Grenade kills U.S. soldier in Iraq
BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 22 (UPI) -- A U.S. soldier was killed Sunday in a grenade attack on a U.S. military convoy 12 miles south of Baghdad, an army spokeswoman said.
The soldier died soon after arriving at a combat support hospital near the location of the attack, Sgt. 1st Class Mayra O'Neill told CNN.
She said a second soldier received superficial wounds and returned to duty after he was treated. CNN reported that the attack was under investigation.
According to the Pentagon, since President Bush declared an end to major combat in Iraq on May 1, 19 U.S. troops have been killed in hostile action.
Saturday, two U.S. soldiers were injured when their vehicle ran over a landmine near the town of Hit, Iraq, 90 miles west of Baghdad.
Israel offers responsibilities to PA
JERUSALEM, June 22 (UPI) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon offered to cede responsibility for security in some West Bank and Gaza Strip areas.
Sharon said Sunday that the area would be chosen by the Palestinian government, but it would have to assume responsibility for ending violence and for extensive measures to prevent and crush terror, United Press International reports.
In other areas, or in places where the Palestinian Authority will not fulfill its commitments, Israel shall, "continue to prevent (attacks) and foil all terror activities as it does today," Sharon told his cabinet according to a participant.
Israeli officials rejected Palestinian Authority claims that it is not ready to assume responsibility for Gaza Strip areas Israel would vacate.
According to Sharon, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell that Israel could not "wait" if Palestinian terror continues.
Indian prime minister set to visit China
NEW DEHLI, India, June 22 (UPI) -- India's prime minister travels to China Sunday as both countries make efforts to improve their relationship, marked by decades of mistrust.
Prime Minister Atal Bahari Vajpayee's visit will be the first to China by an Indian leader in a decade.
Since a border war in 1962, Indo-Chinese ties have been frosty.
India has been wary of China's friendly relations with Pakistan, and China has been suspicious of India since it sheltered the Dalai Lama, who has participated in resistance to Chinese control of Tibet, according to the Voice of America.
Recently, political ties have improved, and their economic relationship has followed. Bilateral trade has increased five fold in the past decade to five billion dollars last year.
Voice of America reported that Vajpayee will be accompanied by a high-profile business delegation to discuss investments, joint ventures, manufacturing and development.
Dead militant responsible for 35 deaths
JERUSALEM, June 22 (UPI) -- Israeli security sources said Sunday that the head of the military wing of Hamas killed Saturday was responsible for 35 civilian deaths and 145 wounded.
These include the dispatching of a suicide bomber who blew himself up in a Jerusalem bus on June 11, killing 17 people and wounding 105.
The sources, who cannot be named under Israeli rules, said Abdallah Qawasmeh was involved in directing and dispatching more attacks.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the cabinet in Jerusalem Qawasmeh was killed in the West Bank town of Hebron during an attempt to arrest him. He drew a Kalachnikov gun when challenged.
"If there is a ticking bomb, its him," Mofaz added.
A Hamas senior official Sunday threatened harsh measures to avenge Qawasmeh's death.
The official, Abdel-Aziz Al-Ranteessi, said, "all the factions agree on avenging the Israeli assassinations against the movements' representatives and militants."
