Phnom Penh - Cambodian troops on the border with Thailand had been prohibited alcohol during a border dispute surrounding an 11th century temple, officials and local media said Saturday.

Officials said alcohol had been banned at the Preah Vihear temple, around 300 kilometres north of the capital, for nearly a week, but that ban would stay in place until tensions ease.

A national ban on alcohol is in place over the weekend owing to national elections, but officials said that had nothing to do with the temple ban and that the temple ban was indefinite.

Washington, July 26: United States Congress looks forward to having a long-term sustained relationship with Pakistan, and would help it in its democratic and economic development.

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee has said US Congress leaders would discuss with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani ways to assist the elected government''s efforts for democratic and economic development.

Lee, who co-chairs the Pakistani Caucus on the Capitol Hill, said that she was confident of progress on pending bills, including the Biden-Lugar Bill that would approve 7.5 billion dollars in assistance for socio-economic development to benefit Pakistanis over the next five years.

Washington, July 26: A powerful US congressional committee has moved closer to approving another 75 million dollars for Pakistan’s anti-terrorism efforts along the Afghan border.

Ahead of the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s visit -- the first by the elected leader since parliamentary elections early this year -- there have been strong expressions of support for Pakistan’s democratic government and sustained economic development of its people by both the Bush Administration and the Congress.

Washington, July 26: Republican presidential hopeful Senator John McCain has accused his rival Democrat Senator Barack Obama of failing the Commander-in-Chief test on Iraq.

Speaking to war veterans in Denver, McCain criticised Obama for opposing President George W Bush’s troop surge in Iraq - one of the few issues where the GOP has gotten traction against Obama during his tour of Europe and US war zones.

Washington - Meeting with the Dalai Lama US Republican presidential candidate John McCain Friday criticized the human rights situation in China.

The US wants good relations with Beijing, McCain said after his discussion with the spiritual head of Tibet during his visit to the Aspen Institute think tank in Aspen, Colorado.

McCain said however that it did a disservice to the Chinese people if the US and other democracies do not express their concern about the suppression of human rights in China, the senator said, according to the US television network ABC.

Washington  - A congressional hearing Friday heard from legislators calling for the impeachment of US President George W Bush.

Though there is no chance of impeachment proceedings against Bush ever being brought to a vote, the House of Representatives debate was held in response to calls from a former Democratic presidential candidate, Dennis Kucinich.