A round up of today's other world stories in brief:
Rows escalate over key posts in Iraq
BAGHDAD - Backroom rows over key economic jobs in a new Iraqi government broke into the open yesterday when a small Shia party said it had pulled out of negotiations altogether and accused the US ambassador of interfering.
With 10 days left of the month allowed to him to present a cabinet to parliament, prime minister-designate Nuri al-Maliki is facing major headaches from within his own camp as Shia Islamist rivals battle for control of oil and other ministries.
- (Reuters)
Hundreds flee fighting in Somalia
MOGADISHU - Hundreds of terrified residents fled a barrage of rockets and mortars in Mogadishu yesterday as Islamic fighters and warlord militias fought pitched battles for control of the Somali capital.
Inhabitants of the battered city said at least 12 more people had died overnight and into Friday, pushing the death toll from six days of fighting to at least 133.
- (Reuters)
Ugandan president receives support
KAMPALA - African leaders turned out in force yesterday for the inauguration of Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni, showing solidarity with a leader accused by the West of using undemocratic means to cling to power.
Ten African leaders attended the colourful ceremony at an airfield in the capital Kampala.
- (Reuters)
Fraud scandal sees nine men in court
MADRID - Nine men appeared in a Spanish court yesterday accused of defrauding investors of hundreds of millions of euro by lying to them about the value of their investments in postage stamps.
The men were linked to Afinsa and Forum Filatelico, two privately-owned Madrid-based companies at the centre of what could be the biggest fraud scandal in Spanish history.
- (Reuters)
Inflation at 1,000% in Zimbabwe
PRETORIA - Zimbabwe's annual inflation rate soared above 1,000 per cent yesterday, highlighting the country's economic and political crisis. Fearing an angry reaction, president Robert Mugabe's government had delayed release of the statistic for two days.
"We already knew inflation was above 1,000% even before the news. We feel it every day," said a Harare factory worker, Iddah Mandaza. "It's hurting everyone." The rate, of 1,043%, is the world's highest.
- (Guardian service)
Explosions in Ethiopia kill four
ADDIS ABABA - Eight explosions tore through the Ethiopian capital yesterday, killing four people and injuring at least 43 in the latest of a series of mysterious blasts to strike Addis Ababa this year.
Police scrambled throughout the day to keep track of the apparently co-ordinated attacks across the city, which followed an earlier pattern targeting public areas and transportation.
- (Reuters)
Ex-ministers detained in Nepal
KATHMANDU - Nepal detained five ministers in the former royalist government yesterday, bowing to demands of pro-democracy activists to act against those responsible for a crackdown on popular anti-monarchy protests.
- (Reuters)
Canada seeks Kyoto softening
OTTAWA - Canada's new Conservative government, which says the Kyoto protocol is too onerous, is suggesting the accord be softened and wants Canada to be given a break because it is a major energy producer.
- (Reuters)