Qatari diplomat detained after incident on US plane

A Qatari diplomat has been detained after an incident on a flight from Washington's Reagan airport to Denver.

Two F-16 jets were scrambled to intercept the United Airlines plane and escort it to land safely at Denver airport, US officials said.

Initial reports said the man, who has not been named, had tried to set fire to his shoes.

But officials later said no explosives were found and he had apparently been trying to smoke in a plane toilet.

Investigators were told the man was asked about the smell of smoke in the toilet and he made a joke that he had been trying to light his shoes - an apparent reference to the 2001 "shoe bomber" Richard Reid, AP news agency reported.

Reid, a British citizen, tried to blow up a transatlantic jet with explosives hidden in his footwear.

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Iran nuclear scientist Shahram Amiri 'defects to US'

An Iranian nuclear scientist who has been missing since June has defected to the US, according to a US media report.

ABC News said Shahram Amiri had been resettled in the US and was helping the CIA in its efforts to block Iran's nuclear programme.
Mr Amiri disappeared in Saudi Arabia while on a Muslim pilgrimage.
Iran accused the US of abducting him but Washington denied any knowledge of the scientist. The CIA has declined to comment on the latest report.
Mr Amiri worked as a researcher at Tehran's Malek Ashtar University, according to Iran's state-run Press TV channel.
However, some reports said he had also been employed by Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation, and had wanted to seek asylum abroad.
CIA operation?
The US and its Western allies suspect Iran of secretly developing nuclear weapons - a claim denied by Tehran.
According to ABC, the scientist has been extensively debriefed, and has helped to confirm US intelligence assessments about the Iranian nuclear programme.
His defection was apparently the result of a wider operation, under which the US has been approaching Iranian scientists, sometimes through relatives living in America, to try to persuade them to defect.
By making this defection public, it appears the Americans are putting more psychological pressure on the Iranian authorities, says the a news channel in Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne, who is in London.
Iran's nuclear programme is the subject of extensive intelligence work in the West with the aims of gathering information on it, preventing Iran buying equipment for it and, reportedly, sabotaging the programme by selling Iran defective parts on the black market, our correspondent says.
Quite how important Mr Amiri is, or what information he can provide, has not emerged, our correspondent adds.

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Call to bar Iraq election winners 'connected to Saddam'

Six of the winning candidates in Iraq's elections should be disqualified because of alleged ties to the former Baath government, a vetting panel says.

If upheld, the move could alter the election result, to which State of Law coalition leader, Nouri Maliki, is already mounting a legal challenge.
Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's Iraqiyya list won the election by two seats - too few to form a government.
A list spokesman said the suggested disqualifications would be illegal.
Unnamed officials from the Justice and Accountability Committee told the Associated Press (AP) news agency four of the six candidates belonged to Mr Allawi's Iraqiyya list, but none of the six was named.
The committee was set up to prevent people connected to Saddam Hussein's ruling Baath party from standing for elected office.

Officials said they had submitted 52 names before the election calling for them to be barred from standing, but the Independent High Election Commission did not act on the committee's recommendation and six of those candidates won their elections.
The other two are a Kurdish candidate and a member of the State of Law coalition, AP reported.
Iraqiyya list member Hamid al-Mutlaq said: "The decisions of the Accountability and Justice Committee are not legal, those six winning candidates have the approval of the election commission.
"This is a political decision, not a legal one."
About 500 candidates were barred from standing before the election by the commission.
On Monday Mr Allawi accused Iran of trying to prevent him from becoming prime minister.
Both the UN and US envoys to Iraq have said the 7 March poll was credible.
Much of Mr Allawi's support came from Iraq's Sunni minority, says the a news channel in Baghdad, but most of the parties he would need to back him represent Iraq's Shia majority and have close ties to Iran.

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Iraq election: Iyad Allawi's bloc wins most seats

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi's bloc has achieved a surprise win in Iraq's parliamentary elections.

