Iraq: Suicide bombings legitimate
UNITED NATIONS, July 25 (UPI) -- Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations says Palestinian suicide bombings in Israel are "legitimate suicidal actions in accordance with international law" against the "Zionist entity." Speaking Wednesday at an emergency Arab-requested U.N. Security Council meeting on Israel's Gaza City attack, Abdul Al-Kadhe defended Palestinian actions and criticized the United States for indulging "the Zionist entity." He never once mentioned Israel in his 10-minute address. Baghdad's envoy said the reaction of "the major powers ... was inadequate and rather weak."
China says bin Laden linked to separatists
HONG KONG, July 25 (UPI) -- Suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden sponsored Uygar separatists from the northwestern Xinjiang province, Chinese state media has reported. The official China Central Television station said hundreds of activists had campaigned for an independent East Turkestan state in the Xinjiang Uygar Autonomous Region and were trained by members of al Qaida -- alleged to be bin Laden's network of operatives -- in camps in northern Afghanistan. The report said from 1992 until last year about 100 terrorists were trained by bin Laden followers and then returned to Xinjiang to launch attacks on Chinese authorities. The television report said 162 people died in the attacks.
N. Korea voices regret over naval clash
SEOUL, South Korea, July 25 (UPI) -- North Korea Thursday expressed regret over a deadly naval clash last month that killed four South Korean sailors and said it hoped to have government-level talks to revive the stalled inter-Korean peace process. In a telephone message to South Korean Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun, North Korea's Cabinet minister Kim Ryong-song offered a "de facto" apology for the gun battle, Seoul's Unification Ministry said in a statement.
Miners trapped in flooding coal mine
SOMERSET, Pa., July 25 (UPI) -- Frantic efforts were under way Thursday to free miners trapped in a flooding coal mine. Nine miners were trapped about 8,000 feet from the Quecreek Mine's entrance Wednesday night as they broke through a wall to an abandoned, flooded mine. Another crew working at the same time escaped. Rescue workers operated pumps and drills in an effort to save the trapped miners. The fate of the miners was not immediately clear but rescue workers reported hearing tapping noises.
Traficant expelled from Congress
WASHINGTON, July 25 (UPI) -- The House expelled one of its own late Wednesday, voting to remove Rep. James Traficant, D-Ohio, from Congress, in only the second expulsion since the Civil War. The House voted 420-1 to expel Traficant, the fifth time Congress has expelled another member in 213 years. Traficant, allowed 45 minutes to defend himself on the House floor, said he was the target of federal prosecutors employing illegal tactics to pursue a vendetta against him, including pressuring witnesses to lie. He remained defiant and insisted on his innocence.
SEC probes AOL Time Warner deals
NEW YORK, July 25 (UPI) -- AOL Time Warner Inc., the world's largest media firm, says it was the subject of a "fact-finding" investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission into a series of deals that boosted its revenues. The Washington Post reported on the transactions last week. It examined a number of the company's online division's advertising and commerce deals that added up to $270 million between July 2000 and March 2002. Chief Executive Richard Parsons did not elaborate but said Wednesday the company was cooperating with the SEC. The SEC did not comment. News of the SEC investigation overshadowed the world's biggest media company's first-ever profit since its merger.
Ex-Treasury Rubin cautious on near-term
SINGAPORE, July 25 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin issued strong words of caution Thursday about the near-term outlook for the U.S. economy but was positive for the long-term. He warned the uncertainties "could produce more difficult conditions." Speaking at a luncheon sponsored by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, he said the current forecast may prove too optimistic given the high level of consumer and corporate debt, the widening current account deficit, and the ballooning fiscal deficit.
Stocks ease in Tokyo
TOKYO, July 25 (UPI) -- Stock prices on the Tokyo Stock Exchange ended slightly lower Thursday despite Wednesday's huge rebound on Wall Street, with doubts about the sustainability of New York's rally helping to erase early gains. Investors said they could not be optimistic about the outlook for Wall Street despite the Dow Jones Industrial Average's breathtaking 6.35 percent surge late Wednesday. Japan's blue-chip Nikkei Stock Average of 225 selective issues, which lost 267.91 points Wednesday, slipped 17.81 points, or 0.2 percent, to 9,929.91. The key index rose as high as 10,166.68 shortly after the market opened. Stocks also declined in Hong Kong, but rose slightly in Seoul, South Korea,Taipei, Taiwan and in Sydney, Australia.
Davenport impressive in return
STANFORD, Calif., July 25 (UPI) -- Lindsay Davenport looked like she never left. Playing on the tour for the first time this year, the second-seeded Davenport crushed Anne Kremer of Luxembourg, 6-3, 6-0, Wednesday night to reach the quarterfinals of the $565,000 Bank of the West Classic. Once the world's top-ranked player, Davenport is playing in her first WTA event since recovering from knee surgery. She suffered the injury in Munich last November and sat out the first three Grand Slam events. Davenport, 26, tested the knee in Fed Cup qualifying over the weekend, winning both her matches against Israel's Anna Smashnova and Tzipora Obziler to help the Americans qualify for the 2003 World Group.
