U.S. and Philippines Launch Joint Hunt for Islamic Gang It's called "Balikatan," or "Shoulder to Shoulder," and it will soon be the biggest U.S. military operation in a combat zone outside Afghanistan since the war on terror began. Outlook for 2002 Growth Is Overcast Nearly 3,000 business and political leaders from around the world packed into a heavily guarded Manhattan hotel Thursday to hear economists, scholars, bankers and diplomats paint a not terribly cheery picture of the prospects for global growth and stability in the coming year. Fiery Leftists Hold Their Own Forum About 40,000 social activists with widely varying causes and temperaments descended on this South American city Thursday for the opening of the World Social Forum, a five-day gathering that is part radical teach-in, part angry political rally. Safety First at Economic Meeting Street protests, airport-style X-ray machines and a blue sea of police uniforms greeted dignitaries as they arrived Thursday for the opening of the World Economic Forum. Mexico Investigating Child-Smuggling Operation U.S. and Mexican authorities said Thursday that they were investigating what one official here called a huge smuggling ring that transports children to the United States. U.N. Food Relief Draws Crowd of Hungry Afghans Down from the snow-covered mountains they came by the hundreds, to load giant sacks of donated wheat onto their backs or their burros. U.S. Reporter's Captors Extend Killing Deadline In an e-mail to Pakistani and Western media organizations, the group claiming to have kidnapped U.S. journalist Daniel Pearl said Thursday that it will extend its execution deadline 24 hours. 43 Killed as Warlords Fight for Afghan City Terrified families huddled in basements and fled on foot Thursday as rival Afghan warlords waged artillery battles for control of this strategic town, killing at least 43 people and injuring dozens of others. 2 Orphaned by Death of Sept. 11 Widow The widow of a carpenter killed in the World Trade Center collapse has died of breast cancer, orphaning the couple's two young sons. Britain Rebuffs Afghans' Troop Plea Prime Minister Tony Blair told interim Afghan leader Hamid Karzai on Thursday that Britain could not commit more troops to an expanded international force requested by Afghanistan's people. Haider Retracts Remark About Jewish Leader Far-right Austrian governor Joerg Haider has apologized for making derogatory comments about the leader of Vienna's Jewish community and has withdrawn the remarks. Sharon Sorry Arafat Wasn't Killed in '82 Prime Minister Ariel Sharon says he's sorry Israel didn't have Yasser Arafat killed 20 years ago when it had the Palestinian leader under siege in Beirut. Premier Names New Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi was named Japan's new foreign minister, replacing Makiko Tanaka, who was forced to resign earlier this week. Church Skimping on Fund, Abuse Victims Say Victims of sexual abuse in Ireland's Roman Catholic schools criticized the church's $110-million compensation pledge as insufficient. Karzai Seeks More Peacekeepers Afghanistan's new leader asked the Security Council on Wednesday to approve the deployment of peacekeeping troops throughout his war-racked country, a request opposed by Washington and the European powers leading the small U.N.-backed force now in Kabul. Threat on Reporter's Life A group claiming to have abducted a Wall Street Journal reporter in Pakistan threatened Wednesday to kill him within 24 hours and then target other U.S. journalists if they don't leave Pakistan in three days. U.S. to Investigate Dispute Over Raid The American commander of the war in Afghanistan ordered an investigation into a Jan. 24 raid on two compounds after the new Afghan government said some of those killed and captured were not enemy fighters but officials loyal to interim leader Hamid Karzai. 2 Taliban Officials Detained Two former top officials from Afghanistan's vanquished Taliban regime were detained Wednesday near the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, authorities said. Indonesian Cleric Had Role in Skyjackings A Cal State graduate from Malaysia has led authorities here to conclude that a Muslim cleric from Indonesia ran terror operations for Al Qaeda in Southeast Asia and played a role in the Sept. 11 skyjackings. Israeli Reservists Reject West Bank, Gaza Duty What began with a terse note tacked to a Tel Aviv University bulletin board has mushroomed into the most serious protest movement against the Israeli army's conduct in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 16 months of fighting with the Palestinians--and it is coming from soldiers themselves. |  Abducted Reporter Slain in Pakistan, E-Mail Claims An e-mail message believed to have been sent by the kidnappers of Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl claimed Friday that he had been killed because their demands for the release of Pakistani terror suspects had not been met. Sharon Takes Umbrage at Criticism From Israelis Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has President Bush on Israel's side as he prepares to fly to Washington next week to coordinate policies on Iran and the Palestinian Authority. At Talks, Much of It Ducks Behind Doors Diplomacy trumped finance at the World Economic Forum on Friday, with foreign leaders and U.S. officials ducking into hotel suites for dozens of meetings while nonstop seminars focused on Africa, the Arab-Israeli conflict and international counter-terrorism strategies. Argentine Court Overrules Bank Freeze Argentina's Supreme Court ruled Friday that a widely hated banking freeze is unconstitutional, striking a surprise blow at government efforts to shore up the teetering financial system. India Rebuffs Pakistan on Talks The Indian government Friday rejected calls by Pakistan to hold talks to end their military standoff after troops traded heavy fire across the disputed region of Kashmir. BBC Cites U.S. Killings in Korea A British Broadcasting Corp. documentary aired Friday reported that U.S. warships killed as many as 400 Korean refugees gathered on a beach during the early days of the Korean War. Philippine Military Says Gunfight Kills 5 Rebels At least five Muslim guerrillas were killed Friday in a battle with Philippine troops on Basilan island, where two Americans and a Philippine nurse are being held hostage, a Philippine military commander said. Feuds Simmer Beneath a Warlord's Gaze With their gold and silver turbans glistening in the afternoon sunlight, the men from Kandahar laid down their weapons and sat at the feet of the warlord of Herat. Ismail Khan, the self-proclaimed emir of five western provinces, stared down at them, serene and impassive. Fighting Drives Government-Backed Warlord From Afghan City After two days of deadly battles, a warlord backed by interim Afghan Prime Minister Hamid Karzai retreated Friday from his fight for control of this southeastern provincial capital, a setback for Karzai's efforts to put the nation under government control. Court OKs Request for Single Milosevic Trial Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic will face only one trial to answer for three separate indictments for war crimes in Kosovo, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the U.N. tribunal said. Roof Collapses at Plant; at Least 7 Die, 57 Hurt The roof of an electronics plant collapsed, killing at least seven people and injuring 57 others. At least three others were missing, Thai officials said. Most of the victims were women. British Tourist Dies After Jellyfish Sting A British tourist has died after being stung off northeastern Australia by a tiny jellyfish known to be poisonous but not usually considered lethal. Army Takes Over During Police Strike Nigeria's government declared a strike by police a mutiny and ordered the army to take over "sensitive posts," including escorts for government and embassy officials. Long Life Expectancy for Those 65 and Older Far too many French die prematurely of cancer and other diseases, but those who make it to 65 tend to go on living for years, according to a government health report. Army Defuses Bomb Found Under Vehicle An army bomb squad in Northern Ireland defused explosives packed in a lunch box that was found beneath a pregnant woman's car, officials in the British province said. Vote Planned on Right to Abort Risky Pregnancies Irish voters will decide whether to amend their constitution to allow abortions in cases where women's lives are endangered, the government announced.  |
 |  |