Dubai/Karachi, Feb. 16 : The ICC has briefed the Pakistan and Sri Lanka players, backroom staff and officials on the new ICC Anti-Doping Code (2009) which came into effect on January 1,2009.

The code has several changes from the ICC's previous anti-doping regulations, including the adoption of the International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP), made up of the leading players (according to the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings) from each of the top eight ranked ODI teams.

Islamabad, Feb. 16 : The death toll in the US drone strike on Kurram Agency has risen to 30, The News reports.

According to reports from the region, four unmanned US predator aircrafts fired four missiles at a suspected militant hideout in Sarpal area of the Agency killing several persons.

Thirty bodies have been recovered so far from the debris of the house that was attacked. Several persons are still feared trapped inside .

According to sources there was a camp of Afghan Commander Bahram Khan Kochi in the region.

Islamabad - The provincial government in Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province said Monday that it would set up Islamic courts in the restive Swat Valley under a peace deal with pro-Taliban militants.

A government security operation in the region would also come to a halt under a five-point accord signed Sunday between the provincial government and a pro-Taliban cleric, Maulana Sufi Mohammad, whose son-in-law Maulana Fazlullah is fighting government forces for the enforcement of strict Islamic sharia laws.

Karachi, Feb. 16 : Sri Lanka cricket captain Mahela Jayawerdene has described the Indian cricket team better than his because of its team spirit and cohesiveness.

"India won the ODI series because it was a better team. For the last couple of years, India has improved a lot and is playing well. They played really well against the host in recent ODI series in the Island," The Nation quoted Jayawardene, as saying.

Jayawardene, who arrived here for a two Test match series beginning February 21, said his teammates were looking forward to the series.

Islamabad - Pakistani insurgents holding a US citizen working for the United Nations said Monday they would extend for "few days" the deadline given for the hostage's execution.

A previously unknown group, the Baloch United Liberation Front, on Friday released a video of John Solecki, who leads the UN refugee agency's operations in the south-western Balochistan province, and issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the acceptance of their demands.

Solecki was kidnapped by gunmen in the provincial capital Quetta on February 2 while he was on his way to work in a car carrying the UN emblem and registration plates. His Pakistani driver was shot dead in the ambush.

Peshawar, Feb. 16: Pakistan has unchained several Taliban prisoners in exchange for the Chinese telecommunications engineer, Long Xiaowei.

According to sources, Pakistani authorities have swapped Xiaowe for more than a dozen Taliban prisoners in a secret deal.

"Yes, a number of militants were freed to secure the release of the Chinese engineer," The News quoted a top official, as saying.

He (official) however, declined to disclose the exact number of militants set-free in the deal.

Long Xiaowei alongwith his colleague Zhuang Guo were abducted by the Taliban from Khal town of Lower Dir district in August last year. Later Guo succeeded in escaping from militant's clutches.