Minister sacked

TOKYO – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, seeking to soothe voter outrage over political corruption that contributed to a devastating election loss over the weekend, has sacked his scandal-tainted farm minister.

Rice in Israel * JERUSALEM – US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice begins visit to Israel and West Bank carrying a Saudi pledge of support for Middle East peace conference proposed by Washington. Saudi keen on meeting * JEDDAH – Saudi Arabia says it could attend a Middle East peace conference proposed by US President George W Bush which would bring key Muslim countries to the same table as Israel.Sunnnis to leave govt * BAGHDAD – Main Sunni Arab political bloc says it is withdrawing from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s coalition government over his failure to meet their list of demands.Elections may be soon * LONDON – Britain’s ruling Labour Party has moved on to election footing amid speculation new Prime Minister Gordon Brown could take advantage of an opinion poll lead to call a general election as early as October.Mushraff weakened * ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s president and army chief, Pervez Musharraf, is weakened to a point where he cannot hope to hold power unless he deals with ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who won’t let him keep his uniform.Flood deaths * BEIJING – China says global warming is partly to blame for weather extremes that have led to more than 700 deaths from flooding and left millions of others without water in the country this year.Nampa-ReutersSaudi keen on meeting * JEDDAH – Saudi Arabia says it could attend a Middle East peace conference proposed by US President George W Bush which would bring key Muslim countries to the same table as Israel.Sunnnis to leave govt * BAGHDAD – Main Sunni Arab political bloc says it is withdrawing from Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki’s coalition government over his failure to meet their list of demands.Elections may be soon * LONDON – Britain’s ruling Labour Party has moved on to election footing amid speculation new Prime Minister Gordon Brown could take advantage of an opinion poll lead to call a general election as early as October.Mushraff weakened * ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s president and army chief, Pervez Musharraf, is weakened to a point where he cannot hope to hold power unless he deals with ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who won’t let him keep his uniform.Flood deaths * BEIJING – China says global warming is partly to blame for weather extremes that have led to more than 700 deaths from flooding and left millions of others without water in the country this year.Nampa-Reuters