Cairo - Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party (NDP) began its fifth annual conference on Saturday, promising to tackle chronic education, housing and health issues, as opposition voices accused the government of economic policies "skewed" in favour of the rich.

Acknowledging the difficulties and challenges that face NDP's performance, NDP Secretary-General Safwat el-Sherif lashed out at the party's critics for what he called "baseless" attacks.

Guwahati, Nov 1 : The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has today called for a 12-hour shutdown in Assam that was rocked by serial blasts on October 30, leaving over 70 people dead.

The VHP, which is protesting against the failure of the government to protect the people from the blasts in the state, is joined by the Bajrang Dal and Assam Chamber of Commerce.

Shops and businesses establishments remained closed and vehicles remained off the roads.

Berlin - Berlin is locked in art fever, with four powerful exhibitions going ahead including work by Jeff Koons and Paul Klee.

At the Mies van der Rohe-designed New National Gallery, US contemporary artist Koons is parading a glittering array of huge sculptures and paintings.

On a lower floor is a superb selection of work by the late German expressionist painter Klee, garnered from both private and international collections.

Simultaneously, the 13th Art Forum - Berlin's International Fair for Contemporary Art - is being staged at the city's Funkturm trade fair grounds.

New Delhi - At least 23 passengers were killed and 33 injured Saturday when a bus plunged into a gorge in India's western Maharashtra state.

The government-run bus was negotiating a steep curve and fell into a 31-metre gorge in the Raigad district district, 150 kilometres south-west of state capital Mumbai, police told the IANS news agency.

Many of the passengers succumbed to their injuries on the spot, while 20 injured were moved to a hospital in Mumbai.

Kabul - Four Afghan security forces and 30 Taliban fighters including a female militant were killed in the latest series of clashes and attacks in Afghanistan, officials said Saturday.

Two Afghan soldiers were killed and two were wounded when their vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb blast in the Yakhchal area of Gerishk district in southern Helmand province on Friday, the Afghan defence ministry said in a statement.

Guwahati, Nov 1 : The Centre has assured its full cooperation to the Assam Government on Saturday in finding and punishing the perpetrators of the serial blasts in the state.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who visited the blast sites at Kokrajhar and Barpeta District of the state, said both the Centre and the state government would ensure that such incidents do not recur.

He also visited Barpeta civil hospital to inquire about the well being of the injured in the blasts and spoke to senior police officials as well.