General Politics

No more ministerial talks over temples for now, says Cambodia

No more ministerial talks over temples for now, says Cambodia Phnom Penh  - Talks between the foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand are over for now - at least until Cambodia forms a new government, expected in late September, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said Monday.

"There will be no more meetings. Wait until the new government is formed," Kanharith said at a press conference for the visit of Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

Russia warns Georgia over disproportionate force in rebel region

Russia warns Georgia over disproportionate force in rebel region Moscow  - Russia accused Georgia of using "disproportionate force" in its separatist province of South Ossetia and warned it off inflaming tensions in the region, the foreign ministry said Monday.

Georgia's presidential envoy for conflict resolution rejected the statement as "in fact, an advanced declaration of (potential) war."

Israel prepares to transfer Fatah Gaza refugees to West Bank

Israel prepares to transfer Fatah Gaza refugees to West Bank Tel Aviv  - Israeli is preparing to transfer to the West Bank Palestinian Fatah activists who fled internecine fighting in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Defence Ministry said Monday.

The move comes amid fierce inter-Palestinian clashes in the Strip between Fatah and Hamas, which administers the enclave. It overturns a previous decision made at the request of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and West Bank-based acting Premier Salam Fayyad to return those fleeing to the salient.

Voters queue at polling stations for Bangladesh local elections

Voters queue at polling stations for Bangladesh local elections Dhaka  - Thousands of Bangladeshi voters queued Monday in front of heavily guarded polling stations in four cities and nine towns to elect mayors in a landmark move to strengthen local governments, officials said.

The election, hailed as a first step to restore democracy by the army-backed national caretaker government, is the first since a state of emergency was declared in Bangladesh last year.

General elections, which were postponed after last year's violence, are now scheduled for December.

Egypt cracks down on Muslim Brotherhood in Nile Delta city

Egypt cracks down on Muslim Brotherhood in Nile Delta city Cairo  - Egyptian state security forces detained 10 leaders of the opposition Muslim Brotherhood Saturday in the Nile Delta city of Mansura, the movement said.

Most of the detainees are members of the Muslim Brotherhood's administrative office in Dakahlia governorate, of which Mansura is the capital, the movement said in a statement on its website.

The Egyptian government has banned the fundamentalist Islamic group, but paradoxically the Muslim Brotherhood is the most active political opposition movement in Egypt.

Thai government announces new cabinet

Thai government announces new cabinetBangkok  - Thailand's reshuffled cabinet was endorsed by King Bhumibol and announced Saturday evening, Thai media reported.

The shake-up was necessary after several ministers had to resign after losing legal battles over their qualifications, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said.

Before the shake-up, Samak had already lost three of his cabinet ministers to Thailand's judiciary and court rulings during his six months in office.

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