World
Only a British hostage apparently remained alive Wednesday after his terrorist captors beheaded the second of two Americans kidnapped with him in Iraq. But the Tawhid and Jihad group said Kenneth Bigley would meet the same fate, "if the British government does not carry out what it should do for his release." The terrorists have demanded the release of female prisoners in US and British custody. There were conflicting reports over whether a woman allegedly involved in ex-dictator Saddam Hussein's biological weapons program would be freed in response to the demand. The US Embassy said her release wouldn't be immediate.
A female Palestinian terrorist exploded a bomb as police moved in to keep her from approaching a busy Jerusalem bus stop, killing herself and two Israelis. The blast wounded 16 others - one of them seriously. The attack was the first of its type inside Israel since Aug. 31 and was at least the eighth carried out by a woman. The Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed responsibility. The organization is linked to Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat.
Despite official tallies showing her behind by almost a 2-to-1 margin, Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri was refusing to concede defeat in Monday's runoff election against her former security minister. She is scheduled to address Thursday's closing session of parliament, although aides said not to expect her to comment until the final results of the runoff against retired Gen. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono are announced early next month.
Another 100 people were added to the number of deaths in impoverished Haiti as a result of rain and flooding from tropical storm Jeanne, authorities said. Estimates also put the number of people left homeless at 250,000 and those missing at about 1,000. UN peacekeepers were shuttling food, drinkable water, and other supplies to the devastated city of Gonaives by helicopter, and the US Embassy, the European Union, Venezuela, and Martinique announced they also were sending help. But the International Red Cross appealed for other donors, saying $3.3 million was needed and that relief efforts would last up to six months.
