KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC), the country's largest Indian-based party, has a new secretary general in S. Murugessan who was appointed with immediate effect amid speculation of early parliamentary polls.

Geneva, Feb 18 (IANS/EFE) The rapporteur of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has asked Cuba to take lessons from recent events in the Arab world to carry out democratic reforms on the communist island.

Cairo, Feb 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Egypt's opposition youth movement has called on people of Egypt to stage a million-strong demonstration on Cairo's central Tahrir Square Friday to mark a week without Hosni Mubarak.

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has directed that only "authorised ministers" should speak about the issue of double murder-accused US official Raymond Davis, as the matter remains sub judice.

NEW DELHI - The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, will be on a two-day visit to Assam from Friday, where he is expected to review the prevailing situation and the progress of some of the developmental projects.