London - A Dutch commando unit Saturday freed some 20 people being held by Somali pirates, the BBC has reported.

The captives were Yemeni fishermen who had been taken by the pirates following an attack on a Greek-managed tanker, the BBC said.

The captives were believed to have been on board a pirate "mother ship."

Toronto, Apr. 18 : An Iranian-Canadian has been charged with trying to export technology that could have helped Tehran get the nuclear bomb it so desperately seeks.

Mahmoud Yadegari, a 35-year-old Torontonian, appeared bewildered Friday during a bail hearing.

As he listened to proceedings through a Farsi interpreter, he stood accused of buying devices destined to help centrifuges spin out highly enriched uranium, the material needed to make nuclear weapons.

Abohar (Punjab), Apr 18 : Officials of a sanctuary near Abohar in Punjab have sought more government aid.

Sanctuary guards do not have proper uniforms or licenses to protect the animals from poachers.

"The government is not helping us enough. We don't have sufficient government resources. The people support us and we are able to manage the sanctuary well," claimed Ashok Kumar, the Game Warden.

The sanctuary is spread across 46,513 acres and comprises of 13 villages in Firozpur District.

Jerusalem, Apr. 18 : The Israeli military is preparing to launch a massive aerial strike on Iran''s nuclear facilities within days of being given the go-ahead by its new government.

"Israel wants to know that if its forces were given the green light they could strike at Iran in a matter of days, even hours. They are making preparations on every level for this eventuality. The message to Iran is that the threat is not just words," The Times quoted a senior defence official, as saying.

Rome - Up to 300 illegal immigrants have landed on the Italian island of Sicily on Saturday, local media reported.

Italian coast guard authorities guided the migrants' vessel into the harbour of Pozzallo, in the south of the island. Among the immigrants are thought to be more than 30 women and children.

The new arrival adds to the 340 migrants that landed on the Italian islet of Lampedusa, south of Sicily, on Thursday.

Barcelona - Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils have withdrawn with injuries from next week's Barcelona Open with injuries as the clay season countdown draws closer to the start of the French Open.

Monfils was barely a factor in Monte Carlo this week, losing in the first round to Janko Tipsarevic while complaining of pain in both knees from tendinitis.

The 2008 Australian Open finalist Tsonga has not played since the Miami quarter-finals at the start of the month against Novak Djokovic.