Dubai, April 17 : In a major setback to Pakistan Cricket Board, the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday decided not to hold any match of the 2011 World Cup in Pakistan.

During an important ICC meet held in Dubai today, it was decided that no world cup match could be held in Pakistan, following a uncertain political and security situation prevailing in that country.

The decision is anticipated to cost Pakistan Cricket Board an approximate loss of 800,000 to 100,000 dollars.

Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Apr. 15 : A court in the Saudi Arabian town of Unaiza has upheld the marriage of an eight-year-old girl to the much older man, on the condition that he does not have sex with her until she reaches puberty.

Outraged human rights groups have termed the decision by the court a clear case of human trafficking.

Organizations like the UNICEF have expressed concern over the ruling, calling it an abuse of the child''s rights.

"UNICEF is deeply concerned by reports that Saudi Arabian tribunals have decided not to annul the marriage of an 8-year-old girl," Fox News quoted the agency as saying in a statement on its web site.

Riyadh - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Riyadh on Sunday for a one-day visit to discuss with Saudi King Abdullah ways to deal with the new Israeli government, diplomatic sources said. Abbas will coordinate with the Saudi monarch a strategy to approach the new right-wing government under Benjamin Netanyahu, who rejects a "two-state solution" to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, diplomatic sources in the Palestinian embassy in Riyadh told the German Press Agency dpa.

Riyadh - Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on Wednesday called on Israel "to take a position" on peace with Arab states if it wished to keep an Arab peace initiative on the table.

In a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in Riyadh on Wednesday, al-Faisal said the Israeli government had brought the peace process "to naught."

Sana'a, Yemen - Yemen on Saturday extradited to Saudi Arabia five Saudi suspects wanted in their country over links to terrorist activities, security sources said.

The sources said the suspects included Abdullah Abdul-Rahman al- Harbi, a leading al-Qaeda suspect who was arrested in southern Yemen on March 14.

Yemen and Saudi Arabia have in recent years swapped dozens of suspects under a security agreement signed by the two countries in 2004.

Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Mar. 27 : One of the world''s most influential jihadi theologians has reportedly been criticised by some of his former followers for allegedly moderating his views, a claim he denies.