Briefly World

Iranian authorities detained the grandson of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani,the most powerful opposition supporter inside the countrys clerical leadership,a news agency reported on Monday.

Iran detains ex-President Rafsanjanis grandson

TEHRAN: Iranian authorities detained the grandson of former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani,the most powerful opposition supporter inside the countrys clerical leadership,a news agency reported on Monday. Hasan Lahouti was arrested at Tehran airport upon arrival from London late on Sunday,the semi-official Fars news agency said. It did not give a reason for his detention.

German diocese: Six accused over abuse

REGENSBURG: Four priests and two nuns in the Regensburg diocese are under investigation for sexual abuse allegations,the diocese said on Monday,as a wider picture began to emerge of incidents decades ago in the Popes native Bavaria. Diocese spokesman Clemens Neck said the church has been pursuing the cases.

N Korea to try American for illegal entry

SEOUL: North Korea said on Monday that it will put an American on trial for entering the Communist country illegally. State-run media identified him as 30-year-old Aijalon Mahli Gomes,of Boston,and said his crime has been confirmed. The brief dispatch from the Korean Central News Agency did not say when he would stand trial. North Korea had announced two months ago that an American was detained January 25 for trespassing after crossing into the country from China and was under investigation.

Pak seeks review of SC ruling on NRO

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government on Monday filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a review of its verdict striking down the controversial graft amnesty scheme that benefited President Asif Ali Zardari and several of his close aides. The government also defended former Attorney General Malik Qayyums action of asking Swiss authorities to withdraw anti-corruption cases against Zardari under the now defunct NRO.

EU Naval Force rescues hijacked Iranian sailors

NAIROBI: The EU Naval Force said one of its warships has rescued 13 sailors on an Iranian dhow who had been left for dead after a pirate attack. The naval force sent a helicopter to locate the dhow on Saturday after hearing a distress call. The naval force said on Monday the crew told officials that pirates tied them up for two days after last weeks attack.

Pak police say plot foiled on hotels

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials say two Taliban militants have been arrested while planning to attack top hotels and kidnap diplomats in Pakistan. The two men,both deserters from a government paramilitary force,were arrested recently in a hotel in Rawalpindi. One of the suspects said their targets included five-star hotels and a club for Westerners.