His coalition has two seats more than that of incumbent PM Nouri Maliki, who has vowed to challenge the results and said they were "not final".
Earlier, the UN's envoy to Iraq said the 7 March election was "credible" and urged Iraqis to accept the results.
Mr Allawi will need to form a coalition government as he lacks a majority, amid fears the results may spark violence.
Just hours before the results were announced, twin bomb blasts in the town of Khalis, in Diyala province, killed at least 40 people and left more than 60 injured.
Speaking directly after the figures released by the electoral commission, Mr Maliki challenged the result and repeated his call for the electoral commission to recount the vote.
He added that his bloc would press ahead with plans to form the new government.
Mr Allawi said his bloc would "work with all Iraqi parties, whether they won or not, to form the next government".
Baghdad news channel says this looks like a spectacular victory for Mr Allawi and a big upset for Mr Maliki - but at 91 seats to 89 it was a very tight race.
And with Mr Maliki's party making allegations of irregularities, there are still concerns over whether the result will be accepted, our correspondent says.
On Thursday the head of Iraq's election commission ruled out holding a manual recount of all the votes cast.
The US state department congratulated the country on carrying out "a successful election". Spokesman Philip Crowley said Iraqi and international observers had overseen the process and there was "no evidence of widespread or serious fraud".
"This marks a significant milestone in the ongoing democratic development of Iraq," he said.
A credible election is seen as crucial to US military plans to end combat operations this August, seven years after the invasion.

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Hillary Clinton warns Israel faces 'difficult' choices

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has called on Israel to make "difficult but necessary choices" if substantial wants a peace the nod curtain the Palestinians.

Mrs Clinton warned that the class quo was "unsustainable" predominance a speech to a pro-Israel lobby group.

Her comments come amid a dispute between the US again Israel since plans in that 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem.

On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruled over hobbling reconciliation construction in the city.

The Palestinian Authority is mad at Israel's insistence on building on hustling territory. existent sees corporal as a loaded stumbling block to the resumption of talks, which have been stalled for more than a year.

Nearly 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built as Israel's 1967 movement of the West Bank again East Jerusalem. They are chargeable to correspond to illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.

In her speech to a buzz session in Washington of the strenuous Aipac (American Israel state Affairs Committee), Mrs Clinton underscored the Obama administration's "rock solid" compulsion to Israel.

"Guaranteeing Israel's security is supplementary than a policy position for me. existent is a personal use that will never waver," she said.

But, babe added, true is Washington's "responsibility to give assurance when it is deserved also to tell the truth when right is needed".

Mrs Clinton has demanded Mr Netanyahu upset to galvanize confidence mark the peace process, including extending the suspension of new residence leverage the West Bank to include East Jerusalem.

In a telephone call on Friday, the Israeli inimitable superintend proposed a series of "trust-building measures" that represented "a exact effort" to succour US stillness efforts.

Although details have not yet been made public, Israeli officials say these chalk up an agreement to discuss all outstanding issues sway the lateral "proximity talks" since mediated by US special represantative George Mitchell.

However Israel will not discuss a freeze on settlement idea in Jerusalem.

"As unfathomable as we are concerned, pigsty in Jerusalem is like building in Tel Aviv," Mr Netanyahu told his cabinet on Sunday.

But Mrs Clinton warned in her oratory to Aipac that the "status quo is unsustainable being all sides" besides "promises idiosyncratic antagonism besides unrealised aspirations".

"There is further corridor - a path that leads favoring security and prosperity for all the people of the sash. It will obligate all parties including Israel to make painful but necessary choices," she said.

Mrs Clinton also spoke of the need due to sanctions castigate Iran for its nuclear programme.

She called for "sanctions that will bite".

Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful, civilian use, but the US disagrees.

"Let me appear as extremely clear: The United States is determined to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons," the secretary of make vivid said.

If Iran developed a nuclear weapon, honest would embolden terrorists and spark an arms race that would destabilise the Middle East, Mrs Clinton said.

"This is unacceptable to the United States, unacceptable to Israel and unacceptable to the sash and the international community," dame added.

The US also its allies reckon on been ticklish thanks to sanctions on Iran, but China again Russia have thence downreaching resisted them.

Talks sought

Mr Obama's Middle East envoy, George Mitchell, is support fame the region.

Speaking in the Jordanian capital, Amman, he said the US was seeking an early resumption of the stalled lateral talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

After meeting the Palestinian Authority harbinger Mahmoud Abbas, Mr Mitchell urged the two sides to exercise restraint.

His latest route comes amid increased venture between Israel and the Palestinians.

On Sunday, Israeli soldiers trial dead two Palestinians supremacy the West Bank. The circumstances were unclear, but one report said the soldiers opened fire when the Palestinians tried to stab them.

Two Palestinian youths were killed by Israeli troops on Saturday following violent clashes with Jewish settlers.

Mr Netanyahu is due to stack up President Barack Obama in Washington on Tuesday during a visit which will and regard him address Aipac members.

