Rebels gather after talks
Juba Hundreds of Ugandan rebels, including Vincent Otti, the deputy commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army, have gathered at two locations in Sudan as part of a truce signed with the Government three weeks ago, the chief mediator of peace talks said yesterday.
Confirmation of the presence of the group’s deputy commander would be a significant boost to efforts to end one of Africa’s longest and most vicious civil wars. (Reuters)
Cyprus hope
Nicosia The Government of northern Cyprus has resigned, paving the way for Ferdi Sabit, the outgoing Prime Minister, to form a new Cabinet that promises to be more supportive of attempts to reunify the ethnically divided island. (Reuters)
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Aid for addicts
Beijing China will open 200 methadone clinics this year to help the rising number of heroin users to break their habit. The country has 101 clinics to cope with 700,000 known addicts. Officials also hope to cut the spread of Aids through infected needles. (AP)
Police chief killed
São Paulo The former police colonel who led the operation that caused Brazil’s infamous Carandiru prison massacre, in 1992, has been shot dead. Ubiratan Guimarães was found in his São Paulo flat after his family became worried that he was not answering his phone.
Model’s son dies
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Nassau The son of Anna Nicole Smith, the former Playboy model, died in his mother’s hospital room. Ms Smith, 38, who is disputing her 89-year-old husband’s will, gave birth to a girl last week. The cause of death of Daniel Smith, 20, is unknown. (AP)