YANGON, Oct 14, 2007 (AFP) - A state funeral for Myanmar's late prime minister Soe Win, a hardliner who died last week, was to be held on Sunday in Yangon, state media reported.

General Soe Win, who died on Friday aged 59, had been hospitalised in Singapore since March, reportedly for leukemia treatments, but is believed to have returned to Yangon in recent weeks.

'The state funeral for the late prime minister will be held at the Mingaladon War Cemetery at 2:00 pm (0730 GMT),' the state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

SINGAPORE, Oct 14, 2007 (AFP) - Singapore's prime minister said he was 'deeply saddened' at the death of his Myanmar counterpart Soe Win, who spent months in treatment at a Singapore hospital this year.

Soe Win, a hardliner best known for allegedly orchestrating an attack on democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, died at age 59, Myanmar state media said Friday.

'I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Prime Minister General Soe Win,' Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote in a condolence letter to acting Prime Minister Lieutenant General Thein Sein.

YANGON, Oct 12, 2007 (AFP) - Myanmar's incumbent Prime Minister Soe Win, a hardliner best known for allegedly orchestrating an attack on democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, has died at age 59, state media said Friday.

General Soe Win rose in the ranks after the deadly attack on the Nobel laureate's convoy in May 2003, an event known to her supporters as 'Black Friday.'

YANGON, Oct 12, 2007 (AFP) - Myanmar's Prime Minister Soe Win, considered one of the hardliners of the isolated military regime, has died after a long illness, state media said Friday.

'The prime minister, General Soe Win, died this evening' at a military hospital in the country's main city Yangon, state radio said.

Soe Win, believed to be 59, had been treated in Singapore since March, reportedly for leukemia. He is believed to have returned to Yangon in the last few weeks.

NEW DELHI, Sept 26, 2007 (AFP) - India's studious prime minister Manmohan Singh flirted with Bollywood film glamour on Wednesday to celebrate his 75th birthday.

Singh took to the stage to launch the autobiography of India's legendary romantic actor and director Dev Anand, 'Romancing with life.'

It proved a rare play of contrasts as the shy and reluctant politician exchanged glowing tributes with the worldly hero of countless Hindi song-and-dance hits.

RABAT, Sept 19, 2007 (AFP) - King Mohammed VI on Wednesday named Abbas El Fassi Morocco's new prime minister after his nationalist Istiqlal party won September 7 elections.

'King Mohammed VI received Abbas El Fassi at the royal place in Rabat and named him prime minister,' the palace said.

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ANGOULEME, France, Sept 17, 2007 (AFP) - French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said Monday that tensions over Iran's nuclear programme were 'extreme' but insisted there was still room for diplomacy in the nuclear stand-off.

'The Iranians must understand that tension has reached an extreme point... in the relationship between Iran and its neighbours,' Fillon said, while adding that 'a confrontation with Iran is the last option that any political leader would want.'

BAGHDAD, Sept 17, 2007 (AFP) - Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Monday condemned a 'criminal operation' by a foreign security company involved in a shootout in central Baghdad which killed at least eight bystanders.

'Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki condemns and strongly denounces the criminal operation committed by one of the foreign security companies in Al-Nissur Square,' state television quoted a statement from his office as saying.

MOSCOW, Sept 12, 2007 (AFP) - The Kremlin has put forward Viktor Zubkov, head of a financial crimes investigation agency, as candidate for new prime minister, the leader of the lower house of parliament said Wednesday.

Zubkov, 65, is little known by the public but is a longtime associate of President Vladimir Putin. He was named just hours after Putin accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov.

MOSCOW, Sept 12, 2007 (AFP) - The Kremlin has put forward Viktor Zubkov, head of a financial crimes investigation agency, as candidate for new prime minister, Interfax quoted the leader of the lower house of parliament as saying Wednesday.

Zubkov, who is little known by the public but a longtime associate of President Vladimir Putin, was named just hours after Putin accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov.

His candidacy was announced by Boris Gryzlov, speaker of the State Duma, Interfax reported.

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BANGKOK, Aug 19, 2007 (AFP) - Thailand's army-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont claimed victory in a referendum Sunday, saying voters had approved a new constitution backed by the military.

'We consider that this constitution has been approved by the people, and by the end of August the constitution will be submitted to the king for endorsement,' Surayud said on national television.

'Overall, the turnout was more than 50 percent. I thank the Thai people for coming out to exercise their vote,' he said.

DILI, Aug 8, 2007 (AFP) - East Timor's new premier Xanana Gusmao pledged Wednesday to bring change to the nation, five years after it won independence and following more than a year of tensions in the wake of deadly unrest.

'This mandate clearly shows the political wishes of all Timorese to introduce changes,' Gusmao said in a speech after he was sworn in as the tiny nation's prime minister.

DILI, Aug 6, 2007 (AFP) - Independence hero Xanana Gusmao is to be appointed prime minister of East Timor this week and will form a government following inconclusive polls in June, President Jose Ramos-Horta said Monday.

The decision is likely to anger supporters of Gusmao's long-time arch rival, ex-prime minister Mari Alkatiri, who claimed such a government would be 'illegal' after being informed of the decision.

DILI, Aug 6, 2007 (AFP) - The independence hero Xanana Gusmao is to be appointed prime minister of East Timor this week and will form a government following inconclusive polls in June, President Jose Ramos-Horta said Monday.

The decision is likely to anger supporters of Gusmao's long-time arch rival, the ex-prime minister Mari Alkatiri, who said at his residence earlier that he had been told of the decision and claimed such a government would be 'illegal.'