Netanyahu pledges to annex West Bank
settlements after vote
AFP, Jerusalem
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Saturday to annex settlements in the occupied West Bank if he wins the upcoming general election. His comments come just days before the closely-fought April 9 poll and could be seen as an appeal to rightwing voters, who do not believe in the feasibility of a peace agreement with the Palestinians. “I will apply (Israeli) sovereignty, but I don’t distinguish between settlement blocs and isolated settlements,” he said in an interview to Channel 12 television.
Algeria lawmakers to meet to name interim president
AFP, Algiers
Algeria’s parliament is set to meet Tuesday to name an interim successor to president Abdelaziz Bouteflika, state media reported, after mass protests pushed the ailing leader from power.
“It was decided to hold a meeting of the two chambers of parliament on Tuesday… at 9:00 am (0800 GMT),” the upper house of parliament said Saturday in a statement carried by the official APS news agency. Algeria’s constitution stipulates that the speaker of the upper house of parliament, currently 77-year-old Abdelkader Bensalah, should take the presidential reins.
Iran leader urges Iraq to demand US withdraw troops
AFP, Tehran
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has called on Iraq to demand US troops leave “as soon as possible”, warning that Washington is plotting to remove the Iraqi government.
The remarks came during a visit to Tehran on Saturday by Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, whose country is under pressure from the United States to distance itself from Iran. “You should take actions to make sure the Americans withdraw their troops from Iraq as soon as possible because wherever they have had an enduring presence, forcing them out has become problematic,” Khamenei told Abdel Mahdi.
15 killed as Syrian govt, rebels exchange fire
Reuters, Beirut
At least 15 people were reported killed on Sunday in shelling by government and insurgent forces in northwestern Syria, further straining a Russian-Turkish ceasefire deal for the region.
The northwest is the last major foothold of insurgents opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, many of whom were forced to retreat there after military defeats at the hands of Syrian government forces backed by Iran and Russia.
Pakistan frees 360 Indian fishermen
AP, Karachi
Pakistani officials say they will release the first batch of 360 Indian prisoners detained for fishing illegally in the country’s territorial waters in the Arabian sea.
Prison official Munir Ahmed said Sunday that 100 prisoners will travel by train under police guard to the eastern city of Lahore before being handed over to Indian authorities at the Wahga border crossing Monday.
