Tunisia's 2 Faces of Progress The North African nation is a model of development and stability. But dissent is quashed, and an Islamist movement is growing. In Growing Numbers, Palestinian Boys Are Choosing the Brief Life of a 'Martyr' The three 14-year-olds were ranked No. 1, 2 and 3 in their eighth-grade class. Smart boys, sharp. Ismail abu Nadi helped friends with their homework. He always knew the answers. Retirees Balk at Beijing's Bitter Pill Upset by unpaid pensions and meager benefits, seniors are joining labor protests. Arafat Yields, Pares Cabinet The Palestinian leader appoints outsiders to head finance and security and trims 10 positions. Some dismiss the moves as superficial. Africa's Clerics Are Urged to Help AIDS Orphans Religious leaders can become the new voice for millions of children left parentless by the disease, activists say at Nairobi gathering. Soccer Fans Riot in Moscow One person is slain after Russian team loses to Japan in the World Cup. Police are faulted for lax security at outdoor TV viewing site. U.S. Is Urged to Step Up Action to Keep Peace in Afghanistan Experts warn that the nation's future and success of grand council are threatened by ethnic tensions, warlords, poor security and lack of aid. Traces of Nerve Gas Found at Uzbek Base Used by U.S. Sabotage theory is discounted. About 5,000 American troops have been at the facility. Separatist Arrested in India A leading Indian Kashmiri separatist leader has been detained under a tough new anti-terrorist law over allegations of funding "terrorist organizations," police said Sunday. Islamic Council Rejects Bill to Ban Torture Iran's Islamic watchdog council has rejected a bill passed by parliament to ban the use of torture to gain information from detainees, newspapers reported. Conservatives Poised to Control Parliament French President Jacques Chirac's conservative forces appeared set to seize control of Parliament after a commanding victory in a first-round election, partial results showed. Change in Gene Linked to Most Melanoma Cases Scientists have determined that a spontaneous change in a certain gene is involved in 70% of cases of melanoma, which kills nearly 40,000 people a year. Orthodox Liturgy Back After 12 Centuries With a passionate appeal for Christian unity, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I celebrated the first Orthodox liturgy in 12 centuries in Ravenna, Italy, an ancient outpost of Byzantium. Suspected Gunman Held in Archbishop's Slaying Colombian police have arrested a man they say is the hired assassin who gunned down Roman Catholic Archbishop Isaias Duarte Cancino in March. Two Hijackers Killed in Mid-Flight Attempt Security guards killed two men as they attempted to hijack an Ethiopian Airlines domestic flight in the air, the Ethiopian News Agency reported. A Faith Near to Heaven A century and a half ago, French priests brought Catholicism to the Tibetan plateau. There it has endured, despite war, Maoism and rival religions. With a Nudge, Ex-King Exits the Afghan Stage Former king Mohammad Zaher Shah announced Monday that he wants neither to restore the monarchy nor to be elected head of state, apparently pressured by President Bush's envoy to bow out of the volatile loya jirga political process that will choose Afghanistan's next leader. World Must Act to End Hunger, Summit Is Told Progress in battling poverty is too slow, U.N. chief says. Conference in Italy is criticized for suggesting open trade as a solution. Israel Once More Forces Arafat Into House Arrest Incursion is the second time this spring that the Palestinian leader has been hemmed in. But officials insist militants are their target. India Will Reopen Airspace to Pakistani Commercial Flights Other sanctions remain, but New Delhi says it will consider additional conciliatory gestures as tensions over Kashmir ease. Aid Groups Say Israel Impedes Relief Work The U.N. ambulance had just dropped off a patient in critical condition at a West Bank hospital and was headed back to a nearby refugee camp when it came under fire. One bullet narrowly missed the oxygen tank. A second came within inches of a nurse's head. A third entered the back of 43-year-old assistant Kamal Hamdan, piercing his aorta and killing him almost immediately. Freedom of Information Law Signed by Fox President Vicente Fox signed Mexico's first freedom of information law, exposing the government to greater public scrutiny. Officer Among Two Killed in Soccer Riot Police and politicians in Russia looked to place blame for riots that broke out during a broadcast of a World Cup match, leaving two dead, scores injured, and cars and shop windows damaged throughout much of Moscow's center. Slowly Stalking an Afghan 'Lion' The assassins of Northern Alliance chief faced weeks of delays until finally he met with them. Guide for Bombers Maps His Methods Palestinian prisoner describes scouting out targets and evading Israeli forces as he drove would-be 'martyrs' to their deaths. Afghan Delegates Question Assembly's Independence Selection of Karzai as leader appears certain after another candidate drops out. Some in the loya jirga claim process was fixed. Soccer Devotees Cry 'Sacre Bleu!' Over Cruel Loss Fans of the national team quietly swallow their pride after its ouster from the World Cup. And they kick off a blame game. President Tours Rebel Territory Leader pays respects to a slain hostage and lauds troops for rescue in a visit to underscore government control of the area. Rumsfeld Heads to S. Asia for Talks The Defense secretary will attempt to follow up on diminished