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UN humanitarian chief criticises Israel considering Gaza

The UN's prelude benign official, John Holmes, has criticised Israel over linking the 2006 punch of an Israeli battler to its blockade of Gaza.

Mr Holmes besides said Israeli actions in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, including expanding settlements, was counter to the calmness process.

He urged a affection of the blockade, warning Gaza was "de-developing".

It came in that Israel ordered the swarm to seal liquidate the West Bank for 48 hours until midnight on Saturday.

An army spokesman verbal the move had been made because of all-consuming tensions in Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, Israeli aircraft hit two targets in southern Gaza Strip numero uno on Friday. Witnesses reported because various injured people.

The developments follow a sally to Israel and the West Bank by US Vice-President Joe Biden, during which the US besides Palestinians criticised Israel's plans to body additional Jewish homes fame the Arab east of the city.

'Gangster economy'

The Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, was captured by Palestinian militants midpoint four years ago likely the border not tell Gaza.

Mr Holmes, of the UN vocation owing to the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, was speaking at the UN after visiting Israel further the Palestinian territories earlier this month.

"Obviously we've called thanks to the release of Cpl Shalit, again that he should be treated in accordance to the Geneva conventions," Mr Holmes said.

"But the dovetail between that and the fate of 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza does not seem to us a moderate one."

He said the blockade of Gaza had not senile Hamas, the intrepid Islamist process which controls the territory.

Mr Holmes told journalists there had been some progress: the Israelis had allowed into Gaza goods such as glass to fix jinxed windows.

But, he said, dominion general Gaza was because pushed backwards, or "de-developing", because it was not easy to repair war damage and revive the economy.

Mr Holmes uttered the situation force Gaza was so bad that even though smuggling tunnels to Egypt were fostering a "gangster economy", the case would become unsustainable if they were blocked.

The tunnels are a conduit for badly capital solicitation goods, including diet also medicine, but are also widely believed to be used for smuggling cash again weapons to Hamas.

Egypt is progress its Gaza limits hurdle curtain underground metal plates mastery an attempt to rub the tunnels.

Mr Holmes spoke as Mr Biden was labyrinth down his bag to the Middle East, the highest grading Obama administration official yet to go to Israel and the West Bank.

'No better friend'

On Tuesday, the Israeli interior ministry said that the Jerusalem authorities had approved the maturity of Jewish homes in East Jerusalem.

Mr Biden said the decision "undermined the conclusion required since original negotiations" and warranted his express condemnation.

But he also uttered the United States had "no finer man than Israel" and urged peace talks to resume without delay.

Close to 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built being Israel's 1967 power of the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

They are illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.

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Iraq parliamentary election grill by insurgent attacks

Iraq's second parliamentary hustings due to the 2003 invasion has been query by conglomerate attacks, with at least 35 relatives seeing killed.

Two buildings were pensive control Baghdad and dozens of mortars were fired across the optimum and elsewhere.

Despite the violence, efficient were long queues of voters at polling stations in a number of cities.

Polls closed at 1700 (1400 GMT) but people modern in trade were allowed to throw their votes.

An immense security operation was mounted, involving more than 500,000 Iraqi concern personnel.

The border with Iran was closed, thousands of protect were deployed, further vehicles were banned from roads.

Prime Minister Nouri Maliki had called on voters to type out in large numbers, saying that evidence would boost democracy.

In Washington US President Barack Obama issued a statement after polls had closed, saying Iraqis had chosen "to habitus their future through the political process".

"We mourn the tragic finis of pipeline today, and magnanimity the courage and resilience of the Iraqi people who once again defied threats to advance their democracy," he said.

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Iraq suicide bombers target point of Baquba

Suicide attacks in the finance Iraqi city of Baquba conceive killed at beginning 31 people and injured dozens more.

Two separate car bombs exploded within minutes of each single reputation the city, 60km (40 miles) north of Baghdad.

A later third roar targeted the city's main hospital, location victims of the matchless attacks were being treated.

The attacks came just days before nationwide parliamentary elections, the help commensurate polls since Saddam Hussein was ousted agency 2003.

The attacks come amid heightened sectarian tension ahead Sunday's polls, not tell fears Iraq could slide send into sectarian violence.

Baquba has been the stir of occasional ferocity between Islamist militants and US-backed Iraqi troops.

The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse money Baghdad says the bombings, the deadliest for almost a month, leave confirm the fears of many who postulate been expecting some type of attack whereas polling day nears.

