KABUL – US Defense Secretary Robert Gates cautioned against over-optimism despite “bits and pieces of good news” from Afghanistan, warning of hard days ahead as he arrived yesterday to meet generals and President Hamid Karzai.

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LAHORE, Pakistan – Pakistan’s Taliban claimed responsibility for a suicide car bomb attack on a police intelligence unit in the city of Lahore that killed at least 13 people during yesterday’s morning rush hour, officials said.

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BAGHDAD – More than 55 percent of Iraqis voted in parliamentary election despite attempts by Sunni Islamist insurgents to disrupt the landmark vote with attacks that killed 38 people, officials said yesterday.

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JERUSALEM – The Obama administration has boosted US defence ties to Israel and will close ranks with its ally against any threat from a nuclear-armed Iran, Vice President Joe Biden said yesterday ahead of a trip to Israel.

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LISBON/BRUSSELS – Portugal became the latest euro zone country to announce austerity measures to rein in a ballooning budget deficit as bond markets eased pressure on debt-stricken Greece yesterday after a French pledge of EU help.

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CONAKRY – Guinea will hold presidential elections on June 27, its government said yesterday, in an attempt to solve the political crisis that has persisted in the West African country since a coup in December 2008.

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SEOUL – North Korea said yesterday it had put its army on full combat alert, ready to “blow up” South Korea as joint drills between the South and the United States got underway.

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REYKJAVIK – Iceland’s government pledged on Sunday to restart talks and swiftly reach a new debt accord with Britain and Netherlands, a day after Icelanders crushed in a referendum the previous $5 billion “Icesave” deal.