Brunei

A Brunei government official Tuesday confirmed that his country had given some aid to help the contras in Nicaragua. "It was made on humanitarian grounds," said the official from the prime minister's department. He declined to be identified. He also refused to say whether the payment was in cash and would not confirm reports that the contribution was less than $10 million. The payment was made after a brief visit to Brunei, an oil-rich country near Borneo, by U.S.

Azerbaijan taunting Iran with Azerbaijani confab, Israel visit Through Tuesday, April 23 - Azerbaijan has sent its foreign minister to Israel this week for the first time since the former Soviet republic re-embraced its Islamic heritage 22 years ago after independence from the communist ideology and atheism long imposed by Moscow. The overture could further upset Iran, which last month protested a conference of Azeris in the capital, Baku, that included an Iranian delegation of the ethnic group that seeks autonomy from Tehran.  Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov meets with top Israeli and Palestinian officials Monday and Tuesday to discuss regional tensions and the potential for economic collaboration, the Baku government said in announcing the visit.

Leather footwear and a walking stick believed to have been used by the prophet Muhammad drew thousands to an International Islamic Expo in this tiny sultanate. The showcase for artifacts and modern goods from Muslim nations was a rarity for Brunei, whose closest neighbors are southeast Asia's other predominantly Muslim lands, Malaysia and Indonesia. Items linked to Muhammad and his family were lent by a Pakistan mosque and private collections.

The smallish young woman in the black headscarf spoke just above a whisper. Tears welled in her dark eyes as she talked about competing in the 2012 London Olympics. "Yes," she said, "this is my dream come true. " It wasn't anything as trivial as victory or defeat that made Bahya Mansour Al Hamad turn emotional. The 20-year-old had just finished the 10-meter air rifle, an event not many people care or even know about. Her 17th-place finish left her well out of the medals. But three letters on her athlete's bib said it all. "QAT" stands for Qatar, a country that had never before allowed women on its Olympic team.

The Sultan of Brunei is asking for the return of his $10 million, which mistakenly went to a Swiss businessman instead of Nicaraguan contra rebels, a Geneva magistrate said today. Magistrate Vladimir Stemberger, who froze the funds when the case was disclosed last month, said the sultan asked for his money through the Zurich branch of Citibank. "A formal written demand from the sultan is following," Stemberger said.

Brunei's ruler feted Southeast Asian leaders on his 60th birthday at a lavish dinner for 10,000 people and gave a rare pay raise to government workers on the back of high oil revenue. Sultan Sir Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's richest men, served veal and chicken liver to officials and ministers from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand at his 1,788-room Istana Nurul Iman, the world's biggest palace.

Control of Adnan Khashoggi's prized yacht, the Nabila, has been seized by the Sultan of Brunei for nonpayment of a $50-million loan, The Times has learned, in the latest in a series of financial setbacks bedeviling the Saudi Arabian businessman who was a key middleman in U.S.-Iran arms deals last year. It also has been confirmed that Khashoggi's luxury DC-8 jetliner has been grounded by litigation over a $15-million loan he defaulted on last year.

Like an aftershock from last week's earthquake, the Sultan of Brunei sent tremors throughout Los Angeles Wednesday with his reported purchase of the legendary Beverly Hills Hotel from tycoon Marvin Davis. The sale, announced Tuesday, was the latest display of nearly unlimited wealth by a mysterious Pacific potentate who, at age 41, may well be the richest man in the world.

The smallish young woman in the black headscarf spoke just above a whisper. Tears welled in her dark eyes as she talked about competing in the 2012 London Olympics. "Yes," she said, "this is my dream come true. " It wasn't anything as trivial as victory or defeat that made Bahya Mansour Al Hamad turn emotional. The 20-year-old had just finished the 10-meter air rifle, an event not many people care or even know about. Her 17th-place finish left her well out of the medals. But three letters on her athlete's bib said it all. "QAT" stands for Qatar, a country that had never before allowed women on its Olympic team.

Burglars stole jewelry and cash worth an estimated $6 million from the London home of the brother of the world's richest man, the Sultan Muda Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei. The house belongs to Prince Jefri, Brunei's finance minister, and his wife Princess Norhayti.

He's been called the "Playboy Prince," famous for luxuries big and small -- planes, yachts, cars, even gold-plated toilet-roll holders. Brunei's disgraced Prince Jefri Bolkiah may have to adopt a more modest lifestyle now. A British court ordered him to surrender ownership of prestigious U.S. hotels and European homes to the Brunei government's investment arm as payback for allegedly helping himself to billions of dollars from state coffers.

Brunei's ruler feted Southeast Asian leaders on his 60th birthday at a lavish dinner for 10,000 people and gave a rare pay raise to government workers on the back of high oil revenue. Sultan Sir Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the world's richest men, served veal and chicken liver to officials and ministers from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand at his 1,788-room Istana Nurul Iman, the world's biggest palace.

Brunei said an appeals court upheld an order requiring exiled Prince Jefri Bolkiah to hand over mansions and hotels. The tiny, oil-rich sultanate has been demanding the return of billions of dollars that the prince is accused of squandering as head of the Brunei Investment Agency. Jefri, younger brother of the sultan, was required to transfer to the agency assets that included prime property such as the New York Palace Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air, the agency said.

Brunei's absolute ruler signed a constitutional amendment that could lead to the tiny oil-rich sultanate's first elections in nearly four decades. The move came after Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah convened a 21-member appointed legislature for the first time in 20 years. The amendment would allow for a partly elected parliament, but no other details were given.

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said he was unaware of a videotape purportedly made in Malaysia showing one of the Sept. 11 hijacking suspects meeting an Osama bin Laden operative. The videotape, reportedly made in January 2000, is said to show a meeting between a suspect in the attack on the U.S. warship Cole last year in Yemen and Khalid Almihdhar, one of the suspected hijackers who flew a plane into the Pentagon.

Leather footwear and a walking stick believed to have been used by the prophet Muhammad drew thousands to an International Islamic Expo in this tiny sultanate. The showcase for artifacts and modern goods from Muslim nations was a rarity for Brunei, whose closest neighbors are southeast Asia's other predominantly Muslim lands, Malaysia and Indonesia. Items linked to Muhammad and his family were lent by a Pakistan mosque and private collections.

Brunei said an appeals court upheld an order requiring exiled Prince Jefri Bolkiah to hand over mansions and hotels. The tiny, oil-rich sultanate has been demanding the return of billions of dollars that the prince is accused of squandering as head of the Brunei Investment Agency. Jefri, younger brother of the sultan, was required to transfer to the agency assets that included prime property such as the New York Palace Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air, the agency said.

Brunei's absolute ruler signed a constitutional amendment that could lead to the tiny oil-rich sultanate's first elections in nearly four decades. The move came after Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah convened a 21-member appointed legislature for the first time in 20 years. The amendment would allow for a partly elected parliament, but no other details were given.

It is a display of royal waste and self-indulgence usually kept hidden behind palace walls in this rich and tiny kingdom. There are gold-plated toilet paper holders and gold-plated wastebaskets. There are marble toilets, crystal chandeliers and monogrammed cutlery. There is a giant bronze rocking horse, a Comanche helicopter flight simulator and a couch shaped like the back end of a Cadillac.

The Sultan of Brunei, one of the world's richest men, left Oklahoma City after a five-day hospital stay for undisclosed medical reasons, a spokeswoman at University Hospital said. Local media reports had said that Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, who arrived Monday, was there for heart treatment for himself or for his son. Hospital officials declined to comment on the reason for the sultan's visit but said they may hold a news conference.