Cairo, ap: Al-Jazeera television on Friday broadcast what it described as excerpts from a new audio tape by Osama bin Laden, in which the al-Qaeda leader criticised Palestinian negotiations with Israel and urged holy war for the liberation of Palestine.

The voice in a new audio message from al-Qaeda was indeed bin Laden’s, the White House said. “I know the intelligence community has analysed the tape and they do believe that it is the voice of Osama bin Laden,” White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

Israel, Germany against Iran nuke

Jerusalem, pti: Stepping up pressure on Iran, Israel and Germany have planned an international conference aimed at stopping Tehran’s nuclear programme and will try to garner support for the initiative from countries like the US and Britain.

The conference was planned during a working meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert during her three-day visit to the Jewish state earlier this week, daily Ha’aretz reported.

Japan’s Navy chief sacked

Tokyo, afp: Japan’s Defence Minister on Friday dismissed the Navy chief and punished nearly 90 officials after a string of scandals including a naval accident that killed two fishermen.

Japan’s most advanced destroyer, Atago, last month rammed into a small tuna fishing boat near Tokyo Bay, killing a fisherman and his adult son and triggering a public uproar.

“We deeply apologise to the people,” Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba told reporters.