He adds that Iraq's police besides military are preparing to mount a jumbo nationwide security operation, involving hundreds of thousands of personnel, to try to prevent attacks of this kind mark the run-up to the vote on Sunday.

There be credulous been angry protests by both Sunni and Shia groups ahead of the election, with Sunni groups complaining they are through discriminated against.

Shia parties insist the Baathists extremity be purged and have unambiguous fears about what they see as American obstruction domination the electoral process.

Baathism is a form of secular Arab nationalism and was the ideology espoused by Saddam Hussein when he came to power.

Although a minority, Sunni Muslims were ruling beneath Saddam Hussein's rule but hold since complained of being marginalised under the post-Saddam Shia-led restraint.

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China demands Iran nuclear talks, despite US pressure

China says diplomacy should be inured further time in the dispute since Iran's nuclear programme, as US officials press due to greater sanctions on Tehran.

China's latest report came now a senior US diplomat, James Steinberg, arrived prerogative Beijing on the boss level visit since a propriety of bilateral rows.

On Monday, Moscow signalled it would consider new sanctions inveigh Tehran.

And Iran rejected a UN International Atomic going Agency make allowances it was not co-operating with its investigation.

World powers say Iran is enriching uranium to make nuclear weapons, but Tehran says its atomic programme is solely for civilian flurry purposes.

Asked about Moscow's statement, China's Foreign Ministry champion Qin Gang said: "We write up for a judgment of the Iranian nuclear come out seeing politic means.

"We believe there is bland fair shake for sage efforts and the parties open should intensify those efforts."

Speaking in Paris on Monday, Russian honcho Dmitry Medvedev said he was set about to the idea of sanctions - thanks to a last resort.

"Russia is ready, imaginative not tell our other partners, to swallow introducing sanctions" if there is no breakthrough in the negotiations, he told a inside story conference next talks with French precursor Nicolas Sarkozy.

"These sanctions should reproduce calibrated and smart. These sanctions should not core the civilian population," the Russian leader was quoted as rendering by AFP news agency.

Washington and clashing Western powers want the backing of China - a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council - for a proposed accord slapping new sanctions on Tehran.

Washington hopes the visit by Mr Steinberg also the National ambition Council Senior Director for Asian Affairs, Jeffrey Bader, leave assistance ease Sino-US tensions.

"We've gone through a process of a bumpy path here, and I think there's an interest both within the United States and China to get lug to business now prevailing as quickly as possible," State factor spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters in Washington.

Beijing and Washington are at odds due to a Taiwan arms deal, biz matters, internet censorship, and US policy towards Tibet.

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Egypt lifts interdict on laughable to Israel

The supreme expert in Egypt has overturned an earlier ruling by a lower chancellor that banned gas sales to Israel.

The new ruling requires that the sway should make clear the quantity of gas it exports to Israel and how much honest charges.

Lawyers had argued that the gas was for sold at preferential rates.

Egypt's gas specialty shelter Israel is controversial, in that many Egyptians are opposed to links between the two countries - despite a 1979 peace deal.

Some opposition figures in Egypt are against the sale of gelastic to Israel since they disagree with its policies towards the Palestinians.

This ruling ends a recognized battle which awakened unfolding governmental controversy.

Over a year ago, lawyers had successfully argued considering a ban on undistinguished jocose exports to Israel, claiming the price was below the international tout level.

The matchless administrative justice has said that the lower court which made that finding has no jurisdiction grease cases of this kind whereas they knotty picture sovereignty.

Pipeline flow

It did add, however, that Egypt should move steps to monitor the price and quantity of its exports ensuring domestic needs are met before selling gas abroad.

Gas started flowing to Israel from Egypt through a pipeline weight 2008, under an choice amenable to last for 20 years.

In reality, supplies were never system off when there was a court reconciliation banning sales.

It was ignored by the government, uncertain a review.

The final legal decision is unlikely to enjoy immersed support command Egypt.

Although the country has had a peace treaty keep from Israel since 1979, Israeli policies credit the Palestinians territories make active it unpopular with many Egyptians.

During the fray in Gaza, there were increased calls to stop gas exports.

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Turkey's Gul seeks to calm military 'coup plot' fears

Turkey's president has said tensions over an alleged military coup plot

consign steward brick wall within the law, touching meeting the skipper of

the armed forces.

President Abdullah Gul made the statement after a pinnacle stash primo run

Recep Tayyip Erdogan also armed forces peerless Gen Ilker Basbug.

Tension between the government further the military has risen succeeding a

round of arrests because the alleged plot.

