Pakistan: U.S. strike killed some al-Qaida
PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Pakistani officials said Thursday that last week's U.S. air strike on a village near the Afghan border killed two senior members of al-Qaida and a relative.
The officials told The New York Times that while the bodies of the men have not been recovered, Pakistani authorities had been able to establish through intelligence sources the names of at least three of those killed in the strikes.
At least one of the men believed by the Pakistani officials to have been killed, an Egyptian known as Abu Khabab al-Masri, is on the United States' most-wanted list with a $5 million reward for help in his capture. The 52-year-old was an expert in explosives and poisons.
CNN reported that U.S. officials have said that as many as eight al-Qaida-affiliated "foreigners" were killed in the attack, including some Egyptians. The bodies were quickly removed by accomplices and buried elsewhere, sources said.
The missile attack by an unmanned drone aircraft on the village of Damadola killed at least 18 people, including women and children, and prompted anti-U.S. protests in Pakistan.
Kidnapped reporter's mother makes plea
WASHINGTON, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The mother of kidnapped reporter Jill Carroll made a passionate appeal to her abductors in Iraq to free her on Thursday, a day before their execution deadline.
Speaking on CNN, Mary Beth Carroll pleaded for the return of her 28-year-old daughter, who was abducted at gunpoint in Baghdad on Jan. 7.
"Jill has always shown the highest respect for the Iraqi people and their customs," Carroll said. "We hope that her captors will show Jill the same respect in return. Taking vengeance on my innocent daughter who loves Iraq and its people will not create justice."
Jackie Spinner of The Washington Post, to which Carroll has contributed, said the freelance writer respected Iraqi customs, and always spoke Arabic in public and always wore a head scarf when she went out.
On Tuesday, an Arabic television network aired video without sound of the weary-looking reporter, and said she would be killed within 72 hours if Iraqi women imprisoned by coalition forces weren't released.
Iran says nuclear compromise possible
TEHRAN, Iran, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Iran is ready to reach a compromise on its nuclear research and repeated Thursday it is not developing atomic weapons.
In an interview with the BBC, Iran's top nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, said it was time for renewed talks with European countries and the United States.
"If they want guarantees of no diversion of nuclear fuel, we can reach a formula acceptable to both sides in talks," Larijani said.
However, when asked if there were any circumstances in which Iran would suspend enrichment research, Larijani said there were not.
"They should not ask a brave nation with very good scientists to expect not to engage in nuclear research," he said.
Last week, Iran reopened its sealed facility at Isfahan, which prompted Britain, France and Germany to call off negotiations. Along with the United States, Russia and some support from China, the countries have called for a Feb. 2 emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Russian cold snap death toll reaches 119
MOSCOW, Jan. 19 (UPI) -- The death toll from a Siberian cold front gripping Russia rose to 119 people Thursday as energy consumption hit new highs.
Power demand in Moscow soared this week, as temperatures as low as minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit prompted residents to turn to electric heaters, the Novosti news agency said.
The natural gas supplier Gazprom has halved gas supplies to a number of Moscow power plants, forcing the plants to dip into fuel oil reserves, Itar-Tass reported.
The BBC said many Moscow schools and businesses are shut, electrical billboards turned off, cars were unable to start and trolley buses put out of action by snapped cables.
Thursday's cold snap coincided with the Russian Orthodox holiday of the Epiphany, and many people ignored warnings from doctors and priests against taking part in a ritual dip in freezing outdoor pools.
The Moscow zoo's six walruses were also avoiding their outdoor pool and staying in their warm cages, the Moscow Times reported.
Alabama train crash triggers evacuation
LINCOLN, Ala., Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Dozens of families near Lincoln, Ala., began to return home Thursday after a train crash triggered an evacuation based on fears of leaking sodium cyanide.
Norfolk Southern Railroad spokeswoman Susan Terpay said both trains were eastbound for Atlanta. One train pulled onto a siding to allow the other to pass. However, it appears it didn't pull far enough along the siding, the Birmingham News reported.
Four train crewmembers received minor injuries in the crash, which was followed by an explosion that created a massive plume of smoke.
Talladega County Emergency Management officials ordered an evacuation for a 1-mile radius when they learned one of the cars in the second train contained toxic sodium cyanide.
The state's environmental agency detected no release of the chemical, but called in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to do real-time air monitoring.
