Washington, Feb 27: President Barck Obama is all set to end combat operations in Iraq by August 31, 2010, when the US military presence in Iraq would be not less than 35,000 and not more than 50,000.

Obama told top leaders in Congress on Thursday that he will end combat operations in Iraq on August 31, 2010, putting a halt to all US-led counterinsurgency efforts and transitioning the mission in Iraq to training, advising and engaging in limited counter-terrorist operations, FOX News quoted congressional sources, as saying.

Lahore, Feb. 26: The United States has refused to comment on the Pakistan Supreme Court's decision to disqualify former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif form contesting elections, saying it is Pakistan's `internal matter'.

According to The Daily Times, a statement issued by the US State Department said: "The disqualification was an internal matter and Washington would not comment on it."

London, Feb 26: The British Foreign Office has showed concern over the involvement of Standard Chartered bank in diverting money to the Robert Mugabe-led Zimbabwe Government.

The bank was run by Abersoch-born Lord Davies, British Trade Minister, who till last month was chief executive and then chairman of the bank.

According to The Telegraph, Internal Whitehall emails show the concern at the Foreign Office about the involvement of Standard Chartered Bank in Zimbabwe. The bank is among a handful of foreign banks operating in Zimbabwe and employs 860 people, having 24 branches there.

Lahore, Feb. 26: Furious over the Supreme Court's decision to disqualify him from being a member of the Parliament, former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has termed the verdict `an edict'.

"This is not a court decision but an edict and the entire nation knows where this edict came from," The Daily Times quoted Sharif, as saying.

Talking to media persons after the apex court's verdict, he accused President Asif Ali Zardari of gambling over the issue.

Washington, Feb 26: Nadya Suleman, the California woman who made history after giving birth to octuplets on January 26, has been offered 1 million dollars to star in a pornographic video.

The offer has been made by Vivid Entertainment, reports Fox News.

London, February 26: U. S. President Barack Obama will be honouring multi-Grammy winning soul legend Stevie Wonder, 58, with the Library of Congress's 2nd annual Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the White House.

Wonder receive the honour at a concert hosted by the President and his wife, Michelle. He will also give a performance at the concert.

Paul Simon, the only other recipient of the Gershwin Prize, is also set to give a performance.