In short

A round-up of today's world news in brief

A round-up of today's world news in brief

Suicide bomb kills 30 Iraqi policemen

MIDDLE EAST - A suicide bomber on a bicycle killed 30 Iraqi policemen doing their morning exercises at a base north of Baghdad yesterday, in one of the deadliest strikes on security forces in months.

In Baghdad, a roadside bomb attack wounded a US general - the highest ranking US officer to be wounded in Iraq since the invasion in 2003. Brig Gen Jeffrey Dorko, commanding general of the Gulf region division of the US army corps of engineers was wounded along with another soldier when a roadside bomb exploded beside their convoy. - (Reuters)

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Earlier date for Iowa caucus

US: - Democrat and Republican presidential candidates will have to campaign over the new year holiday after both parties opted to hold the crucial Iowa caucus on January 3rd, the earliest start to date of the election race.

The Democrat party decided late on Sunday night to join the Republicans in fixing a new date for the caucus, the first concrete test of American public opinion. - (Guardian service)

Airport search for British Muslim MP

BRITAIN: - Britain's first Muslim minister Shahid Malik had his hand luggage analysed for traces of explosives as he was about to fly home from Washington DC after high-level talks on tackling terrorism.

The UK's international development minister was stopped at Dulles airport on Sunday and detained for 40 minutes by the department of homeland security, whose representatives he had met during his visit.

He was also singled out and detained at New York's JFK airport by the DHS last November. Again, he had been a keynote speaker at an event organised by the same department. - (Guardian service)

Poll give Tories eight-point lead

BRITAIN: - David Cameron's remarkable political resurgence was reinforced last night with a poll giving his party an eight- point lead over Labour.

Research by ComRes for the Independent put the Tories on 41 per cent, a gain of seven points from last month's standings.

Labour has slumped 4 per cent to 33 per cent, with the Lib Dems edging up a point to 16 per cent. If repeated at a general election, the figures would give Mr Cameron a narrow overall majority of two seats. - (PA)

Olmert says he has prostate cancer

MIDDLE EAST:- Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert announced yesterday that he has prostate cancer which requires minor surgery in the coming months. However, he said he was fit to govern as he works toward peace talks with the Palestinians.

Mr Olmert (62) said doctors discovered a "microscopic" growth in his prostate gland during an annual check-up last week.

"There is nothing in the growth that is life- threatening," said Mr Olmert, a keen runner and fitness fanatic who looked calm and relaxed during his brief announcement. - (Reuters)

Russell Watson 'progressing well'

BRITAIN: - Opera singer Russell Watson has been moved out of intensive care and his recovery from a second operation on a brain tumour is "progressing well", hospital officials said yesterday.

Watson (40) is still under constant supervision following life-saving surgery at the private Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, Cheshire.

The father-of-two was first struck down with a brain tumour last year while in America. He made a full recovery from an operation but it emerged last week the tumour had regrown when he fell ill in a recording studio.

He was operated on on Thursday. - (PA)