Russia
Bomb suspects arrested
Suspects in a string of bombings in southern Russia that killed at least 21 people the worst act of terrorism in the region in months have been arrested, a top security official said Sunday. At least six other suspects are sought.
Three cars stuffed with bombs exploded almost simultaneously Saturday in three towns near Chechnya.
The most deadly explosion occurred near a bustling farmer's market in the city of Mineralnye Vody. Nineteen people were killed in thet morning blast, and 70 victims remained hospitalized Sunday.
About the same time, two Interior Ministry inspectors were killed in a car bombing on a highway, and a third bomb was detonated near the entrance to a traffic police station in the town of Yessentuki.
New Zealand
Relations opened with North Korea
New Zealand will establish diplomatic relations today with communist North Korea, officials said Sunday.
New Zealand hopes the move will enable it to discuss security and humanitarian issues with Pyongyang and to help defuse tension on the Korean peninsula, an official statement said.
New Zealand has been providing modest amounts of food and financial aid to the reclusive communist nation as it emerges from years of diplomatic isolation.
New Zealand is the ninth country to open diplomatic ties with North Korea this year, following Brazil, the Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg and Greece. Australia resumed diplomatic ties with North Korea early last year.
Austria
Haider's rightists lose Vienna votes
Voters overwhelmingly backed the Socialists and dealt Joerg Haider's rightist Freedom Party painful losses Sunday in elections for Vienna's City Hall. Several politicians linked the results to statements by Haider that were criticized as anti-Semitic.
Unofficial final results gave the Socialists 46.8 percent of the vote, more than 9 percentage points better than in the last municipal elections five years ago. The Socialists, who now govern in a coalition with the centrist People's Party, gained a controlling majority of 52 seats in the 100-seat assembly.
The Freedom Party remained in second place, but lost 7 percentage points to end up with just over 20 percent.=
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