S Sudan ceasefire set to begin

A ceasefire between South Sudan's government and rebels was due to come into effect Saturday following a deal to end a brutal five-month war that has pushed the country to the brink of genocide and famine. President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar, a former vice president, met in the Ethiopian capital on Friday, shook hands and prayed together, and "agreed that immediately all hostile activities will stop within 24 hours." The rivals "agreed that a transition government offers the best chance to the people of South Sudan" with the promise of fresh elections for the world's youngest nation, said Seyoum Mesfin, head mediator with the East African regional bloc IGAD, according to AFP.