Islamabad - A meeting of Pakistani and Afghan political and tribal leaders started on Monday against the backdrop of the recent strategy shift by the US allies to bring peace to Afghanistan through dialogue with the Taliban militants.

"We must not shut the doors of negotiations to those sons of the soil willing to forsake the path of violence. With a patient ear we must listen to them and let them be heard," said Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi as he opened the talks in Islamabad.

Sydney, Oct 27: Cricket Australia (CA) might plan to go back to its cricketing roots, by inculcating the sporting techniques among the Aborigines, as the first Australian cricket team to tour overseas was a side made up of Aborigines which toured England between May and October 1868, winning 14, losing 14 and drawing 19 matches.

The first tour by an official Australian team did not occur until 1878.

In a bid to popularise the sport among the local communities, CA may consider introducing special competitions to improve their small participation rate in the sport.

Jerusalem - Israel's ruling Kadima party submitted a bill Monday to dissolve the parliament and hold early elections within three months, a day after party leader Tzipi Livni announced she was giving up efforts to form a new government.

Livni was tasked on September 22 by President Shimon Peres with forming a new government to replace that of Ehud Olmert, who has resigned to fight corruption allegations.

The 50-year-old foreign minister, who was chosen to replace Olmert as the head of Kadima in September 17 primaries, decided to recommend early elections after the ultra-Orthodox Shas party decided against joining her government.

Mumbai, Oct 27: Indian stock markets crashed on Monday, with the benchmark Sensex plunging below the psychological 8,000 level in afternoon trading.

Tracking weak global trend, the benchmark Sensex lost over 750 points to hit an over three-year low of 7,939 in afternoon trade on fresh selling by funds.

At 12:52 p. m., the 30-share index, which fell by nearly 2,000 points in the past three sessions, slid by another 762.05 points or 8.76 percent at 7,939.02, a level last seen on November 2, 2005.

Stockholm - Swedish home appliance maker Electrolux on Monday reported higher third-quarter income 2008 but said the financial crisis was now affecting sales.

The group posted a pre-tax profit of 1.19 billion kronor (149 million dollars), up some 14 per cent on the corresponding business period 2007.

Net sales were flat at 26.3 billion kronor.

"The financial crisis has without a doubt affected the consumption levels of appliances. Many consumers are postponing their purchases or choosing less expensive products," chief executive Hans Straberg said in a statement.

Straberg noted that the group's North American market had declined for the ninth quarter in a row, and sales were nearing 2001 levels.

Hong Kong - An attempt to launch the United States' second-biggest doughnut chain in Hong Kong appeared to have failed Monday with the franchise going into liquidation after just two years.

Five of the seven Krispy Kreme Doughnuts outlets in the city of 6.9 million suddenly shut down Monday with only two branches, both at the airport, remaining open.