From Newswire

• Allawi leads Maliki for first time in Iraq count
• Thai "red shirts" splatter blood at PM's home
• U.S. affirms bond with Israel as Palestinians riot
• U.N. council wants probe of Somalia aid diversion
• Vatican sees bid to tarnish Church amid abuse row
• U.N.'s new envoy hails Karzai on poll watchdog change
• Pakistan, Iran sign deal on natural gas pipeline
• Russian prosecutors say priest's killer slain
• Yemen Shi'ite rebels free 178 soldiers, civilians