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in Israel and to avoid a future Palestinian state becoming an Iranian-backed "terror state."
• Final status negotiations aim to reach a deal on the core issues of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including borders, the fate of Palestinian refugees and security arrangements. The Palestinians say talks will be based on Israel's pre-1967 borders.
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• BRUSSELS (AP) -- Belgium's King Albert abdicated on Sunday after a 20-year reign, clearing the way for his son, Philippe, to take over as this fractured nation's seventh king later in the day.
• The 79-year-old Albert signed away his rights as the kingdom's largely ceremonial ruler at the royal palace in the presence of Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, who holds the political power in this 183-year-old parliamentary democracy.
• Less than two hours later, Belgium will get a new king when Philippe, 53, takes the oath before the nation's legislators at the parliament building a short walk across the Royal Park in the heart of the city.
• "Belgium is modernizing itself and it gives me joy," Albert said. He also called for continued "cohesion" between the nation's 6 million Dutch-speaking Flemings and 4.5 million French-speakers.
• Under crystal chandeliers in a gilded hall at the royal palace, Di Rupo called Albert "a great head of state" and told the outgoing king, "You are closing an important page in the history of our country."
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• CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- Two U.S. fighter jets have dropped four unarmed bombs in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park when a training exercise went wrong.
• The two AV-8B Harrier jets launched from aircraft carrier USS Bonhomme Richard each jettisoned an inert bomb and an unarmed explosive bomb in the World Heritage-listed marine park off the coast of Queensland state on Tuesday, the U.S. 7th Fleet said in a statement on Saturday.
• The four bombs were dropped in more than 50 meters (164 feet) of water away

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