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One killed, 7 injured in Iraq bombing

BAGHDAD, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- A roadside bomb detonated near an Iraqi police patrol in Baghdad killed one person and injured seven Saturday, officials said.

One of the injured in the explosion in the Qahira neighborhood of northeastern Baghdad was a police officer, CNN reported.

The latest bombing came as U.S. military officials are shifting their tactics in Iraq to emphasize more "hearts-and-minds" missions in problem areas such as Diyala province, which has been the scene of most of the 32 female suicide bombings in Iraq this year, the Times of London reported Saturday.

With the Iraqi police and army increasingly taking over the front lines in most battles with insurgents, U.S. soldiers are more likely to be out socializing with local religious leaders and politicians than arresting people, the newspaper said.

Col. Burt Thompson, commander of a U.S. combat brigade of 4,100 troopers in Diyala, told the Times that more than 90 percent of his combat power is being used on such initiatives as overseeing local authorities who have been tasked with building roads, digging wells and providing electricity.

However, coalition forces also announced they had captured 22 suspects linked to al-Qaida in Iraq Friday and Saturday. The suspects were taken into custody during anti-terrorist operations around Tikrit, Kirkuk, Bayji, Mosul, Al Yusifiyah and Baghdad.

Report: Obama may reverse Bush orders

WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama may undo about 200 Bush administration decisions and executive orders, officials in Washington said.

Transition advisers to Obama have identified actions and executive orders on issues including climate change, stem-cell research and reproductive rights that can be reversed relatively swiftly, The Washington Post reported in its Sunday edition, citing congressional Democrats and Obama campaign officials.

Some four dozen advisers have worked for months to identify possible regulatory and policy changes that could be implemented soon after Obama takes office Jan. 20. The advisers have been consulting with potential administration appointees, congressional staffers and representatives of liberal advocacy groups to determine which changes should take priority, the Post said, citing a top transition official who could not speak on the record.

Former Clinton administration official Dan Mendelson told the newspaper the advisers are searching for regulations that were implemented by the Bush administration for "overtly political" reasons.

Transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said plans for regulatory changes would not be finalized before Obama could discuss them with his Cabinet nominees, "none of whom have been selected yet."

Obama hears from world leaders

CHICAGO, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- The presidents of Russia and China telephone U.S. President-elect Barack Obama Saturday, one week before Obama is likely to meet the leaders in Washington.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Obama agreed to arrange a bilateral meeting soon, ITAR-TASS reported. Hu Jintao of China said he and Obama discussed the international financial crisis, Xinhua, the official Chinese government news agency, said.

Obama is likely to meet Medvedev and Hu at the international financial summit scheduled for Nov. 15 in Washington.

Thursday and Friday, Obama took phone calls from 15 leaders, The Washington Post said. An aide said most of the calls were simple congratulations and lasted less than 10 minutes.

Friday's callers included Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy, President Lech Kaczynski of Poland, President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan and President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt.

Hurricane Paloma bears down on Cuba

HAVANA, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Hurricane Paloma, labeled an "extremely dangerous" storm by forecasters, surged toward the coast of Cuba Saturday evening.

The Category 4 hurricane was producing 145 mph winds, said the National Hurricane Center in Miami, which warned people in the Cuban provinces of Ciego de Vavila, Camaguey, Las Tunas, Granma and Holgun that "preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion."

Up to 20 inches of rain was forecast, making flash flooding a serious concern.

At 7 p.m. EST, Paloma's eye was just east of Santa Cruz del Sur Cuba and about 45 miles south of Camaguey, Cuba.

Paloma was moving northeastward about 10 mph and was expected to approach Cuba's south-central coast Sunday morning and emerge into the Atlantic Ocean late Sunday. The hurricane was expected to reach the central Bahamas late Sunday or Monday.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for the Cuban province of Santiago de Cuba and the Bahamas.

The government of the Cayman Islands discontinued its hurricane warning for Grand Cayman but the warning remained in effect for Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.

CNN reported 90 percent of the buildings on Cayman Brac were damaged and 500 people were seeking shelter. About 100 people had to leave one shelter after part of its roof caved in, Radio Cayman reported.

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