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Condolences to Egypt
HIS Majesty Sultan Qaboos has sent a cable of condolences to President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt over the death of people due to landslide at Jabal Al Muqatam. His Majesty the Sultan expressed his heartfelt condolences to President Mubarak, families of the victims and the Egyptian brotherly people. He prayed to the Almighty to rest souls of the victims in peace, grant their families the patience to bear the loss and protect President Mubarak and the Egyptian people against any harm.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          — ONA
HM greets Zardari
HIS Majesty Sultan Qaboos has sent a cable of congratulations to President Asif Ali Zardari on the occasion of his election as the new president of Pakistan. HM wished President Zardari success in achieving stability, security and prosperity for the friendly people of Pakistan.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          — ONA
RO 471m pacts for new projects
MUSCAT — Twenty-three agreements worth RO 471 million were signed at the Ministry of Transport and Communications here yesterday for the setting up of roads, ports and civil aviation facilities. The agreements were signed on behalf of the government by Dr Khamis bin Mubarak al Alawi, Minister of Transport and Communications, while the general managers...

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Petraeus Iraq stint ends on Sept 16
BAGHDAD — US General David Petraeus will hand the command of US-led forces in Iraq to General Raymond Odierno on September 16,
his spokesman said yesterday. “He will hand over the command on September 16 in Baghdad,” Colonel Steven Boylan said. Petraeus will
take over as the new chief of Central Command in late October, with responsibility for US troops from the Horn of Africa to Central Asia.
Troubles mount for Olmert
JERUSALEM — Israeli police yesterday recommended indicting beleaguered Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on corruption charges in two different cases. The decision is unlikely to affect the political future of the 62-year-old premier who has denied any wrongdoing but announced in July he would step down following a public uproar over the array of suspicions against him.

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Iran satellite launched with China, Thailand
TEHRAN — A joint research satellite of China, Iran and Thailand was launched on a Chinese rocket yesterday aimed at boosting cooperation on natural disasters such as earthquakes, an Iranian minister said. The announcement came just a few weeks after Iran said on August 17 it had put a dummy satellite into orbit on a domestically made rocket for the first time.

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