world

Economic stimulus bill stuck in Senate

By Alyson Brodsy and Curt Anderson · Tuesday, Feb. 5,2002 11:17 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- The economic stimulus bill that President Bush says will hasten recovery from recession appears dead in the Senate and will probably be shelved, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said Tuesday. Daschle, D-S.D., said neither Republicans nor Democrats will have the 60 votes necessary to win approval of their competing measures -- and that the Senate will take up other business on Wednesday.

American Taliban indicted

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 5,2002 11:16 p.m.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- A federal grand jury indicted John Walker Lindh on Tuesday, accusing the American Taliban fighter of conspiring to kill Americans in Afghanistan. The 10-count indictment also accused Lindh of conspiring to provide support to terrorist organizations, including al Qaeda, and supplying services to the Taliban. Lindh could face several life terms in prison if convicted. The indictment supersedes a criminal complaint that was based on statements Lindh made to the FBI in Afghanistan in December.

Streets fill with protests against economic forum

By Travis R. Thickstun · Monday, Feb. 4,2002 11:14 p.m.

NEW YORK -- After two days of quiet, thousands of protesters emerged Feb. 2 to demonstrate against the World Economic Forum in New York City. Marchers who had gathered in Central Park around noon began a procession of puppets and signs that ended within the shadows of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, where the forum was held.

Journalist still missing

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, Feb. 3,2002 11:22 p.m.

KARACHI, Pakistan -- With leads into Islamic extremist groups running dry, Pakistani investigators said Sunday they were expanding their search for the kidnappers of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl into Karachi's murky criminal underworld. The investigation has been complicated because of several e-mails purportedly from the kidnappers that police now believe were hoaxes.

Forum meets in New York

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Jan. 31,2002 11:07 p.m.

NEW YORK -- With signs the United States is emerging from recession, the 32nd annual World Economic Forum began Thursday with discussions on where the global economy is headed and how to deal with terrorism.

North Korea reacts to U.S., Bush

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Jan. 31,2002 11:06 p.m.

SEOUL, South Korea -- In its first public reaction to being called part of an "axis of evil," North Korea said President Bush's pronouncement was little short of a declaration of war. "The option to 'strike' impudently advocated by the U.S. is not its monopoly," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said. North Korea, he said, "will never tolerate the U.S.'s reckless attempt to stifle the (North) by force of arms but mercilessly wipe out the aggressors."

Reporter held hostage

By Zahid Hussein · Wednesday, Jan. 30,2002 11:36 p.m.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- An e-mail, reportedly sent Wednesday by kidnappers holding Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, threatened to kill him within 24 hours. It also warned American journalists to leave the country within three days. There was no way to authenticate the e-mail, which was sent to both Western and Pakistani news organizations.

Nigerians turn anger on military

By Glenn McKenzie · Tuesday, Jan. 29,2002 11:40 p.m.

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Sadness turned to rage against Nigeria's military Tuesday for putting a huge arms cache smack in the middle of a crowded Lagos neighborhood and setting the stage for the explosions and panic that left more than 600 dead. Distraught people searching for missing loved ones blamed the military for storing weapons, including rockets and heavy artillery shells, in the northern Ikeja neighborhood.

U.S. to loan Afghanistan $50 million

By George Gedda · Tuesday, Jan. 29,2002 1 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The United States will play a leading role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, including helping the nation build its own military, President Bush said Monday as he stood with Afghan leader Hamid Karzai. Bush also announced $50 million in U.S. loan aid to help rebuild the war-battered nation. "The United States will continue to be a friend to the Afghan people," Bush said.

Palestinian woman sets off bomb

By Greg Myre · Monday, Jan. 28,2002 12:16 a.m.

JERUSALEM -- For the first time, a Palestinian woman launched a bomb attack Sunday, killing herself and an 81-year-old Israeli man and wounding at least a dozen people on a busy Jerusalem street. Israeli police said they were not sure if the woman intended to kill herself or if the bomb exploded prematurely as she walked along Jaffa Street, the main commercial strip in west Jerusalem.

