Eight Thai soldiers killed in blast
Bangkok: Prospects of peace negotiations in Thailand's insurgency hit South took a nose dive on Saturday after eight soldiers were killed early morning in a roadside bomb blast in Muslim majority Yala province, the deadliest single attack on security forces this year. The blast occurred when 10 soldiers were travelling in a truck in Krong Pinang district. Police said suspected insurgents hiding in nearby plantations detonated the bomb buried in the road.
Mandela ‘critical but stable': Zuma
Pretoria: Anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela's condition remains ‘critical but stable’, South African President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday hoping he will be out of the hospital soon. “These are very excellent doctors who are dealing with him,” Zuma said in a joint Press conference with US president Barack Obama. Obama decided not to visit his hero in hospital to preserve the ‘peace and comfort’ of Nelson Mandela. “The triumph of Nelson Mandela and this nation speaks to something very deep in the human spirit,” Obama said after talks with Zuma.
obama wants immigration bill through
Pretoria: President Barack Obama has urged the House to quickly send him an Immigration Bill, saying there's more than enough time to do so before Congress takes its August recess. Obama said that he urged both House Speaker John Boehner and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi to find a way to pass the Bill.
Kerry meets Palestinian president
Jerusalem: US Secretary of State John Kerry held talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday for the second time in two days, continuing his rushed round of shuttle diplomacy to restart talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
‘Taliban attack no hurdle to peace’
Kabul: Afghanistan's President says the Taliban's daylight attack on his palace in Kabul will not deter his Government from forging ahead with the peace process. Speaking on Saturday alongside British PM David Cameron in Kabul, Hamid Karzai tried to brush aside Tuesday's thwarted attack, saying “I wish they (the Taliban) would spend all the time attacking the presidential palace and leave the rest of Afghanistan alone.” British Prime Minister David Cameron was on an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Saturday, visiting troops in the southern province of Helmand.