In Brief

I’M WELL – Fidel Castro, looking gaunt and wearing pajamas in new photos, says that his stitches are out and despite losing 18 kilogrammes from intestinal surgery the “most critical moment” of his health crisis has passed.

The 80-year-old also said in a Tuesday statement he’s ready to receive “distinguished visitors” – an apparent reference to the heads of state and government expected in Havana for next week’s summit of nonaligned nations. It was not clear, however, whether he would be well enough to actually host the event.”Today I am recovering at a satisfactory rhythm,” Castro said in the statement published in the Communist Party daily Granma, which was accompanied by new photographs of him.*IN NEED – Zimbabwe’s police chief says his force is starved for funds and lacks basic equipment to carry out its job, say reports.Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri was quoted as saying: “We, as police are at a minimum in terms of resources.”Chihuri told a parliamentary committee on defence and home affairs that the police force was given Z$1,4bn ($5.6m) this year, but the money ran out in a month.*PROGRESS – Peace talks between Somalia’s interim government and a rival Islamist movement cannot advance until Ethiopian troops who support the government are removed from Somali soil, a senior Islamist said on Tuesday.After three days, the second round of Arab League-mediated talks in the Sudanese capital ended with a deal in principle to eventually form joint Somali military forces and a resolve to return for political power-sharing negotiations in October.*TRAGEDY – A bus accident early yesterday in Egypt’s Red Sea coast left eight people dead and 42 wounded, said official sources.The bus, en route across the Red Sea coast, was carrying 50 Egyptian Muslim passengers on a pilgrimage.The sources said five of the injured were in critical condition.The road accident was attributed to speed.*PROTEST -Sudanese opposition groups were set to challenge Khartoum yesterday with a second protest against price increases for basic goods after security forces violently dispersed similar demonstrations a week ago.The organisers, dozens of whom have been arrested in the past week, vowed they would not stop until their democratic right to protest peacefully was granted to them.*LAW – Iraq’s dominant Shiite alliance submitted yesterday a draft of a new law to govern the division of the country into autonomous regions amid ongoing violence between rival ethnic and religious groups.*FINAL RESTING PLACE – Murdered United States rap artist and actor Tupac Shakur is to find a final resting place in the South African township of Soweto, where his ashes are to be buried as part of a memorial project planned by local authorities and his relatives, it was reported yesterdayNampa-AP-AFP-ReutersIt was not clear, however, whether he would be well enough to actually host the event.”Today I am recovering at a satisfactory rhythm,” Castro said in the statement published in the Communist Party daily Granma, which was accompanied by new photographs of him.*IN NEED – Zimbabwe’s police chief says his force is starved for funds and lacks basic equipment to carry out its job, say reports.Police commissioner Augustine Chihuri was quoted as saying: “We, as police are at a minimum in terms of resources.”Chihuri told a parliamentary committee on defence and home affairs that the police force was given Z$1,4bn ($5.6m) this year, but the money ran out in a month.*PROGRESS – Peace talks between Somalia’s interim government and a rival Islamist movement cannot advance until Ethiopian troops who support the government are removed from Somali soil, a senior Islamist said on Tuesday.After three days, the second round of Arab League-mediated talks in the Sudanese capital ended with a deal in principle to eventually form joint Somali military forces and a resolve to return for political power-sharing negotiations in October.*TRAGEDY – A bus accident early yesterday in Egypt’s Red Sea coast left eight people dead and 42 wounded, said official sources.The bus, en route across the Red Sea coast, was carrying 50 Egyptian Muslim passengers on a pilgrimage.The sources said five of the injured were in critical condition.The road accident was attributed to speed.*PROTEST -Sudanese opposition groups were set to challenge Khartoum yesterday with a second protest against price increases for basic goods after security forces violently dispersed similar demonstrations a week ago.The organisers, dozens of whom have been arrested in the past week, vowed they would not stop until their democratic right to protest peacefully was granted to them.*LAW – Iraq’s dominant Shiite alliance submitted yesterday a draft of a new law to govern the division of the country into autonomous regions amid ongoing violence between rival ethnic and religious groups.*FINAL RESTING PLACE – Murdered United States rap artist and actor Tupac Shakur is to find a final resting place in the South African township of Soweto, where his ashes are to be buried as part of a memorial project planned by local authorities and his relatives, it was reported yesterday Nampa-AP-AFP-Reuters