In brief: Arrests made in school attack

ISLAMABAD – Authorities made several arrests Sunday in a school attack by the Taliban that killed 148 in the northwestern city of Peshawar, officials said.

“Quite a few suspects who were facilitators in one way or the other have been taken into custody,” said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, adding that the interrogations were “moving ahead in a positive manner.” He did not disclose their identities or say how many there were.

Over the weekend, the government executed six men convicted on terrorism charges.

Two of the convicts were hanged Friday, and another four on Sunday, according to two Pakistani government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters.

All six belonged to local Pakistani militant groups who had turned against the state, and were convicted for involvement in two attempts to assassinate former President Pervez Musharraf. One also was convicted of leading a militant siege of Pakistani army headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi in 2009.

Haiti names interim premier

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Health Minister Florence Duperval Guillaume was named as Haiti’s interim prime minister Sunday following the resignation of her predecessor a week ago amid a stalemate over delayed legislative elections.

Duperval Guillaume will hold the post for a maximum of 30 days, as established by the constitution, before a permanent choice is presented to parliament by President Michel Martelly, according to Enex Jean Charles, secretary general of Haiti’s council of ministers.

The former prime minister, Laurent Lamothe, resigned a week ago amid the bitter political standoff over legislative elections.

The terms of the current Senate will expire Jan. 12 and the president can sign a decree that will enable the country to hold the elections in the first half of the year.

Missing father, sons found alive

SYDNEY – A 5-year-old boy and his 7-year-old brother were admitted to an Australian hospital after surviving with their father for 10 days in a remote national park.

The trio found themselves with little food, no cellphone reception and temperatures that rose to about 100 Fahrenheit after dad Steven Van Lonkhuyzen took a wrong turn during a family road trip and got bogged in mud.

They were rescued after farmer Tom Wagner went searching for them Sunday and found them in the Expedition National Park.