MIDDLE EAST

FOUR TERRORISTS KILLED IN ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Israeli missiles fired from the air ripped apart two cars in the Gaza Strip yesterday, killing four Palestinian Arab terrorists and wounding five other people, including an Islamic Jihad spokesman, the military and Palestinian Arabs said.

The strikes came as the Palestinians’ ruling Fatah Party slipped into disarray. Young activists split away and formed their own party for January 25 parliamentary elections, rejecting attempts by old-timers to keep control of the party that has ruled Palestinian Arab politics for decades. But aides to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas said he still hoped to avert the split. The Islamic Hamas group unveiled a neatly chosen slate of parliamentary candidates, naming a well-known pragmatist to head the list in an apparent effort to woo mainstream Palestinian Arabs.

– Associated Press

OUTPOURING OF GRIEF AS LEBANON BURIES ANTI-SYRIAN JOURNALIST

BEIRUT, Lebanon – Tens of thousands of Lebanese shouted insults at Syria yesterday in an outpouring of anger as yet another assassinated anti-Syrian campaigner was buried. Lebanon was brought to a halt by a general strike called in mourning for editor and lawmaker Gibran Tueni, but neighboring Syria largely ignored the events. Syrian officials have denied involvement in the slaying.Anti-Syrian groups in Lebanon are counting on public anger over Tueni’s killing to push for ridding the government of remnants of the Syrian era and to close ranks in confronting Damascus.

– Associated Press

JORDAN PREMIER VOWS ‘PRE-EMPTIVE’ WAR AGAINST ISLAMIC EXTREMISM

AMMAN, Jordan – Jordan’s new prime minister said yesterday his government planned to fight terrorism by reforming religious teaching and granting greater freedom. Speaking to parliament, Marouf al-Bakhit said the suicide bombers who killed 60 people in three hotels on November 9 “only made us more determined to move forward in our pre-emptive war against terrorism and the ‘takfiri’ culture.” “Takfiri” is the ideology of militants who regard their Muslim opponents as infidels. The 110-member parliament will meet Sunday to debate a vote of confidence in Mr. al-Bakhit’s 24-member Cabinet.

– Associated Press

SOUTHEAST ASIA

ASIA FLEXES ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL MUSCLE

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Leaders of half the world’s population gathered in the Malaysian capital yesterday in the first step toward a new regional grouping that could dominate 21st century global politics. Incorporating China, India, Japan, Australia, and 12 other countries, the inaugural East Asia summit in Kuala Lumpur represents one third of global trade. With America not invited and Russia present as a guest, the gathering was a clear demonstration of the rise of Asia. There were few concrete commitments, even though the “de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula” was the first tangible issue mentioned in the chairman’s statement, followed by the threats of terrorism and avian flu.

– The Daily Telegraph

SOUTH ASIA

BANGLADESHI POLICE CATCH SUSPECTED COMMANDER OF ISLAMIC GROUP

DHAKA, Bangladesh – Security forces arrested the suspected military commander and the alleged accountant of a banned Islamic group blamed for a wave of deadly bombings in Bangladesh, Ataur Rahman, claiming a breakthrough yesterday in their fight against the terrorists. Investigators interrogated the men in hopes they could help crack Jumatul Mujahideen Bangladesh, which officials say carried out attacks that have killed 22 people and wounded scores since November.

– Associated Press

WESTERN EUROPE

FRENCH POLITICIAN FACES JAIL OVER ANTI-GAY COMMENTS

PARIS – A French member of parliament faces jail and a heavy fine after being accused of offending homosexuals by saying they represent a “threat to humanity.” In France’s first criminal prosecution under a year-old amendment of an 1881 law on press freedom, Christian Vanneste, 58, was taken to court by three gay rights groups, SOS Homophobie, Act Up-Paris, and a national umbrella organization for gay businesses, Sneg. The modified law outlaws insults based on gender or sexual orientation and allows for up to six months’ imprisonment and a fine of about $27,000. The public prosecutor at the trial in Lille said Mr. Vanneste was guilty as charged but made no recommendation on how he should be punished. Judgment on the case will be given on January 24.

– The Daily Telegraph

SCIENTISTS: HUMANS LIVED IN NORTHERN EUROPE EARLIER THAN THOUGHT

LONDON – Ancient tools found in Britain show that humans lived in northern Europe 200,000 years earlier than was previously known. The 32 black flint artifacts, found in river sediments in Pakefield in eastern England, date back 700,000 years and represent the earliest unequivocal evidence for human presence north of the Alps, four British scientists announced yesterday.

The finding dashes the long-held theory that humans did not migrate north from the relatively warm climates of the Mediterranean region until half a million years ago, the scientists said.

– Associated Press

ILLEGAL CAVIAR TRADE BOOMING IN EUROPE, CONSERVATION GROUPS SAY

GENEVA – More than 25,000 pounds of illegal caviar were seized in Europe over the last five years, the World Wildlife Fund and Britain-based TRAFFIC, which monitors trade in wildlife, said in a statement released today. Far more was sold on the street and in fine restaurants, the groups said.

Legal caviar exports are regulated by an international system of permits run by the U.N. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES. While the amount of legally traded caviar plummeted by almost 70% between 1998 and 2003 – to about 100 tons annually – TRAFFIC and WWF said rising illegal sales were “very likely” offsetting the decline.

– Associated Press