Briefly World

The US has not had good intelligence on whereabouts of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden for years and does not know where he is...

No good intel on where Osama is,says Gates

WASHINGTON: The US has not had good intelligence on whereabouts of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden for years and does not know where he is,Defence Secretary Robert Gates has said. Well,we dont know for a fact where Osama bin Laden is. If we did,wed go get him, Gates said. His remarks follow reports that bin Laden could be hiding in the Pakistani side of the Pak-Afghan border. Asked when was the last time US had good intelligence on Osama,the Defence Secretary said I think its been years.

Crackdown at Games site: 32 Indians held

LONDON: Thirty two Indian immigrants have been arrested during a crackdown at the 2012 Olympics Games site in east London,official sources here have said. In all,nearly 100 people who did not have the right to work in the UK were arrested,the UK Border Agency UKBA said. Of those arrested on suspicion of immigration offences,32 were from India,12 from Nigeria and seven from the Ukraine,the agency said.

Iran slows Internet before protests

TEHRAN: Iranian authorities have slowed Internet connections or choked them off completely before expected student protests on Monday to deny the Opposition a means of communication. In another familiar tactic before such rallies,authorities have ordered journalists working for foreign media organisations not to leave their offices to cover the demonstrations.

Karzai to unveil Afghan cabinet soon

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzai will unveil his new cabinet within the next three days days,a spokesman said on Sunday,adding efforts to start talks with Taliban insurgents and implementing anti-corruption measures were underway. Karzai has been under pressure from Washington,to appoint technocrats in his cabinet rather than former warlords.

US envoy in Seoul before trip to North

SEOUL: US special envoy on North Korea arrived in Seoul on Sunday before heading to Pyongyang to persuade the communist regime to return to nuclear disarmament talks. Stephen Bosworth will hold the first direct talks with the North under the Obama administration.

4 US teenagers arrested in Japan

TOKYO: Four teenagers in Japan were arrested on charges of attempted murder on Saturday for allegedly toppling a woman riding her motorbike. In August,a motorbike rider 23 suffered a fractured skull when she hit a rope that authorities say had been strung by the four teenagers near the Yokota Air Base here. The suspects are three boys and a girl,ages 15 to 18,all are children of US military personnel.