Leader and 11 members of militant group killed
Tehran: Iran has killed the leader and 11 members of a militant group responsible for murdering 26 people in southeastern Iran, press reports said yesterday. "Abdul Malek Rigi, leader of the terrorist group, the Jundullah (Soldiers of God) ... was killed in an operation on the border with Afghanistan," hardline Kayhan daily said, quoting an unidentified source in the interior ministry. The group had reportedly carried out an ambush in the southeastern province of Sistan-Balochistan in March that left 26 people dead and another 12 missing, according to Kayhan.
Pope to visit Israel early next year
Vatican City: Pope Benedict XVI is to visit Israel early next year, the Jewish state's former premier Shimon Peres said yesterday after an audience with the head of the Roman Catholic Church. Peres told reporters that the 78-year-old German pontiff had accepted an invitation to visit from acting Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. "The pope said he will go in the first months of next year," Peres said. Israeli President Moshe Katsav had already last November issued a formal invitation to Benedict but no date had been set. Benedict's predecessor, the late John Paul II, visited Israel and the Palestinian-controlled West Bank in March 2000. The first papal trip to Israel came in 1964, when Pope Paul VI visited the country.
Lotto fuels millionaire dream
Beirut: It may look like small change when compared to its American and European blockbuster cousins, but a lottery that has ballooned in recent weeks to Lebanon's biggest prize ever, the equivalent of $4 million (Dh14.68 million), has Lebanese crossing their fingers and dreaming. In the capital Beirut, as in the provinces, many joined long line-ups over the past few days at stores selling tickets for the Lotto to pick the six numbers they hope will make them rich. There has been no winner for several weeks, pushing the jackpot yesterday to Lebanon's biggest ever. Winner of five of the six numbers, plus an extra number earns second prize, estimated at about half a billion Lebanese pounds.
Murderer publicly hanged in Iran
Tehran: An Iranian man convicted of murder has been publicly hanged in southern Kerman province, a press report said yesterday. The man, identified only as Mohammad, was hanged for shooting Mohammadreza Darregarai in June 2005 in the earthquake-stricken city of Bam. The victim had been an engineer working on a construction site.
