Today's other stories in brief
Groom among four beheaded after wedding
BAGHDAD - An Iraqi groom celebrating on the dance floor was dragged off and later found beheaded in a field after armed men showed up at his wedding.
Gunmen took merchant Kudair al-Tamimi (26) away along with his father, uncle, cousin and a guest at the party on Thursday in Muqdadiya, 90km (50 miles) northeast of Baghdad.
Their bodies were discovered yesterday, beheaded and dumped in farmlands just north of the town, police said. - (Reuters)
Militants blamed for pipelines blast
QUETTA, Pakistan - Fire swept through a Pakistani town yesterday where the largest gasfield is situated, after suspected tribal militants blew up two pipelines, setting ablaze some 50 shops but causing no casualties, officials said.
The fire gutted shops in the main market of the town of Sui in southwestern Baluchistan province. "Fifty to 60 shops have burnt to ashes because both pipelines were passing through the town but we don't have any report of casualties, so far," a local police official said. - (Reuters)
Hamas takes new militia off streets
GAZA - The Hamas-led Palestinian government ordered its new militia off Gaza's streets yesterday after clashes with President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement that stirred fears of civil war.
In Ramallah and Gaza, top Hamas officials appeared close to rejecting an ultimatum from Mr Abbas to back a proposal calling for Palestinian statehood that implicitly recognises Israel.
Mr Abbas stunned Hamas on Thursday with his threat to call a referendum on the proposal within 40 days, effectively going over the government's head and setting the stage for a showdown.
Meanwhile four Palestinians were killed in northern Gaza yesterday as Israel fired dozens of artillery shells to target places from which militants had fired rockets into the Jewish state. -(Reuters)
Senior Islamic Jihad official killed
SIDON, Lebanon - A senior Islamic Jihad official and his brother were killed in southern Lebanon yesterday in a car bombing that the Palestinian group blamed on Israel.
An Israeli government source said the Jewish state "has nothing to do" with the attack on Mahmoud Majzoub, known as Abu Hamze, and his brother Nidal, also an Islamic Jihad member, in the port city of Sidon. -(Reuters)
Tokyo award for reclusive Jackson
LOS ANGELES - Pop star Michael Jackson plans to accept an entertainment award in Tokyo today in what will be his first public appearance since his acquittal on sex-abuse charges last year, his publicist said.
Jackson (47), who has remained largely in seclusion since his trial on child molestation charges, will also spend time in Tokyo visiting orphanages and meeting Asian business leaders, his spokeswoman said.
The entertainer is due to receive the "legend award" at MTV's Japan Video Music Awards today. - (Reuters)