Briefly World

Insurgents fired two rockets on Monday into a market northeast of Kabul where the head of French forces in Afghanistan was holding a meeting with tribal elders.

12 Afghans dead in attack targeting French General

TAGAB VALLEY: Insurgents fired two rockets on Monday into a market northeast of Kabul where the head of French forces in Afghanistan was holding a meeting with tribal elders. The attack killed 12 Afghan civilians and wounded at least another 38,the French military said. Lt Col Lionel witnessed the attack in the town of Tagab in Kapisa province and said the target had been the meeting,known as a shura,where Brig Gen Marcel Druart was discussing with tribal elders a major French offensive in the Tagab Valley the previous day. Druart escaped unhurt.

Nepal Maoist chief flies to Singapore

Kathmandu: With just three days to go before the Maoists deadline to government for meeting their demands ends,Maoist chief Prachanda suddenly left for Singapore,a visit being seen as politically significant as ailing ex-premier G P Koirala is also there for treatment. Though Prachandas aides said his visit is aimed at meeting party sympathisers in Singapore,Prachanda told reporters that he would also meet Koirala. Meanwhile,Nepal Home Minister Bhim Bahadur Rawal has put off his visit to India in view of the current political situation in his country.

13 bodies found west of Baghdad

BAGHDAD: Gunmen wearing Iraqi Army uniforms abducted and killed at least 13 people in a village west of Baghdad,in what some described as revenge against Sunnis who helped fight al-Qaeda,Iraqi officials said on Monday. The exact motive for the attack was unclear,but it could be a case of insurgents killing locals allied to the Centre or an internal struggle among the regions tribes ahead of Januarys elections.

Delay in Bushehr plant,says Russia

MOSCOW: Russia announced the latest delay to Irans first nuclear power station on Monday,saying that technical issues would prevent its engineers from starting up the reactor at the Bushehr plant by the year-end. Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said that politics had nothing to do with the decision,although the US is seeking Russais help in pushing Tehran to allay Western fears about its nuclear programme.