AFP - Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said his country"s sometimes tense relations with its Pacific neighbours were "back on track" Saturday during a visit to the Solomon Islands.

Malaysia"s ruling party faced its biggest electoral debacle on Sunday, as the opposition won five of 13 states, putting a dark cloud on the prime minister"s political future.

A Kenyan elder who presented Barack Obama with a traditional outfit that fueled false rumors he was Muslim says the garb was cultural, not religious ? and that had President Bush visited he could have "dressed him the same."

South America moved away from talk of war as the presidents of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador agreed to end a bitter dispute triggered by a Colombian cross-border raid with testy handshakes and an apology.

Iraq"s president said Saturday that he wants to promote more Turkish investment in his country, where Turkish troops recently carried out an eight-day ground incursion.

Spain votes on Sunday in an election likely to return the ruling Socialists to power, though again short of an absolute majority, after an ill-tempered campaign focused on a weakening economy.

After his release from 35 years in a Pakistani prison on espionage charges, Kashmir Singh stood at the Indian border and hugged the Pakistani Cabinet minister responsible for freeing him.

Serbia"s government collapsed Saturday over an impasse between the nationalist prime minister and the pro-Western president on how Kosovo"s independence affects the Balkan country"s pursuit of EU membership.