Briefly World: US-educated engineer is new Libya PM

Afghanistan tells Pak to act on militants

ISTANBUL: Afghanistan urged Pakistan Tuesday to take concrete steps to deter Islamist militants. The two neighbours were holding their first talks here since the assassination in September of the chief Afghan peace negotiator. Afghan President Hamid Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari met along with Turkish President Abdullah Gul while their army chiefs consulted ahead of an global conference Wednesday. Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin said,“I think we have failed to see results on the ground. So we are at a stage where we need to move beyond words,beyond expressions of commitments,” he said.

Lal Masjid cleric Aziz acquitted in 4 cases

ISLAMABAD: The Lal Masjid’s chief cleric Abdul Aziz has been acquitted by a court here in four of the 12 cases registered against him for various crimes. The charges included delivering provocative speeches against former President Pervez Musharraf’s government,participating in issuing fatwas against the military’s operations in the tribal areas,possession of illegal arms and kidnapping policemen.

Indian-American telecom expert gets key post

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has nominated Indian-American lawyer and telecom policy expert Ajit Varadaraj Pai,who is a Republican,as Commissioner of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC),the country’s premier regulatory body.

100 Tibetan protesters detained in Nepal

KATHMANDU: The police detained over 100 Tibetan exiles Tuesday when they gathered to pray for nine Tibetans who set themselves on fire to protest Chinese rule. About 400 Tibetans held the prayer meeting on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

US soldier in S Korea gets 10 yrs jail for rape

SEOUL: A US soldier was sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for raping a teenage girl. Uijeongbu District Court convicted 21-year-old Pfc. Kevin Flippin of sexually assaulting the 16-year-old girl numerous times near Seoul in September.

Palestinians aim to join 16 other UN agencies

GENEVA: The Palestinians’ top envoy in Geneva Ibrahim Khraishi said Tuesday that papers were being readied for Palestine to join 16 other UN agencies within weeks of the Unesco vote Monday.

US girls joined at chest to be separated

California: Two-year-old twins Angelica and Angelin Sabuco,who are joined at the chest and abdomen,were waiting for surgery that could separate them at a California hospital Tuesday.