Key Al Qaeda Strategist Gains Priority in Terrorism Dragnet As the hunt for Al Qaeda leaders expands beyond Afghanistan, authorities confirmed Tuesday that they are pursuing one man as intensely as Osama bin Laden himself--an elusive Palestinian who they believe has been entrusted with keeping the terrorist organization's global network of cells alive and operational. Archbishop of Canterbury to Retire The archbishop of Canterbury, who introduced female priests and rock gospel to the Church of England, announced his retirement Tuesday as the spiritual leader of the world's 70 million Anglicans and Episcopalians. China Vows to Prosecute Bible Detainee China warned foreign governments Tuesday not to meddle in its internal affairs as it vowed to press ahead with plans to prosecute a Hong Kong businessman who allegedly carried thousands of Bibles into mainland China for distribution to a banned fundamentalist Christian group. Bavarian Leader Bucks Tradition, Eyes Nomination With the polite observation that he would run for chancellor if asked, Bavaria state Gov. Edmund Stoiber kicked off this year's German election campaign Tuesday and opened a second front in the political battle--with his own conservative allies. Pretend Economy Fueling Argentina These days, Horacio Costantino spends his days impersonating the successful businessman he used to be. He picks up the phone at his marine hardware store and makes calls all day--to his wife and mother, because his clients have long since disappeared. Vatican Sets New Rules for Priests The Vatican has quietly issued new rules for Roman Catholic churches around the world to deal with priests accused of pedophilia, saying they should stand trial in secret ecclesiastic courts. 3 Israelis Reportedly Slain in Gaza Palestinian gunmen attacked an Israeli army outpost on the border with the Gaza Strip this morning, shooting dead three soldiers and injuring six others, Israeli sources reported. Two Palestinian gunmen were shot dead in the incident, the sources said. U.S. Nabs 2 Top Al Qaeda Leaders Two senior Al Qaeda leaders laden with training documents and laptops have been caught fleeing heavy bombing in eastern Afghanistan, U.S. officials said Tuesday, and Washington's new special envoy to Afghanistan acknowledged that errant airstrikes in the country have cost "innocent lives." Premier and Cabinet Quit in Estonia Prime Minister Mart Laar resigned Tuesday, complaining of coalition infighting that hampered his government and threatened Estonia's efforts to join the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Farmers, Herders Clash Over Land; 33 Killed Two days of ethnic clashes pitting Mambilla farmers against semi-nomadic Fulani cattle herders in a battle over land killed at least 33 people, Nigerian police said. 15 Dissidents Go on Trial Behind Closed Doors The trial of 15 Iranian dissidents charged with plotting to overthrow the Islamic establishment began behind closed doors at the hard-line Revolutionary Court in Tehran. Tens of Thousands Rally for Opposition Candidate Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in the Madagascan capital, Antananarivo, for a second day to demand that opposition candidate Marc Ravalomanana be declared winner of a presidential vote. Government Raises Kangaroo Kill Quota Animal rights groups criticized Australia's decision to let farmers kill 6.9 million kangaroos this year, up from 5.5 million last year. Watchful, but Still Shrouded Beneath the sky-blue burka obscuring her budding womanhood, 16-year-old Parwana Yusufi sorts through her hopes and worries. Questions Lurk in a Dead Village No one can be found to tell this story firsthand. There is disagreement from those who live nearby about the details of the bombing. Yves Saint Laurent Bids Adieu to Couture Career Any doubt that 20th century fashion belongs to history was put to rest in the chic Right Bank salon of Yves Saint Laurent on Monday when the last of the great couturiers bowed out of the industry that he helped shape for more than 40 years. U.S. Keeps Pressure on Al Qaeda Surviving leaders of the Al Qaeda terrorist network are repeatedly trying to regroup at a warren of caves and bunkers in eastern Afghanistan, despite three attacks on the complex in four days by U.S. warplanes, senior Pentagon officials said Monday. Ship Captain Points at Arafat's Regime The captain of a ship carrying 50 tons of weapons that Israel says were intended for the Palestinian Authority said Monday that he was a longtime member of Yasser Arafat's Fatah organization obeying orders to smuggle the arms. India, Pakistan Still Poised to Fight President Pervez Musharraf said Monday that India and Pakistan had not yet stepped back from the brink of war in Kashmir but that recent events made it more likely that the two nuclear-armed nations could begin reducing border tensions. Hitler's Physicist Told Mentor of A-Bomb Work Werner Heisenberg, the scientist behind Adolf Hitler's secret atomic bomb program, revealed its existence in 1941 to Niels Bohr, the Danish scientist who later became part of the United States' Manhattan Project, according to secret documents cited in a London newspaper. Peacekeepers Greeted by Mixed Feelings British soldiers were trying to start their mine-clearing machine. French forces were setting up a hospital--and politely declining shots of vodka offered by Russian peacekeepers to celebrate Eastern Orthodox Christmas. U.S. Mission Was Target, Island Says Suspected Al Qaeda terrorists armed with bomb-making instructions planned to attack the U.S. Embassy and American businesses in Singapore, the island's government said Monday. Beggars See a Boon as Europe Dumps Old Coins The euro may be causing headaches for cashiers across Europe, but the single currency has been a windfall for one group: beggars. U.S. Congressmen Meet With Castro, Dissidents President Fidel Castro held talks