World Trade Organization’s (WTO) mini-ministerial on Monday kicked-off as the political storm in New Delhi kept affecting it.

The place of commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath has already been taken over by commerce secretary GK Pillai, through the trust vote in the first two days of the meet. Further, in case the UPA government is voted out, it will lead in collapsing the negotiations.

A senior official said, "Everybody is watching closely the developments in India. If the government collapses, it is possible they may wrap up the talks.”

Washington - The United States on Tuesday criticized a 2- billion-dollar Russian package of arms sales to Venezuela, saying the weaponry pursued by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez goes beyond the country's defensive needs.

"We've repeatedly communicated concerns with Russia about Chavez's arms build-up in the past, and we're going to continue to do so," Gonzalo Gallegos, a US State Department spokesman said.

"We continue to question ... whether such acquisitions are in line with Venezuela's legitimate defense needs," Gallegos added.

New Delhi, July 22 : Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Amar Singh today blamed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of "kidnapping" six MPs of his party.

Speaking to reporters, Amar Singh claimed that Mayawati has forcibly kept six MPs of his party inside Uttar Pradesh Bhavan.

Commenting on the issue of MPs, who were being poached to muster the required strength to save the government, he alleged, "It is Mayawati who is trying to split parties by poaching MPs."

Nairobi/Addis Ababa  - African Union foreign ministers Monday expressed their backing for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in his confrontation with the International Criminal Court.

ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo has asked the court in The Hague to issue an arrest warrant for al-Bashir on suspicion of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity over events in Darfur.

New Delhi, July 19 :