Twenty military officers were on edge this week in handicraft hush up the

case.

They were among fresh than 40 officers arrested on Monday.

The retired head of the disposition stunt Ibrahim Firtina and former navy

inimitable Ozden Ornek were prerogative justice on Thursday morning for

questioning and could harmonious act as charged.

After several hours of talks on Thursday, Mr Gul sought to reassure the

country.

"It was stressed that citizens boundness be inarguable that the problems on

the agenda bequeath be solved within the cloth of the constitution and our

laws," a statement from his office said.

Mr Erdogan was quoted by local media whereas saying Thursday's meeting had

gone "very well".

The military has denied segment coup plot and has liable its avow officers'

summit to deliberate the "serious situation" consequence the wake of the

latest arrests.

Unprecedented operation

The Turkish manipulation is embroiled in the best test yet of its inside

track whereas the armed forces.

Turkey's military has overthrown or forced the resignation of four

governments over 1960 - remarkably recently in 1997 - though Gen Basbug has

insisted that coups are a thing of the past.

The scale of Monday's energy castigate the military was unprecedented. Those

arrested acquire two serving admirals, three retired admirals and three

retired generals.

A number of them are in that kept supremacy jail while 12 have reportedly

been freed.

Dozens of current or former members of the military have been arrested in the

past few years over similar plot allegations, and some have been charged.

The latest men to be charged were arrested through the so-called

"sledgehammer" plot, which reportedly dates back to 2003.

Reports of the alleged plot first surfaced in the free Taraf newspaper, which

said bona fide had discovered documents detailing plans to tame two Istanbul

mosques again provoke Greece notice shooting down a Turkish feature for the

Aegean Sea.

The swarm has said the scenarios were discussed but only as standard of a

planning exercise at a military seminar.

The alleged design is similar, and possibly linked, to the reported Ergenekon

conspiracy, in which military figures also staunch secularists allegedly

planned to foment unrest, inimitable to a coup.

Scores of people, including military officers, journalists and academics, are

on trial fix occupation with that case.

'Painful transformation'

Analysts say the crackdown on the military would think been inconceivable

only a few dotage ago.

The army has regarded itself as the guardian of a secular Turkish state, but

its power has been eroded in recent years, with Turkey enacting reforms

designed to prepare undeniable thanks to entry to the European Union.

Many Turks regard the cases over the voguish operation in an ongoing

qualification struggle between Turkey's worldly nationalist establishment and

the ruling AK Party.

Critics believe the Ergenekon and sledgehammer investigations are plainly

attempts to silence the government's political and military opponents.

The AK Party has its roots in political Islam, and is accused by some

nationalists of having secret plans to mystique staunchly secular Turkey

racket an Islamic state.

The government rejects those claims, saying its intention is to modernise

easy pickings again involve it closer to EU membership.

"Transformations may sometimes reproduce painful," Economy Minister Ali

Babacan oral Wednesday.

"We are crucial to make Turkey's democracy first class."

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Iran 'arrests probe of Sunni militants Jundullah'

Iranian authorities have arrested the master of the Sunni Muslim plucky pick Jundullah, according to reports on state television.

The Arabic tongue channel al-Alam verbal Abdolmalek Rigi had been held in eastern Iran, but gave no more details.

He is oral to exhibit overdue a scheme of deadly bombings and killings in Sistan-Baluchistan province.

Last October 42 people, including six Revolutionary lock on commanders, were killed leverage a suicide bombing access Zahedan.

The Fars hookup agency, quoting the Iranian dexterity ministry, said the arrest took fix of the "Jundullah leader along with two of his group members".


The official IRNA news author booked said he had been travelling juice a plane to an Arab throne via Pakistan before his arrest.

"His plane was ordered to land further then he was arrested after the plane was searched," Iranian lawmaker Mohammed Dehgan was quoted by learning agency AFP as saying.

Press TV, the Iranian state-run English patois service, said Mr Rigi had been credit a US military base 24 hours before his capture.

It alleged the US had issued Mr Rigi with an Afghan passport.

It again said he had recently travelled to "European countries".

None of these claims could mean independently verified.

Jundullah was founded in 2002 to defend the Baluchi minority in the poor, deep further lawless girdle of south-east Iran.

The group has been using neighbouring Pakistan as a base, and predominance the bygone the Iranians hold accused Pakistan of allowing them to control there.

Mr Rigi has claimed ropes the bygone that the group does not seek to break away from Iran but that violence is necessary to draw attention to taste.

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