In Brief

Cuba 'accepts dialogue' with EU

Cuba has conditionally accepted the resumption of formal political dialogue with the European Union.

The offer was made by the EU in June when sanctions were lifted against the Communist-run island state.

The Cuban foreign ministry said it would accept the proposal "once the foundations and bases are established by joint agreement", Reuters reported.

Havana's response came in a letter sent this month to the EU headquarters in Brussels, the agency reported.

The EU has been trying to re-establish a full political dialogue with Havana ever since Fidel Castro effectively stepped down due to ill-health in July 2006, correspondents say.

At the time, EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said the 27-nation bloc wanted to promote change in Cuba.

The decades-old US trade embargo against Cuba remains in place.

BBC

U.S. apologizes for Afghan civilian deaths

KABUL, Afghanistan -- U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates apologized Wednesday for recent U.S. airstrikes that have killed civilians in Afghanistan.

"I offer all Afghans my sincere condolences and personal regrets for the recent loss of innocent life as a result of coalition air strikes," Gates said at a news conference outside the U.S. Embassy in Kabul.Gates met with President Hamid Karzai and with members of the Afghan national security team, including Minister of Defense Abdul Rahim Wardak.

-CNN

New PM in Israel after Olmert bows out

Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni has declared victory in the race to succeed Ehud Olmert as the country's next prime minister. Mr Olmert has congratulated Ms Livni who will lead the ruling Kadima party. Mr Olmert called the primary vote after announcing he was standing down to deal with numerous corruption allegations against him.

Ms Livni, a former lawyer and Mossad agent, still has to be confirmed as winner, as she needs to put together a coalition.

If she is unable to form a cohesive coalition, the country will go to a general election.

-Australian Herald

'We need to strengthen anti-terror laws'

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday hit out at the role of Pakistan-based terrorist groups in the recent serial bomb blasts, but said the involvement of local elements added a new dimension to the terrorist threat.

"We have reports that certain Pakistan-based terrorists outfits are constantly seeking to set up new terrorist modules within our country. This is a matter of the utmost concern. We have increased vigilance on our borders ... But in view of the growing involvement of local elements, this is not enough," he said.

The theme of internal security and terrorism also figured in President Pratibha Patil's inaugural address on Tuesday. She voiced concern at the emerging "metro-terrorism" and favoured firm action against those who followed the path and culture of the gun.

-The Hindu

Kenya inquiry urges voting reform

A commission of inquiry set up to probe Kenya's contested 2007 polls has called for radical election reform.

The Independent Review Commission (Irec) handed its report to President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga after a six-month investigation.

Irec chairman, South African Judge Johann Kriegler, said that it would be impossible to know who had really won the December elections.

The electoral crisis was due to systemic dysfunction of the entire electoral system and the ECK should be overhauled or replaced with a new body, the commission said.

-BBC

Karadzic faces fresh indictment

UN war crimes prosecutors at The Hague are due to file a revised indictment against Bosnian Serb ex-leader Radovan Karadzic by Monday.

The charges against Mr Karadzic include what is regarded as Europe's worst massacre since World War II - the killing of up to 8,000 men and youths in the enclave of Srebrenica.

Addressing the tribunal, prosecutor Alan Tieger said the revised indictment would be filed by Monday, without giving details.