Dubai - The United Arab Emirates and Japan have signed a memorandum of cooperation that will pave the way toward developing nuclear power plants in the oil-rich Persian Gulf nation, local media reported Tuesday.

"As we evaluate a peaceful civil nuclear power program in the United Arab Emirates, one of our fundamental principles is that we will work with responsible nations that are experts in the field," UAE Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Saif Sultan al-Aryani said

after signing the agreement on Monday.

Riyadh - Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, speaking at an Arab economic summit in Kuwait Monday, urged Israel to accept a six-year-old, comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace plan, saying it "will not remain on the table forever."

The plan promises normalisation of Arab relations with Israel in exchange for Israeli withdrawal from territories it has occupied since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and a "just settlement" of the Palestinian refugee question.

Riyadh - Saudi Arabia called for an emergency meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh on Thursday to discuss the Israeli offensive on Gaza, a foreign ministry statement said on Wednesday.

"Due to the escalation in the Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip, King Abdullah called for an emergency meeting for the GCC countries in the Saudi capital," said the statement.

The Gulf Cooperation Council is a trade bloc involving the six Arab states of Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Islamabad, Jan. 14 : The Government of Pakistan on Wednesday shared the Indian dossier on Mumbai terror attacks with the visiting Saudi Chief of the General Intelligence Presidency, Prince Muqrin Bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.

Prince Muqrin Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during his meet with Pakistan''s Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik discussed the November 26 Mumbai Terror attacks.

Dubai, Jan. 13 : The best of the best in women's cricket have been named in the provisional squads for the ICC Women's World Cup 2009 to be held in Australia from
7 to 22 March.

In ICC events, participating teams are expected to submit their provisional squads 60 days prior to the start of the tournament while the teams are expected to name their final 15-player squads 30 days before the first match.

Dubai, Jan. 13: ICC General Manager - Cricket and former South Africa wicketkeeper David Richardson has congratulated the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) for celebrating its Catch the Spirit week during the triangular one-day series in Mirpur.