World Highlights

¤ Azerbaijan's ruling party claimed victory in yesterday's parliamentary election but was immediately accused of widespread fraud by the opposition which said it would hit the streets in protest. Asked if his ruling Yeni Azerbaijan party would achieve its target of retaining its 75 seats in the 125-seat Parliament, Executive Secretary Ali Ahmedov told reporters: "Our information is that, yes, at the very least we have achieved that target."

¤ An explosion tore through a convoy of cars carrying Somalia's Prime Minister Mohamed Ali Gedi in Mogadishu yesterday killing six but leaving him unhurt, hospital sources and residents said. Government aides said a landmine caused the explosion, which sharply raised tensions in a city controlled largely controlled by Mr Gedi's political foes.

¤ A pirate attack on a ship full of Western holidaymakers has jolted East Africa's bomb-scarred tourist industry and reminded the world of the threat posed by Somalia, an anarchic state awash with weapons. Woken by machinegun fire and a rocket-propelled grenade crashing into their cruise ship at dawn on Saturday, the tourists gazed in disbelief as attackers in two small boats tried, but eventually failed, to seize their vessel.

¤ Pakistan said yesterday preparations were complete for opening border crossing points with India, but New Delhi said it was ready to open only one of five points to help survivors of last month's quake. The Pakistani proposal to open five points on the disputed border in Kashmir appears more of a symbolic gesture between old rivals, rather than something that will make a big difference to relief efforts for quake survivors. Meanwhile, hundreds of pneumonia cases are already being treated in Pakistan's earthquake zone and hundreds of thousands risk death or disease unless they move below the snowline or get emergency shelter.