Seeking to allay concerns in India over reference to Iran in its new law on nuclear cooperation, the US has said New Delhi is not involved in the matter which is strictly between the American Congress and Administration.

IRAN has accused the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, of fuelling hatred across the Middle East after he called on moderate Muslim nations to unite against Tehran's "open support" for extremists in Iraq, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories.

The US and India face similar problems on global terrorism and must work closely together to defeat it, according to Congressman Peter King.

Addressing the New York chapter of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) at a dinner, Republican King said: "Vibrant democracies such as the US and India share common goals and should count on each other for support and cooperation."

Fishing industry leaders have hit out at a deal agreed in Brussels that will cut the number of days they are allowed at sea.

European fisheries ministers had thrashed out an agreement on next year's EU quotas after twelve hours of talks.

A paralyzed man who touched off an intense debate on euthanasia in Italy has died just days after a court refused his request to let doctors remove his respirator, an official said Thursday.

Britain's Vodafone Group will today consider a $13.5 billion-plus offer for India's Hutchison Essar, the Financial Timesreported.

Indian newspapers reported on Wednesday that Vodafone was exploring options for a bid for Hutchison Essar to expand in the world's fastest growing cellular services market.

Rajiv Sikri was one of 16 senior Indian Foreign Service officers superseded when the government chose Shiv Shankar Menon as India's foreign secretary in late September.

France believes it is the chief victim of Algeria's success in defeating the GSPC Islamic terrorists, many of whom have fled to France. There are already many Algerians in France, and French is a common second language in Algeria.

A suicide bomber targeted a police academy in the Iraqi capital on Thursday, killing at least 14 people and wounding 21 others, police said.

The area around the facility remained cordoned off hours after the attack. Outside a nearby hospital, at least five bodies lay on gurneys and on the ground, covered in blue tarps as onlookers passed by.

An aide to the commander of British forces in Afghanistan was charged with divulging official secrets after allegedly passing confidential information to Iran, two British newspapers reported Thursday.