A round-up of today's world news in brief
Peacekeepers urged to end Kenya violence
NAIROBI- Kenya's opposition leader, Raila Odinga, yesterday called for international peacekeepers to help restore calm in a country once considered one of the most stable on the continent, as weeks of violence linked to the disputed presidential election gathered momentum.
In western Kenya, the epicentre of some of the worst bloodshed since the December 27th vote, gangs with machetes and bows and arrows faced off, and black smoke billowed from torched homes.
More than 800 people have died and 300,000 have been forced from their homes since the election, which observers say was rigged. - (AP)
Farc to hand over hostages to Chávez
BOGOTA- Colombia's government yesterday cleared the way for Farc guerrillas to hand over three more hostages to Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez even as the Andean neighbours quarrel over his role in freeing rebel captives.
The Farc - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - said this weekend it planned to release three former Colombian lawmakers to Mr Chávez or a delegate soon because of their poor health after six years' captivity in jungle camps. - (Reuters)
Naming McCanns as suspects 'hasty'
LISBON- The head of Portugal's police said authorities were hasty in naming the parents of Madeleine McCann suspects in her disappearance, increasing pressure for the British couple to be cleared as suspects in the inquiry.
Alipio Ribeiro said in an interview published in Portuguese daily Publico on Sunday that there was "a certain hastiness" in making Kate and Gerry McCann suspects four months after Madeleine vanished from their holiday apartment in the Algarve. - (Reuters)
Havel released from hospital
PRAGUE- Former Czech president Vaclav Havel left hospital after two weeks of treatment for a heart problem, news agency CTK said yesterday. Havel (71) had been admitted to hospital with heart arrhythmia and worsening of his chronic bronchitis on January 19th. - (Reuters)
Soldiers arrested after pub brawl
LONDON- Nine British soldiers have been arrested following a pub brawl in a holiday resort in Cyprus, the UK ministry of defence said yesterday. They have been charged with an array of public order offences, a spokesman said. - (Reuters)