Karzai: First Afghan leader to visit Capital in 39 years

Sunday, Jan. 27,2002 11:58 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- When Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan's interim leader, meets President Bush today, he is expected to seek a continuing U.S. commitment to help restore the peace in his violence-torn country, Afghan officials say. Karzai arrived here Sunday afternoon, the first Afghan leader to visit Washington in 39 years.

Greenspan optimistic about economy

By Alyson Brodsy and Jeannine Aversa · Friday, Jan. 25,2002 12:37 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan said Thursday there are mounting signs the economy is recovering from recession, an upbeat assessment that encouraged Wall Street.

Gunman opens fire in Israel

By Alyson Brodsy and Greg Myre · Wednesday, Jan. 23,2002 12:37 a.m.

JERUSALEM -- A Palestinian gunman fired on Israelis waiting at a Jerusalem bus stop Tuesday, fatally wounding two people and injuring 14 others. Israeli commandos hours earlier stormed an explosives lab and killed four Islamic militants in the West Bank.

Shoe bomber charged as terrorist

By Karen Gullo · Wednesday, Jan. 16,2002 11:50 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- A federal grand jury Wednesday charged alleged shoe bomber Richard Reid with being an al Qaeda trained terrorist in an indictment Attorney General John Ashcroft hailed as fresh proof of the government's ability to prosecute terrorists. Ashcroft said the charges "alert us to a clear, unmistakable threat that al Qaeda could attack the United States again."

WTO panel rules against U.S.

By Paul Geitner · Tuesday, Jan. 15,2002 12:18 a.m.

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- The World Trade Organization handed the United States its biggest loss ever Monday with a decision that opens the way for the European Union to ask for billions of dollars in punitive tariffs on U.S. imports. But the EU and the United States immediately signaled their desire to avert a trade war that would dwarf any previous dispute and most likely hurt companies on both sides of the Atlantic.

Bush unaware of Enron's calls for help

By Alyson Brodsy and H. Josef Hebert · Sunday, Jan. 13,2002 11:07 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Two Bush cabinet members said Sunday they never considered intervening in Enron's spiral toward bankruptcy, nor informed President Bush of requests for help from the fallen energy giant. "Companies come and go. It's…part of the genius of capitalism," said Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill when asked if he was surprised at the sudden collapse of Enron.

First al Qaeda prisoners moved to U.S. military camp in Cuba

By Alyson Brodsy and Ellen Knickmeyer · Friday, Jan. 11,2002 12:52 a.m.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- The first planeload of al Qaeda prisoners departed a Marine base at Kandahar's airport Thursday night, flown to a U.S. military detention camp in Cuba, a spokesman said.

Palestinians linked to weapons ship

By Barry Schweid · Thursday, Jan. 10,2002 11:23 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Colin Powell Thursday linked the Palestinian Authority to a ship laden with arms that was seized in the Red Sea by Israeli commandos, but said there was no proof Yasser Arafat was involved. If the ship had reached Palestinian territory and the weapons had been unloaded, Powell said, they "would have been put to the worst kind of use against Israel and others in the region." Powell was pleased Israel intercepted the ship last Thursday.

Taliban surrender, go free

By Ellen Knickmeyer · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 11:11 p.m.

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Seven high-ranking Taliban officials, including the ex-justice minister, surrendered to Afghan commanders but were set free by local officials, the Afghan government said Wednesday, even though U.S. officials want Taliban leaders turned over.

President Bush signs landmark education bill into law

By Alyson Brodsy and Scott Lindlaw · Wednesday, Jan. 9,2002 12:58 a.m.

HAMILTON, Ohio -- President Bush, acting Tuesday on his No. 1 domestic priority, signed into law a sweeping education bill that will require new reading and math tests, seeks to close the education gap between rich and poor students and raise teacher standards.