News in brief

Veteran Iraqi comedian dies in Syria aged 69
Baghdad: Rassim Al Jumaili, a veteran Iraqi comedian who left his homeland for Syria after the US invasion and played a sarcastic dictator in his final role earlier this year, died of heart problems. He was 69. Al Jumaili died yesterday in Syria, where he fled in 2003, Iraq's Sharqiyah satellite channel reported. Iraqi state television later said Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki agreed to a burial in Baghdad for Al Jumaili. Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said he personally would pay to have Al Jumaili's body transported to Iraq, saying the comedian was "one of Iraq's art icons for nearly a half century and had a deep influence through his works in television, theatre and cinema." Al Jumaili's last role in The Leader, which depicted the daily suffering of Iraqis, was believed to be a parody of the post-Saddam administration.

Saudi clerics 'not doing enough'
Riyadh Saudi clerics are not doing enough to discourage militancy among Saudi youth, including those who want to fight in Iraq, Interior Minister Prince Nayef said in comments published yesterday. It was the second criticism of clerics by the powerful member of the royal family this year. In June he said in a speech to hundreds of clerics that they needed to stop Saudis carrying out suicide attacks in Iraq. Asked if he felt there had been "progress" since that meeting, the minister told Okaz newspaper in an interview: "No, not at the level I would hope for." Hundreds of Saudis are thought to be among foreigners fighting with Al Qaida in Iraq against US forces and the US-backed government.