News In Brief

News International now News UK
Afp, London

The British newspaper unit of Rupert Murdoch's media empire yesterday said it was changing its name from News International to 'News UK' as it seeks to rebuild the brand following the phone-hacking scandal.
The renaming of News International, which owns The Sun, The Times and the Sunday Times, comes ahead of the completion on Friday of a major reorganisation of Murdoch's global News Corp.
London-based News International said its new name and logo, which take effect immediately, reflected the company's "ongoing commitment" to the British market.

SE Asia's smog crisis under control
Afp, Dumai

Fires in Indonesia that have blanketed Singapore and Malaysia in thick smog eased yesterday after heavy rain, boosting hopes of an end to Southeast Asia's worst air pollution crisis for years.
The smog from slash-and-burn agricultural fires on Sumatra island pushed haze levels to a record high in Singapore last week, shrouding residential buildings and downtown skyscrapers.

Israel reopens Gaza crossings
Afp, Jerusalem

The Israeli army yesterday reopened the two crossings into the Gaza Strip which were closed as a punitive measure after militants fired five rockets over the border, a statement said.
Late on Sunday, militants fired five rockets at southern Israel causing no damage. Israeli military retaliated with number of air strikes.

Qatar to name new PM
Afp, Doha

Qatar's state minister for internal affairs is tipped to succeed powerful Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani as prime minister in an expected cabinet reshuffle by the new emir, sources said yesterday.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, 33, succeeded his 61-year-old father who voluntarily abdicated as emir on Tuesday, making his son the youngest ruler in Gulf Arab states.

Cops disperse Turkey protesters
Afp, Ankara

Turkish riot police fired tear gas and water cannon early yesterday to disperse some 2,000 protesters in the capital Ankara, making 16 arrests.
Protesters had gathered overnight in the Dikmen district of the capital and attempted to erect barricades to block traffic on a main artery.
Protests initially sparked by a brutal police action against a local conservation battle to save Istanbul's Gezi Park snowballed into nationwide demonstrations against the Islamic-rooted government, leaving four dead and nearly 8,000 injured.