Briefly world

Sri Lankas former Army Chief and newly-elected opposition MP Sarath Fonseka on Thursday said he was a victim of illegal detention and sought...

Fonseka says he is a victim of illegal arrest

COLOMBO: Sri Lankas former Army Chief and newly-elected opposition MP Sarath Fonseka on Thursday said he was a victim of illegal detention and sought the rule of law,shortly after being taken to Parliament from custody for its inaugural session. The nation requires democracy,rule of law,personal freedom and freedom for the media, said Fonseka in his first public remarks since his February 8 arrest. Chamal Rajapaksa,the brother of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa,was on Thursday sworn-in as the new speaker of Parliament which met for the first time after the elections won by the ruling party. Chamal was earlier the Ports and Aviation Minister.

Iran begins war games in Strait of Hormuz

TEHRAN: Irans elite Revolutionary Guard on Thursday started large-scale war games in the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz,state television reported. In Washington,Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell played down the significance of the manoeuvres,saying they dont seem out of the ordinary from what Irans military has done in the past. The Iranian television report said naval,air and ground units from the Guard were participating in the three-day games codenamed The Great Prophet. It said the war games will witness the commissioning of an ultra-speed vessel called Ya Mahdi and 313 speedboats with the capability of firing rockets and missiles also would participate.

Georgia confirms enriched uranium seizure

NEW YORK: Georgias President said his country had seized a shipment of highly enriched uranium,blaming Russia for creating the instability that allows nuclear smugglers to operate in the region. Russia dismissed the claims on Thursday and said Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvilis comments were unsubstantiated and amounted to propaganda. The Georgian Interior Ministry said a group of foreign nationals had been detained,and the uranium was in a secure location.

Netanyahu: Wont halt construction in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM: Aides to Israels Prime Minister said on Thursday that he has officially rejected US President Barack Obamas demand to suspend all construction in contested east Jerusalem,a move that threatens to entrench a year-old deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking. The aides said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his governments position to Obama over the weekend,ahead of the scheduled arrival on Thursday of the Obamas special West Asia envoy George Mitchell.

Jordan says it was target of Russian-made missile

AMMAN: A Russian-designed missile struck a refrigerated warehouse in the Red Sea port of Aqaba,the Jordanian Information Minister said on Thursday. Nabil al-Sharif said investigations indicate the missile was a Russian-designed Grad that was fired from somewhere outside Jordan. He said Jordanian authorities continue to look into the explosion to determine where the missile was launched from. Al-Sharif said that the missile damaged a refrigerated warehouse on Aqabas northern outskirts. No deaths or injuries were reported.