Briefly world

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday he would wait at least a week before deciding whether to quit West Asia peace talks

Palestinians wait on decision to quit talks

JERUSALEM: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Monday he would wait at least a week before deciding whether to quit West Asia peace talks,giving US mediators precious time to broker a compromise after Israel refused to extend its 10-month moratorium on new West Bank settlement construction. Abbas has repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the newly launched negotiations if Israel resumes building in the settlements. But during a visit to Paris,Abbas said he would not make any hasty decisions. We will not have any quick reactions, he said at a news conference standing beside French President Nicolas Sarkozy. After this chain of meetings,we will be able to put out a position that clarifies the Palestinian and Arab opinion on this issue now that Israel has refused to freeze settlements.

Delegates gather in North Korea for political meet

SEOUL: North Korea holds its biggest political meeting in decades on Tuesday,amid intense speculation that members of leader Kim Jong Ils family will assume key positions in the ruling party to solidify their rule for another generation. Many delegates to the party meeting arrived in Pyongyang on Sunday by train and the city was festooned with flags and placards announcing the event,footage shot by video news service APTN showed. Warm congratulations to the representatives meeting of the Workers8217; Party of Korea! read one poster.

Nepal SC gives 1-week jail to Sobhraj counsel,Nihita

Kathmandu: The Supreme Court on Monday awarded a weeks imprisonment to Nihita Biswas,the 22-year-old woman who claims to be married to Charles Sobhraj,and her mother Shakuntala Thapa,holding them guilty for contempt of court in the Sobhraj case. The court ruled that the outbursts of the mother and daughter against the court last week,when Sobhraj was sentenced to life,amounted to contempt of court. The bench also fined them Rs 50 each and ruled that Thapa,also Sobhrajs lawyer,is unfit of being appointed as judge of any court.