The head of Libya’s transitional government tried to reassure Western powers which helped topple Muammar Gaddafi that the country’s new leaders were moderate Muslims, after a speech that emphasised the Islamisation of Libya.

The Saudi Justice Ministry announced that a girl who was gang raped by seven men and then sentenced to six months prison and 200 lashes for adultery had confessed to cheating on her husband, in its latest response to the negative international reaction to the incident.

Al-Qaida’s number-two leader tonight criticised the Palestinian group Hamas for agreeing to respect past agreements with Israel as part of an accord to form a national unity government.

A man holding dual Pakistani and British nationality on death row for murder has been granted a stay of execution in Pakistan until October 1.

THE framers of Iraq’s constitution appear likely to enshrine Islam as the main basis of law in the country - a stronger role than the US had hoped for and one some Iraqis fear will mean a more fundamentalist regime.

IN Iraq’s south, where people favour US jeans, Italian- style shoes and pledge allegiance to football teams as readily as religious figures, many fear their lifestyle is under attack.

SINGLE mother Amina Lawal has launched an appeal against an adultery conviction that could see her become the first Nigerian to be stoned to death since the return of Islamic law.