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The United States said on Tuesday that it wanted a U.N. sanctions resolution on Iran "within weeks" as Iran further expanded its nuclear programme in defiance of growing international pressure.

Sri Lanka's former Army Chief and Opposition presidential candidate,General Sarath Fonseka,was detained by a team of investigators late on Monday night for certain fraudulent acts and military offences from the safe house he had been living in since he lost the January 26 election.

The Pentagon said on Tuesday that the United States wanted a U.N. Security Council resolution "within weeks" to tackle Iran's nuclear programme as Iran said it had begun making higher-grade nuclear fuel.

There was one prerequisite for journalists reporting on Nelson Mandela in the heady and chaotic days after his release from 27 years in South African jails.

Iran began making higher-grade nuclear fuel on Tuesday, state television reported, and the Pentagon said the United States wanted a U.N. Security Council resolution on Iran "within weeks" over its nuclear programme.

Washington, Feb 10 (DPA) The push for another round of international sanctions against Iran over its nuclear activities is moving 'fairly quickly' and could be ready in the coming weeks, US President Barack Obama said.

The White House denied on Tuesday that its missile defense plans were an obstacle to reaching agreement on a new nuclear arms treaty with Russia.

Not again! Residents from Virginia to New York prepared for a major snowstorm that could bring 12 inches (30.5 cm) of snow just days after a blizzard dumped as much as 3 feet (90 cm) in some areas.

Washington, Feb 10 (DPA) First Lady Michelle Obama stepped into the limelight Tuesday to lead a campaign that will seek ways of reducing childhood obesity, which affects nearly one third of children in the US.

President Barack Obama, reaching out to lawmakers in both U.S. political parties, said on Tuesday he hoped Congress would soon deliver a package of measures to boost U.S. employment and economic growth.

Valencia (Spain), Feb 10 (IAN/EFE) Twenty six people were arrested and 10 others booked in Spain for uploading and sharing child pornography contents on the internet.

Guadalupe Alberto knew the route from her house on a residential street to the tiny grocery store she ran with her husband so well that her family jokes she could have driven it with her eyes closed.

The European Parliament overwhelmingly approved the line-up of the next European Commission on Tuesday, clearing the way for the EU executive to take office nearly four months behind schedule.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown hopes a parliamentary vote on Tuesday on changing Britain's electoral system will improve his Labour Party's chances of staying in power, but the complex tactic risks backfiring.

London, Feb 9 (IANS) Human rights activists across the world have leapt to the defence of Indian gender campaigner Gita Sahgal after Amnesty International sacked her for criticising it publicly over its involvement with a former Guantanamo Bay inmate.

Tehran/Vienna, Feb 9 (DPA) Iran Tuesday started the 20-percent uranium enrichment process, the head of the country's Atomic Energy Organization said.

Nairobi/Mogadishu, Feb 9 (DPA) A Somali minister Tuesday said government forces had killed a senior Al Qaeda fighter who was also a member of Somali insurgent group al-Shabaab.

London, Feb.9 (ANI): Former US President George Bush is said to have warned former British Prime Minister Tony Blair that the United States would go ahead with the invasion of Iraq "come what may".

Dubai, Feb. 9 (ANI): In what could become a prelude to the banning of child marriage in Saudi Arabia, the Government has decided to provide legal assistance to a 12-year-old girl who is fighting to divorce her 80-year-old husband.

Senior commanders of the Yemeni wing of Al-Qaeda have urged Muslims in the region to wage a jihad against Christians and Jews.

Colombo, Feb 9 (DPA) Parliament in Sri Lanka has been dissolved with effect from midnight Tuesday ahead of new elections, officials said.

Johannesburg, Feb 9 (DPA) Fifteen people, including at least eight children, were burnt to death when a fire broke out at an orphanage in South Africa Tuesday, officials said.

Nairobi/Goma, Feb 9 (DPA) An estimated 160 women are being raped each week in the Democratic Republic of Congo's unstable North and South Kivu provinces, the UN said Tuesday.

Canberra, Feb 9 (IANS) Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith admitted Tuesday that some of the attacks on Indians in his country were indeed racist in nature and pressed the need to build strong ties with New Delhi.

Canberra, Feb.9 (ANI): Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith on Tuesday described the series of racially-motivated attacks against Indians, particularly students, in the country as inexcusable, and urged the government and all Australians to view the matter very seriously.

Malaysia has dismissed its envoy to the U.N. nuclear watchdog for voting against a resolution rebuking Iran and he will be replaced as rotating head of the agency's governing body later this week.

Somali pirates said they received a $3.1 million ransom on Tuesday and had freed a Panama-flagged ship, the MV Al Khaliq, which they hijacked in October.

Sri Lanka's president has dissolved parliament before legislative elections on April 8, a senior government official said on Tuesday, a day after a leading opposition figure was arrested on military offences.

Sri Lanka's president has dissolved parliament to pave the way for legislative elections, a senior government official said on Tuesday, a day after a leading opposition figure was arrested on military offences.

Senior Chinese military officers have proposed that their country boost defence spending, adjust PLA deployments, and possibly sell some U.S. bonds to punish Washington for its latest round of arms sales to Taiwan.