Nearly a year after a US raid killed Osama bin Laden, his core al-Qaeda network in Pakistan is "essentially gone" say US intelligence officials.

Israel’s Defence Minister has called on world leaders to tighten sanctions on Iran before it enters a zone of immunity against its nuclear programme.

As Saudi Arabia mourns the death of Crown Prince Sultan, King Abdullah prepares to nominate his new heir.

President Barack Obama will nominate CIA director Leon Panetta as US defence secretary and General David Petraeus as head of the CIA, officials said.