Fresh tribal violence hits fragile peace deal

NAIROBI At least 13 people were killed overnight in tribal fighting and a police crackdown in western Kenya, police said, in a further blow to a political peace deal. The deaths increased the weekend toll to 70 in Nyamira district, where clashes broke out after the killing of an opposition MP last week.

President Kibaki, who won a disputed election, and Raila Odinga, the opposition leader, have reached a tentative first peace deal, overseen by the former UN chief Kofi Annan, aimed at ending the unrest. Talks were due to resume today.

The deal called for illegal militias to be disbanded and for the investigation of all related crimes, including those allegedly committed by the police. (AFP)

39 killed in quakes

RWANDA Two earthquakes struck hours apart, first in Bukavu in Congo, then in Rusizi district of neighbouring Rwanda, killing at least 39 people, officials said. The affected areas are part of the Great Rift Valley, which includes an active fault line. (AP)

Balloonist missing

TOKYO A Japanese man remains missing after trying to cross the Pacific Ocean alone in a hot air balloon, his support group said. Michio Kanda, 58, lost satellite phone contact on Friday after leaving Japan on Thursday for America. (Reuters)

Nobel theft arrest

DHAKA Bangladeshi police have arrested a man in connection with the theft of the Nobel Prize medal of Rabindranath Tagore, the Indian poet. The medal was stolen from Visva-Bharati University in West Bengal, India, in March 2004. (Reuters)

Farc offers hostages

BOGOTÁ The main Colombian rebel army said it will free three politicians it has held for more than six years, pushing for an exchange for hundreds of rebels held in jail. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia set no date for the move. (AP)

Fin whale dies at port

JERUSALEM A 13m fin whale died when it became lost in an Israeli port near Ashkelon. Marine biologists who found the ten-month-old female calf think one of its fins was injured. They tried to push it back out to sea, but it resisted and sank. (AP)

Al-Qaeda charges

NOUAKCHOTT Mauritanian prosecutors charged three men with belonging to a group linked to al-Qaeda and murdering four French tourists by shooting them at a roadside on New Year’s Eve. Two were in custody while one was on the run, they said. (AP)

Diving out of draft

SEOUL Ninety-two footballers have been charged with avoiding military service by injuring themselves deliberately. An orthopaedic surgeon was charged with conspiring to help them. Several professionals are said to be among those indicted. (AP)

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