A round-up of today's other stories in brief.
Nepal's rebels for interim government
KATHMANDU - Nepal's Maoist rebel leader held ground-breaking talks yesterday with the government, which agreed to dissolve parliament and set up an interim administration to include the rebels.
Rebel chief Prachanda said after nearly 10 hours of talks with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and political party leaders that an interim constitution will be prepared within three weeks and later a new interim government will be formed. - (Reuters)
Bird flu found in Canadian province
OTTAWA - Canada has detected a case of H5 avian flu in the eastern province of Prince Edward Island and plans further testing over the weekend to determine the strain and virulency, a provincial health officer announced yesterday.
A gosling in a small backyard poultry flock in the western end of the province contracted the disease. - (Reuters)
Police arrest son of Italy's last king
ROME - Prince Victor Emmanuel, 69-year-old son of Italy's last king, was arrested yesterday as part of an investigation into corruption and prostitution, a judicial source said.
Victor Emmanuel was among about 13 people arrested as part of a police operation focusing on the activities of a casino in northern Italy.
Among those detained was a top aide to the foreign minister in former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's government, which lost power in a national election in April. - (Reuters)
US inquiry into Iraq massacre
BAGHDAD - An inquiry into whether US marines lied about the killing of up to 24 Iraqis in the city of Haditha last year is complete and a top commander is reviewing its findings, the US military said yesterday.
Lieut Gen Peter Chiarelli, head of US ground forces in Iraq, received the findings of the investigation and would either approve them, add his own conclusions or request more information from the investigating officer. - (Reuters)
Bomb injures three in Turkey
BASKALE - A remote-controlled bomb left in a rubbish bin slightly injured three people in the town of Baskale in eastern Turkey yesterday, state news agency Anatolian reported. - (Reuters)
Israeli air strike kills Gaza resident
GAZA - An Israeli air strike on a car in Gaza City killed a Palestinian yesterday, Palestinian medics said.
The Israeli army said it was checking the report.
Israel killed 16 Palestinians during the past week in missile strikes as militants in Gaza fired dozens of rockets into the Jewish state. - (Reuters)
Deal to end strike in riot-hit Guinea
CONAKRY - Guinea's most powerful unions reached a deal with the government yesterday to end an eight-day-old general strike which had triggered widespread rioting and brought the west African country to a standstill.
Shops and government offices in the coastal capital Conakry remained shuttered yesterday after students rioted across the mineral-rich former French colony this week. - (Reuters)
UN backs transfer of Taylor for trial
FREETOWN - Former Liberian leader Charles Taylor could be transferred to The Hague within weeks to stand trial for war crimes after the UN Security Council unanimously authorised his transfer yesterday.
Taylor faces 11 charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity for backing Sierra Leone's Revolutionary United Front rebels. - (Reuters)