Nepal: Nepal's Maoist rebels declared a three-month ceasefire today (Thursday), after incoming Prime Minister G.P. Koirala assured them parliament will set elections for an assembly to draft a new constitution. A statement by rebel leader Prachanda says Maoist fighters will refrain from attacking government targets, adding they declared the truce to show their support for the Nepalese people's wishes for peace.
Sri Lanka: Landmine blasts in Sri Lanka killed two sailors today (Thursday) and wounded two government commandos in the north of the country. The two sailors were riding a motorcycle in the government-held enclave of Jaffna when an antipersonnel mine exploded, mortally wounding them. The commandos were wounded in a separate attack near Sri Lanka's northwest coast. Officials blame both attacks on Tamil rebels.
US-Iraq: U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld have met in Baghdad with Iraq's new prime minister-designate and other top leaders. The two senior members of President Bush's Cabinet praised the new prime minister, Jawad al-Maliki, who was nominated for the top government post last week (by the Iraqi parliament's largest Shi'ite voting bloc).
Singapore Pol: Singapore's opposition parties are denying the ruling party a walkover victory in upcoming general elections for the first time in nearly two decades. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said today (Thursday) that in the May 6th ballot his People's Action Party (P.A.P.) no longer will have a majority of candidates running unopposed.
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