Stockholm - Members of the committees that select Nobel prizes for chemistry, physics and medicine said Tuesday they had second thoughts about the propriety of having accepted Chinese state- sponsored trips to China.

The ministry of education in China on two occasions, most recently in January 2008, paid for the trips and hotel costs, Swedish radio news reported.

Tallinn - Estonia, the Baltic nation whose enthusiasm for all things related to the internet often sees it referred to as "E-stonia" has added another item to its cyber-portfolio by launching an online presidential blog Tuesday via the video website YouTube.

Visitors to YouTube can see Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves giving a five-minute chat to the nation on the subject of the economy in what is claimed to be the EU's first presidential videocast.

Umm Al Qaiwain, Dec 09th, 2008 ): The Diwan of HH Sheikh Rashid bin Ahmed Al Mualla, UAE Supreme Council member and ruler of Umm al-Qaiwain announced that the Ruler's uncle Sheikh Ali Bin Rashid Bin Ahmed Al Mualla passed away this morning.

A statement issued by the Diwan, mourning the death of late Sheikh Ali Bin Rashid Al Mualla, and praying to Almighty God to bestow His mercy on the deceased, said that the funeral prayers will be offered at 10 am Tuesday morning at the Grand Mosque in Al-Ras area in Umm Al Qaiwain.

Phnom Penh - Cambodia's National Assembly on Tuesday passed a 2009 budget of 1.77 billion dollars, topping last year's expenditure plan by 28 per cent.

The budget came less than a week after a pledge of more than 1 billion dollars for 2009 from donor nations, and will increase government spending on defense, health, education and agriculture.

Defense and security will receive 20 per cent of the 2009 budget, while 16 per cent will go to education, 11 per cent to health, and agriculture will receive 1.7 per cent.

Abu Dhabi, Dec 09th, 2008 : At the largest congregation on earth, on the foothills of Mount Arafat, where the rituals of Hajj reach their peak, came the voice of the Grand Mufti. Witnessed by hundreds of millions around the world, he reminded once again that "terrorism is contrary to the teachings and tenets of Islam".

Khaleej Times dedicated its editorial today to this 'Voice of Reason' and wrote: 'The message from the Mount of Arafat is loud and clear: "The world must confront and criminalise terrorism we must be cautious of terrorism and fight hostile criminal gangs that destroy countries and people".