World highlights

¤ Israel detected its first cases of H5N1 bird flu yesterday, saying the virus had killed thousands of turkeys and chickens on two farms. The Israeli authorities treated four people in hospital amid fears they could have the virus. Serbia said three children and a teenager from a bird-flu affected area were in hospital after developing fever and flu-like symptoms.

¤ A Sunni rebel group called Jundollah (God's army) said yesterday it was behind an attack that killed 22 people in a remote region in southeastern Iran that officials had blamed on bandits, Al Arabiya television said.

¤ Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko vowed yesterday to wring the necks of rivals who violated public order, but opponents urged supporters to go into the streets with flowers to proclaim weekend elections rigged.

¤ Liberia has formally asked Nigeria to extradite former president Charles Taylor so he can stand trial on war crimes charges, the country's newly elected leader said yesterday.

¤ Exiled Syrian opposition leaders announced the creation of a united front yesterday to form a transitional government to bring about "regime change" from President Bashar al-Assad to democracy.

¤ Sudan said yesterday it expected a peace deal in Darfur by the end of April, but a respected think tank said the conflict could kill thousands more people and spark proxy wars in neighbouring countries.