Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has received a hero's welcome in the West Bank after submitting his bid for statehood at the U.N.

Thousands of people have crowded around his West Bank headquarters in Ramallah to get a glimpse of the 76-year-old president upon his return from New York.

Abbas has asked the UN Security Council to grant the Palestinians full UN membership.

The Security Council is expected to study the Palestinian bid for several weeks before making a final decision.

 

 

Pakistani PM calls back FM over U.S. charge

Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Gilani has recalled his Foreign Minister from the UN General Assembly.

The move comes following US accusations that Gilani's government is supporting the Taliban.

Outgoing U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Mike Mullen has accused Pakistan's spy agency of supporting the Haqqani network.

The network is believed to have carried out an attack on the U.S. embassy in Kabul two weeks ago which left 25 people dead.

 

 

Yemeni president says remains committed to implementing GCC initiative on power transfer

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh says he remains committed to implementing the Gulf Cooperation Council's initiative on power transfer.

Saleh was delivering his first speech since he returned to Yemen Friday after receiving medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. He was severely injured in an attack on the presidential palace in June.

Saleh also promised to hold early presidential and parliamentary elections in the country once a peace deal is reached between his government and the opposition.

"We re-iterate today that we are committed to the Gulf initiative in its form and (committed) to signing it through the Vice-President Abbd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi who has been given authority by an active presidential decree that allows him to enter dialogue, sign the initiative and agree the procedures to implement it, so we can get the country out of this dangerous crisis."

When Saleh was speaking, tens of thousands of protesters gathered in central Sanaa, demanding his resignation.

 

 

Saudi king says women allowed to contest in next municipal elections: TV

In a marked turn, the King of Saudi Arabia has now announced that women are going to be allowed to vote, and run, in the next municipal elections.

King Abdullah has also proclaimed that women will be allowed to join the Shura Council.

Abdullah says the Kingdom refuses to marginalize women in all walks of society.

Saudi Arabia, which adheres to a strict version of Sunni Islam, doesn't allow women to travel, receive operations, or drive without a man with them.

 

 

Gunfire heard at 'CIA office' in Kabul

Gunfire has been heard from a compound believed to house the CIA office in the Afghan capital Kabul.

A US official confirmed there was an attack on the facility but said an investigation is underway.

There were no reports of any casualties.

The attack comes two weeks after militants fired rocket-propelled grenades at the US embassy and Nato headquarters in Kabul, killing some 25 people.

 

 

Islamabad police uncover huge arms cache

The authorities in the Pakistani capital Islamabad say they've foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons which could be used for terrorist acts.

The arms were uncovered from a car on the outskirts of Islamabad on the motorway linking the Pakistani capital with the northwestern city of Peshawar.

The weapons include machine guns and bullets.

The driver of the vehicle is now being questioned.

 

 

UBS board says it takes years to revamp after trading scandal

UBS CEO Oswald Gruebel has resigned.

Gruebel has fallen on the sword following revelations that a rogue trader in London has cost the company some 2.3-billion dollars.

Gruebel is being replaced, temporarily, by Sergio Ermotti.

The UBS board of directors says it is looking at both internal and external candidates to fill the CEO position permanently.

 

 

IMF/World Bank meetings end: ECB under pressures

The IMF and World Bank have wrapped up their semi-annual meetings, with European policy makers facing mounting pressure to try to contain their debt crisis.

China, along side the US, have been pressing Europe to do more.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is warning that a failure to combat the debt crisis in Europe is going to create a catastrophe.

IMF officials say the European Central Bank is the only player big enough to solve the crisis.

 

 

Carrier Rocket for Shenzhou 8 Arrives at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center

The rocket which is set to send the Shenzhou 8 spacecraft into space has arrived at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu.

The rocket is now undergoing a series of tests.

Shenzhou 8 is due to hook up with Tiangong I, which is China's prototype space lab.

Tiangong I is scheduled to blast off next week.

 

 

China will test qualification of its 2 million police officers

Police officers across China are being forced to sit for a qualification exam.

The roughly 2-million police officers will have to sit the exam before they can be activated for duty next year.

Those that pass won't have to sit the qualification exams for another 5 years.

The police officers are being forced to take the exams to press home the need for a better understanding of Chinese rules and regulations.