Israeli navy 'seizes arms ship'

Israel's navy has intercepted a ship carrying weapons some 160km (100 miles) off its coast, the military says.

Marines boarded the Antiguan-flagged vessel, discovered it was carrying weapons and towed it to the port of Ashdod, a military spokesperson said.

No details of the ship's destination or the types of weapons it was carrying have been given.

In recent months Israel has stepped up efforts to combat the smuggling of arms to Hamas and Hezbollah militants.

PM's congratulations

The vessel was intercepted during a routine patrol by the navy.

Israeli media reports said the weapons were concealed as commercial freight.

The media quoted anonymous defence officials as saying the arms included anti-tank missiles and could have been bound either for Syria or for Hezbollah militants in Lebanon - with the source of the weapons assumed to be Iran.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak said in a statement that the weapons were being sent to what he called "the terrorist arena in the north".

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated the Israeli army, navy and security forces on a successful action to prevent the supply of weapons that he said were destined to strike Israel's cities.

Since Israel's offensive in Gaza last December and January, the Israeli navy and air force have been have conducting intense searches in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea for ships smuggling weapons either to Hezbollah or to Hamas in Gaza.

In February, Israel said a vessel detained off Cyprus was carrying Iranian weapons to Hamas in Gaza.

Iran denied the claim.

In 2002 the Israeli navy captured the Karin-A, which was carrying some 50 tonnes of arms thought to be destined for Gaza.

Iran police clash with protesters

Police have clashed with opposition supporters in the Iranian capital, Tehran, witnesses and state media say.

Police used tear gas and batons, said witnesses. Unconfirmed reports said the authorities had also opened fire.

Video posted on a reformist website showed hundreds of opposition supporters chanting "death to dictators" in a central square.

It came as an officially backed demonstration was held to mark 30 years since the seizure of the US embassy.

Thousands of people turned out for the anti-American rally, about 1.5km (0.9 miles) from where opposition supporters gathered in Haft-e Tir square.

Riot police and pro-government militiamen had packed the streets in central Tehran, and security forces had made a number of arrests, reports said.

Iran's Irna news agency said protesters had set fire to rubbish bins and attacked a bus, and that two policemen had been injured.

It also reported that security forces had used tear gas in some parts of the city to disperse protesters.

Authorities have placed severe restrictions on foreign news organisations, making it difficult to verify reports.

Obama statement

Reformist leaders had urged their supporters to attend peaceful rallies at the former US embassy. In November 1979, 52 US diplomats were taken hostage at the embassy and held for 444 days by Islamist students in support of the Iranian revolution.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards had warned opposition groups not to stage demonstrations on the anniversary.

Thousands turned out for the anti-American rally

Opposition leader and former presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi briefly joined the protesters in Haft-e Tir square, according to a reformist website, Mowjcamp.

Unconfirmed reports were circulating that police had surrounded the house of another reformist leader, Mir-Hossein Mousavi, to prevent him from joining any demonstration.

Since June, Iranian opposition supporters have held repeated protests over elections they say were rigged to ensure the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

At least 30 protesters have been killed in clashes and thousands arrested.

Some 200 opposition activists remain behind bars. Three have been sentenced to death.

On Wednesday's anniversary of the seizure of the US embassy, US President Barack Obama released a statement in which he urged Iran to move beyond the "suspicion, mistrust, and confrontation" that had prevailed between Iran and the US since then.

"Iran must choose," the statement said. "We have heard for 30 years what the Iranian government is against; the question now is what kind of future it is for."

Xinjiang police to 'strike hard'

Security forces in the Chinese province of Xinjiang have said they will "strike hard" against crime and disorder.

Officials vowed to "root out" crime and and "change the face of the public security" in the western province, after deadly unrest earlier this year.

Nearly 200 people died in July's rioting between ethnic Uighurs and members of the majority Han group.

A total of 21 people have been found guilty of involvement in the unrest and 12 people have been sentenced to death.

The Xinjiang authorities, quoted in state media, said the "strike hard and rectify" campaign would run until the end of the year to "further consolidate the fruits of maintaining stability and eliminate security dangers".

They said they would "root out places where criminals breed, and change the face of the public security situation in these areas".

The Xinhua news agency said local police would continue to hunt down suspects in the riots and "keep a close eye on clues and cases involving terrorism and explosions".

Swift justice

The violence in Xinjiang erupted on 5 July, when protest by ethnic Uighurs left at least 197 people dead and another 1,700 injured. Two days later, groups of Han went looking for revenge as police struggled to restore order.

Most of those killed were Han, according to officials, and Urumqi's Han population had demanded swift justice.

Last week, the death sentences against 12 people were upheld by an appeals court.

China says it is facing a separatist uprising from Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, but critics say Beijing is exaggerating the threat to justify its tight control of the province.

Karzai pledges 'clean' government

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has pledged to lead a "clean" government, a day after winning a new five-year term.

In his first remarks since being declared winner of August's fraud-marred election, he said he would "eradicate the stain" of corruption.

He also pledged an inclusive government for anyone who wanted to work with him whether they supported or opposed him.

Poll officials scrapped a planned run-off after Mr Karzai's challenger pulled out, saying the vote would not be free.

Mr Karzai said in Tuesday's news conference that it would have been better if Abdullah Abdullah, the former foreign minister, had taken part in the vote, which was scheduled for 7 November.

Mr Karzai's administration has been accused of widespread corruption.

On Monday, US President Barack Obama asked Mr Karzai to intensify efforts to eradicate it.

First elected president in 2004, Mr Karzai had been the favourite to win the abandoned second round.