Russia termed "extremely positive" the agreed resumption of the six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula in the near future, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alexeyev said on Tuesday.

A wealthy Palestinian businessman on Tuesday called for the forming of an interim government consisting of independent professionals to end a deepening economical and political crisis in the Palestinian territories.

Austria's coalition talks were stranded after the outgoing conservatives protested against a probe into the former government's purchase of jet fighters, the Austria Press Agency (APA) reported on Tuesday.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will make a state visit to Japan on Nov. 26-29 to foster relations between the two countries.

The death toll in violent clashes between supporters of two main parties in Bangladesh rose to 28 as four more people were killed in clashes across the country on Monday night and Tuesday.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said Tuesday the Egyptian-Palestinian borders is under full control of the Egyptian border guard and police forces from one side and the Palestinian Authority from the other, the official news agency MENA reported.

Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat Tuesday slammed Israeli government for its move to approve the entry of Avigdor Lieberman, who is famous for anti-Arab stances, and his extreme-right party Yisrael Beiteinu into the government.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday accused South Korea of participating in an exercise in the Gulf led by the United States, saying the act was a serious provocation.

The South Korean government said Tuesday that it welcomes an agreement made by China, the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to resume the six-party talks on the nuclear issues at the earliest convenient time.

Unknown gunmen abducted Tuesday more than 40 people, including tribal leaders and prominent persons from two Shiite towns in north of Baghdad, provincial police said.