Briefly World

Charges against Osama dropped

NEW YORK: US Federal prosecutors in Manhattan Friday dropped terror charges against slain al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden who was killed by US commandos in Pakistan. The fist indictment was filed in a court in Manhattan in 1998.

Syrian forces fire at protesters; 16 killed

BEIRUT: Syrian security forces fired on thousands of protesters Friday,killing 16 civilians. Meanwhile,Syrian tycoon Rami Makhlouf,a cousin of President Bashar al-Assad,is quitting business,state media reported,in a concession to demonstrators.

Strauss-Kahn had claimed immunity

NEW YORK: Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn claimed diplomatic immunity when he was arrested over the attempted rape of a hotel maid here,US media reported. His statements are in a Voluntary Disclosure Form given by prosecutors to the defence team.

China stages drills in South China Sea

Beijing: China said Friday that its defence forces recently staged three days of exercises in the South China Sea,a disputed region. The drills involved submarine hunting boats,along with military aircraft,the People Daily newspaper said.