Nairobi  - A prominent Islamist opposition leader Friday called on African Union peacekeepers to leave Somalia before he would consider joining a coalition government.

Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys returned to Somalia on Thursday after two years in exile, raising hopes the conflict-hit African nation's new government could succeed in restoring a semblance of order.

He returned home as donors pledged 213 million dollars to support the AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia and boost the police force and judiciary.

Munich  - Germany's government has told Hypo Real Estate (HRE), the biggest German casualty of the world financial crash, that it will obtain 90-per-cent control of the bank by way of an equity issue.

HRE disclosed the move in a board statement Friday from its head office in Munich.

Berlin would ask the shareholders at a meeting on June 2 to vote for an increase in equity from just under 700 million euros (925 million dollars) at present to 6.3 billion euros, with the German state pumping in all the new funds.

Ahmedabad, April 24: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Shourie on Friday said that Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister after party’s prime ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani.

“In my personal opinion, the next Prime Minister should also be elected from Gujarat after Advani becomes the Prime Minister after ongoing general elections,” Shourie told a press conference here.

Arun Shourie further said that Gujarat has made rapid development under Modi’s leadership, which made him the best candidate for PM’s post.

Ahmedabad, Apr 24: Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Ashok Singhal on Friday said his organisation would support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to win the ongoing general elections.

“The BJP is the only party which supports issues of Hindu and is concerned about terrorism, conversion and other issues. We will work to see the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government is defeated and a new government led by BJP is voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls,” Singhal told reporters here.

Bhopal, Apr 24: Congress General Secretary and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh on Friday said his party would not have any problem if Afzal Guru, who has been sentenced to death for his involvement in the 2001 Parliament attack case, was hanged.

“The Congress would not defend Afzal Guru or any other terrorist. The Congress would not have any problem if the punishment given to any terrorist was carried out,” Singh said.

Washington - US President Barack Obama met Thursday with leaders of the credit-card industry, urging them to end unfair practices that are raising costs on indebted consumers, while US lawmakers are considering a wider crackdown on the sector.

Obama said he hoped to create a new system that "eliminates some of the abuses" including sudden interest-rate hikes and late-payment fees, which have added to unmanageable debts for some US consumers.