World in brief

Sudan, rebels sign deal to end civil war

UNITED NATIONS - The Islamic government of Sudan and rebels in the Christian and animist south signed a pact on Wednesday pledging to end 21 years of war in which 2-million people have died.

The accord, signed after two years of peace talks in Naivasha, Kenya, provides for political power-sharing, a split in oil revenues, the maintenance of separate armies with integrated forces deployed in strategic areas and a future referendum allowing southerners to decide whether to remain part of Sudan or secede.

Diplomats hope the agreement will halt the north-south conflict, which started in 1983 and is Africa's longest civil war.

WASHINGTON - The scheduled arrival beginning next week of a U.N. security force in Haiti means the 1,900 U.S. Marines in the Caribbean nation will complete their mission and return home by the end of June, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

The Marines began arriving in Haiti on March 1 to help stabilize the country after the resignation of President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

Brig. Gen. David Rodriquez, the deputy director of operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Marines should leave Haiti by June 30. Most of them came from Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Also part of the U.S.-led force in Haiti are about 1,700 troops from France, Canada and Chile.

TEL AVIV, Israel - Israeli police have arrested the British journalist who interviewed Israeli nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu in 1986, disclosing details about Israel's nuclear weapons program, security officials said Wednesday.

The journalist, Peter Hounam, was arrested in Israel, but no other details were given because of a gag order, Israel Radio said.

Vanunu was released April 21 after serving an 18-year prison sentence for espionage and treason. Hounam was in Israel to greet Vanunu and prepare a documentary about his case for the British Broadcasting Corp.

GAZA RAID: In Gaza early today, three Israeli tanks and a bulldozer entered Palestinian territory outside the town of Deir el-Balah and destroyed three Palestinian houses, witnesses and Palestinian security officials said.

The military said an operation was in an area where militants operate. On Wednesday, two Israeli soldiers were slightly wounded in a Palestinian rocket attack nearby, and soldiers destroyed a rocket launcher on the roof of a building where Palestinians were living, the military said.

PAKISTAN BOMBINGS: Two car bombs exploded minutes apart by a language school close to the U.S. Consul's residence in Karachi, Pakistan, on Wednesday, killing a police officer and wounding 25 people.

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