclear program.
Ahmadinejad said in a speech in the southern Iranian city of Kerman that Iran was willing to hold talks with the U.S. so long as the Obama administration did not "speak to them from a position of arrogance." The president did not specify what the new proposals might be.
The U.S. and European allies shifted strategy toward potential talks earlier this week by considering dropping their insistence that the Iranians suspend nuclear enrichment during talks. Iran opened its first nuclear fuel production plant last week.
Ahmadinejad's more conciliatory speech came a day after he announced that Iran plans to launch another satellite into space, a move likely to worry Western monitors.
Middle East
Israel is "very unlikely" to cooperate with a U.N. probe into alleged war crimes committed during the military operation in Gaza.
A secret trial has reportedly begun for U.S. journalist Roxana Saberi in Iran.
A severe drought is threatening Iraq's southern marsh region, which was just recovering from environmental damage done by Saddam Hussein's regime.
Asia
Taliban militants in Pakistan's Swat Valley are refusing to give up their weapons, as agreed in a recent peace deal with the Pakistani government.
Afghan women protesting the recently passed law that effectively legalizes rape within marriage were pelted with rocks by onlookers.
The trial of the lone surviving Mumbai attacker has been suspended after his lawyer was accused of speaking with one of his alleged victims.
Thailand has revoked the passport of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is accused of playing a role in fomenting recent anti-government riots.
Africa
Another U.S. freighter carrying food aid was attacked by Somali pirates, but the marauders were repelled by the ship's U.S. Navy escort.
South African expats have begun voting early in the country's presidential election.
Impatient with the rate of progress, an armed mob seized a government land reform project in South Africa.
Europe
With a government-imposed deadline approaching, Fiat says it will back out of a deal with Chrysler unless the U.S. carmaker's unions can cut costs.
Italy estimates it will need about $16 billion to rebuild after last week's earthquake.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev gave a rare print interview to a paper critical of the Kremlin in which he defended Russian democracy.
Americas
The Obama administration is preparing to release data on the financial health of 19 top banks as government "stress tests" near completion.
Obama will name former Justice Department official Alan Bersin as "border czar," to take on immigration and drug violence.
Ahead of this week's Summit of the Americas, Latin American leaders are blaming the global financial crisis on U.S. policies.
ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images
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