with six U.S. congressmen, discussing the U.S. embargo and international events, participants said. President Picks Cabinet, Warns Against Graft Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, who fought off bitter challenges to his Dec. 27 election, named a 20-member Cabinet and retained the post of defense minster for himself. |  Singapore Says Terror Ring Planned Attacks on Americans A terrorist network broken up in Singapore last month was closely linked to Al Qaeda and had planned to attack U.S. military and business targets in the island state, Singapore's government said Friday. Russia's Last Free Channel Dealt a Blow The only Russian television network that consistently airs criticism of President Vladimir V. Putin lost a pivotal fight for survival Friday when the Supreme Arbitration Court upheld a ruling that the station is insolvent and must be liquidated. In Nairobi, Tax Tiff Takes Racial Turn The Zimbabwe-style seizures of white-owned farms and homes haven't begun here--at least not yet. Floating Argentine Peso Declines by About 40% Showing little confidence in their country's economic future, Argentines drove down the value of their national currency, the peso, as it floated on the open market for the first time Friday after a decade when it was worth a dollar. Green Campaign's Edges Turn Brown Black ice still encrusts the sidewalks, and it's dark by 4 p.m., but thoughts have turned to all things green this week as Germany's guardians of consumer protection assess the costs and benefits of a yearlong campaign against "mad cow" disease and other food crises. Colombians in Rebel Zone Fear for Their Safety This frontier town looks pretty much the same as another one just 30 miles southwest called Puerto Rico. In both places, music blares from bars along the main drag. Pigs and cows amble through dusty streets. People crowd into roadside stores selling saddles, machetes and sides of beef. Palestinians Arrest 2 Officials Over Arms Seizure Palestinian police on Friday detained two senior Palestinian officials suspected of trying to smuggle a boatload of arms into the Gaza Strip, Palestinian security sources said. Schroeder Challenger Selected Germany's conservatives chose a state governor with a rightist image and strong economic credentials Friday to challenge Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, ending months of wavering over their political direction heading into September parliamentary elections. Somalia Assails U.S. Terror Allegations The president of Somalia's transitional government said Friday that his people had been "terrorized" by a U.S. propaganda campaign portraying the country as a possible haven for Osama bin Laden's followers. Army Chief Issues Blunt Warning to Pakistan India's army chief issued a blunt warning to Pakistan, pledging massive retaliation if it launches a nuclear attack. Ex-Administrator Convicted in Attacks A former administrator on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica was convicted of ordering arson attacks that destroyed two seaside cafes in 1999. Rebels Reportedly Will Reactivate Army A former ethnic Albanian rebel commander in Macedonia issued a statement saying the militants were reorganizing because of government inaction on a peace accord. Journalists Vow to Defy Planned Limits on Media Media outlets in Zimbabwe said they plan to defy a proposed law that would severely restrict their freedoms before the presidential election. Five news groups also said they would challenge the Access to Information and Privacy Bill in court if it is signed into law. Bush to Visit S. Korea, China, Japan Next Month President Bush will visit Japan, South Korea and China next month--a tour scheduled for last fall but canceled after Sept. 11. Camps Thrive in Pakistan, India Charges While pressure mounts on Pakistan to take tougher action against terrorism, India's top spy agency charges that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has done nothing to dismantle what it says are at least 17 terrorist training camps in territory under his control. 'Unspeakable Loss' Shakes Marine Base As investigators Thursday tried to determine what caused the deadly crash of a Marine Corps plane on a cargo mission in Pakistan, Marines here mourned the loss of seven colleagues. U.S. Warns Iran Against Afghan Meddling, Aiding Terrorists President Bush told Iran on Thursday that it faces serious retribution from the United States if it tries to destabilize the new interim government in Afghanistan or provides a haven for fleeing terrorists. Pilot: Straight, Proud and Tall He was everyone's All-American gone to war. Tall, athletic, brainy and ramrod straight--in stature and in his march through life--Capt. Matthew W. Bancroft never took his eyes off the destination. 20 Terror Prisoners on Way to Cuba A U.S. military cargo plane left Afghanistan on Thursday with the first group of Taliban and Al Qaeda prisoners to be transferred to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as human rights activists criticized their treatment, citing hooded and possibly drugged detainees being sent to "cage-like cells." Nations Propose to Fight Terror Most governments have complied with a Security Council demand for reports on their plans to combat terrorism, but it will be months before the documents are thoroughly reviewed and the council's responses will be kept confidential, the British diplomat overseeing the process said Thursday. Government Agrees on Cease-Fire With Rebels Chad agreed on a cease-fire with the rebel Movement for Democracy and Justice in Chad, the first tangible step in a Libyan-sponsored accord to end a three-year revolt. 15 Killed as Troops Pursue Maoist Rebels Fifteen people, including two civilians, were killed as troops stepped up operations against Maoist rebels, Nepalese officials said.  |
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