Several Thousand Anti-G8 Protesters Rally in Japan
SAPPORO, Japan - Several thousand people rallied on Saturday on the streets of central Sapporo, Japan, to protest against a Group of Eight summit due to start next week at a luxury hotel a two-hour drive away. ................more

Lebanese Leaders Close to Government Deal
BEIRUT - Lebanese leaders are finalizing a deal on the formation of a national unity government as stipulated in an agreement that ended the country’s political crisis, political sources said on Saturday. Prime Minister-designate Fouad Siniora indicated progress .........more

Iran Says Offers Talks without Nuke Freeze
TEHRAN - Iran is ready to negotiate with world powers on its nuclear programme but without suspending its controversial uranium enrichment work, a government spokesman said Saturday. “Iran will not go back on its rights on the nuclear issue,” .......more

S. Koreans Protest against Beef and Lee
SEOUL - South Korean police said about 50,000 people protested in Seoul on Saturday against a U.S. beef import deal and the policies of the new president, whose government has faced weeks of street rallies. Polls show that most South Koreans oppose a deal President ........more

Russia Warns of “New War” in Abkhazia Conflict
MOSCOW - A “new war” could break out in Georgia’s breakaway region of Abkhazia if Tbilisi uses military force to resolve the conflict, Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Saturday.
Separatist leader Sergei Bagapsh accused Georgia on Saturday .......more

Calm in Mongolia as Emergency Rule Nears End
ULAN BATOR - Troops pulled back from the streets of the Mongolian capital on Saturday and political leaders called for calm ahead of the lifting of emergency rule that was declared after rioting over alleged election fraud. ......more

Rahmon Attends Celebrations Dedicated to Jubilee of Kazakh Capital
DUSHANBE - Along with leaders of a number of other countries President Emomali Rahmon is attending celebrations in Astana to mark the 10th anniversary of Astana as the capital city of Kazakhstan. .......more

Musharraf Performs Ballotting of 9000 Plots
KARACHI - President Pervez Musharraf Saturday vowed to take Pakistan out of various turmoils - the political turmoil, terrorism and extremism. “Pakistan has come to live and will Inshallah survive”, he said while speaking as chief guest at the ballotting ......more

Kazakhstan is Russia’s Strategic Partner: Medvedev
ASTANA - Kazakhstan is Russia’s strategic partner that is why Russia seeks to maintain brotherly and friendly relations with it, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said.
Speaking at a solemn meeting devoted to the 10th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s ........more

Japan Supports Enhancement of Tajik Agrarian Sector
DUSHANBE - Issues related to enhancement of Tajikistan’s agrarian sector were a major topic of a meeting of the Minister of Agriculture Qosim Qosimov with Mr. Yoshiro Nakayama, Charge D’Affaires, Japan’s Embassy in Dushanbe, .......more

Coalition Govt to Make Parliament Supreme through Necessary Amendments: Gillani
MULTAN - The coalition government would make Parliament supreme through necessary constitutional amendments, said Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani at Jahanian on Sunday. Addressing a large public meeting in connection with the by-elections ......more

Ahmadinejad Urges Further Regional Cooperation
TRHRAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that further cooperation among regional states would pave the way for progress and prosperity of their nations.
In a meeting with the visiting Foreign Minister of Yemen Abu Bakr ......more

Tajik Ministry of Economy Announces New Price Rise for Electricity
DUSHANBE - The government has approved increase in the electricity.
A source at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MoEDT) told Asia-Plus on Monday that that the price of one kWh has risen from 3.2 dirams to 4.8 dirams ......more

China, Vietnam Agree to Properly Handle South China Sea Dispute
BEIJING - China and Vietnam have agreed to properly handle their dispute over the South China Sea, according to the consensus reached at the second meeting of the China-Vietnam steering committee on cooperation held on Wednesday. ......more