BOMB FOUND NEAR JAPAN RUNWAY HALTS FLIGHTS
TOKYO: A huge unexploded World War II bomb has been found buried near the runway of Japan’s busy Sendai Airport, forcing all flights to be canceled on Tuesday, officials said. AFP

AFGHAN PRESIDENTIAL VOTE SET FOR APRIL 5, 2014
KABUL: Afghanistan’s presidential election will be held on April 5, 2014, months ahead of the final withdrawal of North Atlantic Treaty Organization combat troops from the insurgency-plagued nation, an official of the Independent Election Commission said on Tuesday. AFP

BAHRAINI GOV’T BANS RALLIES, PROTESTS
MANAMA: Bahraini Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid Abdullah Al Kalifa on Tuesday announced a ban on all rallies and protests following string of violations committed by opposition groups. XINHUA

SYRIAN REBELS CLASH WITH ARMY, PALESTINIAN FIGHTERS
BEIRUT: Fierce clashes broke out before dawn on Tuesday in a major Palestinian refugee camp south of Syria’s capital, pitting rebels against troops backed by pro-regime Palestinian fighters, activists and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. AFP

SUDAN DENIES IRAN ROLE IN ARMS FACTORY
KHARTOUM: Sudan’s foreign ministry on Monday denied that Iran had any involvement in a military factory that Khartoum said was attacked by Israeli aircraft last week. AFP

US: UKRAINE ELECTIONS A STEP BACKWARD
KIEV: The United States and international observers said that Ukraine’s elections were a step backward for democracy as Prime Minister Mykola Azarov’s ruling Regions Party was set to win against allies of jailed ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko. AFP

BBC INQUIRY BEGINS AS SEX ABUSE SCANDAL GROWS
LONDON: An inquiry into the British Broadcasting Corp.’s or BBC’s culture and practices got under way on Monday with the broadcaster reeling from allegations of child sex abuse perpetrated by the late Jimmy Savile, one of its biggest stars. AFP