Authorities of Pakistani North West Frontier Province (NWFP), adjacent to the tribal Bajaur region, Wednesday said peace process in Bajaur would not be deterred by Monday's attack on a religious school, local media reported. Addressing reporters in Peshawar, NWFP's provincial capital, Governor NWFP Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai said peace process in Bajaur Agency would not be damaged with the attack on the madrasah, in which the military killed around 80 alleged militants, according to the Geo Television report.

Norwegians appear to be losing faith in the effectiveness of being a member of NATO, according to reports from Oslo on Wednesday.

Finnish President Tarja Halonen is to be honored with Solidar's International Silver Rose Award for her campaign to promote the human facet of globalization, local media said on Wednesday.

Islam is the fastest growing religion on earth, and Africa is the continent where Islam is growing the fastest, Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said on Wednesday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met the next UN secretary general, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, on Wednesday to discuss cooperation in the world body and ties between Moscow and Seoul.

Finland said on Wednesday that it welcomed the agreement to resume the six-party talks concerning the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba is in Singapore for a four-day state visit.

Three employees died on Wednesday in an explosion at the catalytic cracking installation of the RAFO oil refinery in Onesti, eastern Romania, the local television reported.

The armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement on Wednesday urged Abbas and the Hamas-led government to declare a state of emergency and mobilization to counter the current Israeli operations in the Gaza Strip.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday that a European draft resolution imposing sanctions on Tehran over its nuclear program would isolate Iran.