Prague - Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek has cancelled next week's four-day US trip, including a White House visit with President George W Bush, to focus on domestic politics, his spokeswoman said Friday.

Topolanek, one of the most pro-US leaders in Eastern Europe, is fighting for his political survival after his senior ruling Civic Democrats were trounced in a regional election last week.

The premier decided to stay in Prague between October 29 and November 1 to both deal with domestic political troubles and back Czech-US missile defence treaties that parliament could take up next week, his spokeswoman Jana Bartosova said.

Vienna- Austrian authorities said Friday they would soon start a new probe into the abduction and eight years of incarceration of Natascha Kampusch, in order to investigate whether her abductor had accomplices.

The decision came after an independent commission installed by the interior ministry found flaws in the investigations in July.

Beijing - Asian and European leaders plan to urge Myanmar's military rulers to be more tolerant toward opposition political parties and release political prisoners, according to a draft summit statement seen Friday.

The leaders attending the biennial Asia-Europe Meeting would urge Myanmar to "engage all stakeholders in an inclusive political process in order to achieve national reconciliation and economic and social development."

Washington, Oct 24 : Doubts are being expressed about a McCain volunteer’s claim of being robbed in Pittsburgh by an attacker who cut a ''B'' in her face after noticing a McCain bumper sticker on her car.

According to the FOX news, within hours after the alleged assault was made public, doubts were expressed about her account. Police say Todd initially refused medical attention, though she later went to the hospital.

London, Oct 24 : The Labour party has been accused of hiding the true extent of the surge in violence in Britain.

According to the Sun, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith admitted some forces have not kept proper records for ten years, following revelations that police chiefs hid a massive surge in violence.

Tories and anti-crime campaigners said the system has created a "shambles", and blamed it on Labour''s obsession with crime-fighting targets.

Since Labour came to power, cops have recorded assaults under a less serious category if no grievous harm was inflicted, quoted the newspaper.

Stockholm, Oslo - Markets in the Nordic region tumbled Friday, shadowing developments in main markets in Europe and Asia.

The Stockholm bourse general index OMXS was down 9 per cent early Friday afternoon on reports of flagging demand for trucks from Swedish heavy-vehicle makers Volvo and Scania.

Volvo shares were down some 20 per cent after its third-quarter report was published, while Scania was off 10 per cent.

Poor reports from investment banking group Carnegie and construction company JM also contributed to the negative trends.

JM said it planned to trim some 600 jobs from its 2,400-strong workforce.