Nairobi - Seven current and former Kenyan MPs are facing corruption charges for allegedly claiming illegal allowances worth around 250,000 dollars.

The Kenyan anti-corruption watchdog (KACC) on Thursday began proceedings against the seven accused, among whom are Information Minister Samuel Poghisio and assistant defence minister David Musila.

Poghisio is accused of illegally claiming around 35,000 dollars in 2006 and 2007, while Musila is suspected of claiming twice that.

In the papers it filed in court, the KACC said that Poghisio made "improper use of his duties, status and power for personal gain."

Five former MPs are accused of illegally claiming a total of around 145,000 dollars.

San Francisco - Saying that California was facing a "fiscal disaster," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday declared a "fiscal emergency" in the richest and most popular state in the US.

The declaration allowed the former movie star to force a special session of the legislature to address the California's massive projected budget deficit - 11.2 billion dollars this year, and as much as 28 billion billion dollars over the next 18 months.

Montreal - In a stunning reversal of political fortunes, the leader of Canada's official opposition, Stephane Dion, was poised to become the country's next prime minister despite having lost the October 14 federal election.

Dion, who just six weeks ago was forced to step down as Liberal leader after the party's worst-ever electoral performance, emerged as the compromise candidate to lead a centre-left coalition formed Monday among the Liberal Party and the socialist New Democratic Party (NDP), aiming to unseat the minority Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Bangkok - Hundreds of pro-government demonstrators wearing red shirts and carrying clubs rallied against the convening of the Thai Constituion Court Tuesday to prevent the reading of a verdict expected to lead to political changes and perhaps more turmoil.

The nine judges on the case shifted the trial to the Administrative Court building in northern Bangkok to avoid a gathering of the pro-government Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD), who had planned to gather outside the Constitution Court in an effort to block the verdict.

Even so, the Administrative Court was quickly surrounded by more than 1,000 DAAD members. The court was under the protection of Thai Army troops armed with M16 rifles.

Washington  - US President George W Bush says his "biggest regret" in office was US intelligence that incorrectly stated Saddam Hussein had weapons of destruction.

"A lot of people put their reputations on the line and said the weapons of mass destruction is a reason to remove Saddam Hussein," Bush said in an interview with ABC News set to air Monday evening.

Washington  - Retired four-star General James Jones, 64, nominated Monday to be president-elect Barack Obama's national security adviser, made history in January 2003 with his appointment as NATO's supreme allied commander in Europe and head of the US forces on the continent.

It was the first time a commandant of the Marine Corps held the highest military post in the alliance.

Three years later, Jones, 64, gave up the command and retired in 2007 after 40 years military service, but still advised the Bush administration on security issues in the Middle East.

On Monday, Obama nominated him to serve as his national security advisor once he takes control of the White House on January 20.