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From NPR news in Washington, I'm Nora Raum.

Iran announced today it would send a representative to Egypt this week to attend an international meeting to explore ways to stabilize Iraq. The US, Syria and Turkey are also scheduled to take part. The BBC's Francis Harrison is in Tehran. She reports Iran decided to attend after considerable discussion.
There’s been said it’s a torture about this decision that has been gone for so long. Partly of course because 5 Iranian diplomats were arrested in Irbil and being held by the Americans and that has become a big issue internally. So to go and sit down at the negotiating table with the US Secretary of State when the US is still holding Iranian's captive. It's a big problem internally. People would question that, there are some criticisms in fact. But I think the wilder issue for Iran is that if it sits down at the negotiating table at such a high level with the United States, then the chances are there would be some kind of bilateral talks. It's an opportunity, not just to discuss Iraq, but really to try mend relations. You have to remember that these 2 countries haven't had any diplomatic ties for nearly 30 years now. So it's a critical point for Iran. Can they find a way of talking to the US? Are they willing to do it? The BBC's Francis Harrison in Tehran.


In Iraq US officials say 99 US troops have died there this month. 9 of the death occurred in 3 attacks since Friday. Iraqi officials now say at least 6 people died in a suicide attack in the holy city of Karbala yesterday. At least 170 others were injured. A car bomb exploded near one of the most revered Shiite Muslim shrines at a time when the streets were crowded.


Reports from Sri Lanka say government forces are pounding positions held by Tamil Tigers separatists in the north of the Island. It began after the rebels dropped bombs from an aircraft on targets close to the capital Colombo. NPR's Philip Reeves reports.
This is the third air strike to be carried out by the Tamil Tigers, attacks they only adopted last month, but it’s already changing the nature of the conflict. Officials say during the night the Tigers dropped several bombs from a low-flying plane on two fuel facilities, several miles outside the capital Colombo. Residents say they heard loud explosions and also firing as government troops responded to the attack. Although the damage caused by the bombs appears to be slight, the impact was significant. The authority responded by cutting off the power to the entire city just as millions of Sri Lankans were watching their national team competed in the Cricket World Cup Final. Operations of the international airport were also disrupted for a short period. Philip Reeves NPR news, New Delhi.


Investigators in Pakistan are trying to identify the suicide bomber that apparently tried to kill the Interior Minister yesterday. A man blew himself up about ten feet from the official in northwest frontier province bordering Afghanistan. 27 people were killed. The Minister sustained minor leg injuries.

This is NPR news from Washington.

A Federal Appeals Court in northern California has ruled that the government can not alter the standards for tuna sold under the so-called "dolphin-safe" label. Bob Hensley of member station KXJZ reports from Modesto, California.
In the ruling the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said the Bush administration allowed politics to influence its decision that should only be based on scientific evidence. The Court’s chief judge said the policy of administration was not rationally connected to the conclusions of scientists. The decision means the ban on US imports of tuna from Mexico remains intact. Mexican fishing fleets are among those that encircle dolphins with nets in order to catch the tuna that swam near them. The ruling upholds a lower court decision that rejected attempts by the Commerce Department to relax standard for the "dolphin-safe" label. Analysts say most American consumers won't buy tuna that doesn’t carry the label created by a federal law 17 years ago. The administration hasn't indicated whether it intends to appeal. For NPR news, I'm Bob Hensley.


President Bush spoke to the graduating class of Miami Dade College yesterday where more than half the students were raised speaking a language other than English. He urges the graduates to lobby Congress for changes in Immigration Law. “You see everyday the values of hard work and family and faith that immigrants bring. This experience gives you a special responsibility that makes your voices heard." There are an estimated 12 million people in the US illegally. The President said they can all be deported and the way must be found to deal with them without amnesty and without animosity. The President also said the law should be changed to help businesses obtain workers willing to perform low-paying jobs.

I'm Nora Raum, NPR news in Washington.