Brussels - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso on Thursday urged European Union governments to implement the bloc's fiscal stimulus plan, warning that calls to do more would undermine confidence in a swift recovery.

"Let's implement the plan and review it if necessary," Barroso said. "Saying (now) the plan is not enough will not build confidence."

Cairo - Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden called on Somali militants to topple the new president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and to continue fighting "infidels," according to a new audio tape carried by Islamist web sites on Thursday.

The tape, entitled "Fight on, champions of Somalia" and dedicated to "my patient, persevering Muslim brothers in Mujahid Somalia" is produced by al-Qaeda's al-Sahab media-production house. The audio was released as a video showing a still photo of Bin Laden and English subtitles.

Tel Aviv  - Former Israeli president Moshe Katsav was indicted in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court Thursday on charges of rape and indecent assault against a complainant who previously worked for him while he was Israel's minister for tourism.

He was also charged with sexual harassment against an employee who worked at the president's residence during tenure.

The charges span Katsav's time at the tourism ministry between 1996 and 1999, and his term as president between 2000 and 2007.

Mumbai, Mar 19 : Union Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma on Thursday said the Pakistan authorities should take action under the international law and the bilateral assurances given by them.

"It is the duty of Pakistan to take action under international law and the bilateral assurances and treaties that have been given," Sharma said at a press conference here.

Paris  - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown arrived at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Thursday for talks with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

The discussion was to centre on the EU summit, which opens later Thursday in Brussels, and the meeting of the G20 nations scheduled to be held on April 2 in London.

According to a source in the British government, Brown and Sarkozy were to concentrate on several issues related to the global financial and economic crisis.

Mosul - A young Iraqi girl watched her mother die of gunshot wounds in the northern city of Mosul on Thursday, police said.

The girl, who was also wounded, and her mother became the latest in a string of casualties in the city when unidentified gunmen opened fire on a street in western Mosul, roughly 400 kilometres north of Baghdad. It was unclear whether the two were the intended target.