A roundup of today's other world stories in brief:
Six Canadian Nato troops killed by bomb
KABUL- Six Nato soldiers, who were Canadian citizens, were killed in southern Afghanistan yesterday when their vehicle was blown up by a roadside bomb, a coalition spokesman said. At least one soldier was injured.
It was the worst single incident for the 33,000-strong multinational force fighting Taliban insurgents in several months.
Earlier in the day, one Nato soldier was killed and another injured by a similar bomb in another part of the volatile south. The latest deaths bring the Canadian toll to 51 since Ottawa sent troops to Afghanistan in 2002.
- (Reuters)
Yayi gains control of parliament
COTONOU- Benin president Thomas Boni Yayi's coalition has won control of parliament in the west African country, according to election results announced by the constitutional court.
Mr Yayi, a former development banker elected a year ago, has said wresting control of parliament from Benin's traditional elite is key to pushing through anti-corruption reforms which he claims prompted an assassination bid last month.
- (Reuters)
Sarkozy extends lead in poll
PARIS- Right-wing presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy has extended his lead over his main rival, Socialist Ségolène Royal, but a poll yesterday showed nearly half of French voters were undecided over who to back. With just two weeks to the first round of the election, the CSA poll for Le Parisiannewspaper said 42 per cent were unsure which way to vote.
- (Reuters)
Bird flu outbreak in Bangladesh
DHAKA- Bangladesh has culled 3,000 chickens after an outbreak of bird flu was confirmed at a new farm near the capital Dhaka, officials said yesterday.
"The new farm is located at Savar, where the H5N1 virus was first detected in six farms on March 22nd," a fisheries and livestock ministry official said.
He said hundreds of veterinary and health officials had been mobilised.
- (Reuters)
US urges inclusive process in Somalia
BAIDOA- The top US diplomat for Africa met officials of Somalia's interim government on Saturday to urge them to open up the political process to all Somalis who eschew violence and extremism and clear the way for a reconciliation conference in Mogadishu.
US assistant secretary of state for African affairs Jendayi Frazer met President Abdullahi Yusuf, prime minister Ali Mohamed and parliamentary leaders, urging them to foster an inclusive political process.
US 'allowed secret arms deal'
NEW YORK- The Bush administration allowed Ethiopia to complete a secret arms purchase from North Korea in an apparent violation of a UN Security Council sanctions resolution passed months earlier over its nuclear test, The New York Timesreported yesterday.
Citing unnamed US officials from a number of agencies, the Timessaid the US allowed the January arms delivery in part because Ethiopia was fighting Islamic militias in Somalia.
- (Reuters)