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Sarkozy meets with Karzai in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- French President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged his country's military support against terrorism during a surprise visit to Afghanistan Saturday.

"Here there is a war against terrorism, against fanaticism, that we cannot and must not lose," Sarkozy said. "That is why it is important that we help with the emergence of an Afghan state that is legitimate, democratic and modern."

Sarkozy spoke with reporters after meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, near where many of France's 1,300 soldiers are based, the BBC reported.

Sarkozy was to spend the day in Afghanistan visiting with French troops.

Poland to pull troops from Iraq

WARSAW, Poland, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Poland plans to withdraw its 900 troops from Iraq by the end of October 2008.

Polish President Lech Kaczynski Friday approved his government's plan to withdraw the troops, a promise made by new Prime Minster Donald Tusk in his inaugural speech last month, the Russian Information Agency Novosti reported Saturday.

Kaczynski, a strong supporter of the United States, had resisted withdrawing troops from Iraq and until the last election had the support of a Polish government led by his twin brother, ex-premier Jarolslaw Kaczynski.

Poland has had troops in Iraq since the beginning of the war in 2003. In all, 25 Polish soldiers have been killed in Iraq, RIA Novosti reported.

Strong earthquake hits Indonesia

JAYAPURA, Indonesia, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- A strong earthquake struck Saturday in a largely uninhabited area near the north coast of Papua in Indonesia.

There were no reports of casualties or damage from the quake, which registered a 6.4 magnitude on the Richter Scale, and was centered about 23 miles below ground, CNN reported.

The region, known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, is one of the world's most seismically active.

In 2004, more than 130,000 people died after earthquakes triggered a tsunami that swamped parts of Indonesia.

Thailand remains in political turmoil

BANGKOK, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Thai voters go to the polls Sunday with no party expected to win enough of a majority to ease Thailand's political turmoil.

The prime minister's race is between Abhisit Vejjajiva, 43, the British-born and Oxford educated leader of the Democrat Party and Samak Sundaravej, 73, a political veteran who leads the newly formed People Power Party, the PPP, the BBC reported Saturday.

Sundaravej is backed by Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister overthrown in a military coup last year who now lives in London and owns the Manchester City Football Club. Shinawatra remains popular in Thailand and has said he will return from exile in February, though he is banned from politics amid charges of corruption, The Telegraph reported Saturday.

Campaigning for Sunday's election has been marked by accusations of cheating and dirty tricks.

Strikes planned at major British airports

LONDON, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Workers at seven major airports in Britain have called a strike next month over a proposal to close the pension plan to new employees.

Members of the trade union, Unite, who work for airport owners BAA, have scheduled 24-hour strikes for Jan. 7 and Jan. 14. If an agreement is not reached, the union plans a 48-hour strike starting Jan. 17, The Telegraph reported Saturday.

The union members, including firefighters, security guards and operational staff, plan to strike at Heathrow, Stansted, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton airports, the Telegraph reported.

The walkout could disrupt travel for more than one million passengers and strand thousands of planes, the newspaper reported.