stresses between India and Pakistan when he meets with their leaders. Palestinian Reforms Needed for Peace Talks, Bush Says 'No one has confidence' in Arafat Cabinet, president says after meeting with Israeli leader. U.S. now devising plan for conference. |  Suicide Bomber Kills Girl in Israeli Restaurant Attack Nine other diners are hurt. Meanwhile, scattered deaths and injuries are reported by both Palestinians and Jews. U.S. Will Increase Food Aid Contribution is to go to U.N. fight against hunger. Zimbabwe is blamed for its problems. Sea Route to Rival Silk Road Found Spices, textiles and remains of ships show that Egyptian port of Berenike was a key link between India and the Middle East. An Israeli Aims for the Stars Israel's first astronaut, who lost relatives to Nazi death camps, will blast into orbit with a picture of the moon drawn by a Jewish child killed in World War II, the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial here announced Monday. Reporter Tortured, Slain by Drug Lord, Police Say An undercover TV journalist reporting on crime and drugs in Rio de Janeiro's shantytowns was tortured and put to death with a sword by a drug lord who runs his territory like a medieval fiefdom, police said. Freedom of Information Law Signed by Fox NBA Eyes China's Rare Ming Shanghai player is 21 years old, 7 feet 5 and talented. But meeting Chinese demands will be a tall order for the U.S. team that drafts him. Palestinians in Gaza Have Roadblock Rage The four-hour wait at an Israeli roadblock had left Wafa Ashur exhausted and enraged--again. U.S. Faults Colombia in Joint Drug Battle Congressional report says S. American nation hasn't provided the personnel it pledged. White House is seeking more aid for the effort. U.S. Renews Hunt for Rwandan War Crimes Suspects Tycoon Felicien Kabuga is first target of a campaign that includes rewards and a task force. Biotechnology Debate Takes Center Stage at Food Summit As activists and delegates weigh in, researchers unveil a new effort to fund 'gene banks' to save unusual crops from extinction. Afghans Take Turns at Venting First full day of loya jirga is vibrant and rowdy as delegates discuss nation's ills. U.S. Plane Crashes in Afghanistan; 3 Killed The MC-130 does not seem to have been hit by hostile fire, officials say. Seven are injured. Signs of Al Qaeda Presence Seen in Kashmir, U.S. Says Rumsfeld, in visit, backs India's claim that terrorists are operating in the disputed region. Uneasy Calm on a Stretch of Kashmir Front For all the talk of easing tensions between India and Pakistan, the reality of relations between the subcontinent's large and quarrelsome neighbors lies here in the mountains of Kashmir. Beijing Newspaper Retreats, Apologizes for Capitol Gaffe After originally refusing, it retracts its report that U.S. Congress threatened to leave its digs unless a modern replacement was built. Bush Considers Plan for Interim Palestinian State Controversial idea is among options White House will look at to draft a peace proposal. Karzai Chosen as Leader, Vows to Rebuild Nation Even rivals join in celebrating what they see as a fresh start for the war-torn country. Rumsfeld Moves to Allay Pakistani Ire Defense secretary tones down his remarks about Al Qaeda presence in Kashmir. Despite the controversy, his peace mission is still on track. Opposition Delivers Blow to S. Korean Ruling Party The majority of local and regional races go to conservatives as the gap between the two presidential front-runners vanishes. As Argentina's Economy Sinks, Firebrand's Stock Is on the Rise Elisa Carrio, a chain-smoking single mother who vows to revive the nation, is the front-runner among presidential hopefuls. S. Korea Protests Incident at Its Consulate in Beijing South Korea called in China's ambassador today to protest an incident in which Chinese police entered the South Korean Consulate compound in Beijing and grabbed a North Korean would-be asylum seeker, the Foreign Ministry said. Arafat's Cabinet Meets After Delay Palestinian leader, addressing his new ministers, decries Israeli blockade. Israeli Banker, Father Indicted in Money Fraud A bank official and her father were indicted Thursday in one of the biggest embezzlement, fraud and money laundering cases in Israeli history, allegedly taking the money to pay off the gambling debts of the woman's brother. Fear Hangs Over Tunisian Jews After Temple Attack Murdoch Cohen is frightened, terribly frightened. He can't forget the day when a suicide bomber rammed a truck into the whitewashed wall of the ancient synagogue here, sending a blast of heat, fire, blood and bodies right toward him. U.S. Army Vehicle Hits 2 S. Koreans Two South Korean girls died Thursday when a U.S. Army armored vehicle struck them during a training exercise in a suburb of Seoul, the Army said in a statement. U.S. Consulate Car Bombing in Pakistan Kills 5 A suicide attacker crashed a bomb-laden car into a guard post outside the U.S. Consulate here this morning, killing five people and injuring dozens. Pakistani Crackdown Gives Rise to Doubts Curbing Islamic extremism is widely seen as key to easing tensions over Kashmir. But to some, it borders on betrayal. S. African Schoolkids Take Defense Into Their Own Hands A boy calmly approaches a girl, grabs her head with one hand and her throat with the other. The girl thrusts her knee toward the boy's genitals and pretends to jab him in the eyes with her fingers. As the boy's knees buckle and he feigns excruciating pain, the classroom erupts in laughter.  |
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