PERSIAN GULF

AT HAJJ PILGRIMAGE, CLERIC CRITICIZES WEST FOR ‘WAR’ AGAINST ISLAM

MOUNT ARAFAT, Saudi Arabia – More than 2 million Muslim pilgrims made the climactic ascent yesterday to Islam’s most sacred site, Mount Arafat, to pray for salvation. After offering prayers on the mount, tens of thousands of the faithful rushed down the hill to the Muzdalifah where they collected pebbles to use in one the last rituals of the hajj, the stoning of the devil. Speaking at a mosque on the plain of Mount Arafat, the kingdom’s grand mufti, Sheik Abdul-Aziz al-Sheik, said Muslims were facing critical challenges, among them accusations of terrorism and human rights abuses and calls for revisions in school textbooks.

– Associated Press

EAST ASIA

NORTH KOREAN LEADER VISITS CHINA SEOUL, South Korea – North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has traveled to China on a rare trip outside his country, a South Korean military intelligence official said today. The official told the Associated Press he received the information from South Koreans working inside China.The official spoke on condition his name not be used because of the sensitivity of the information.

– Associated Press

BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT INVITES CHINA TO HELP DEVELOP RESERVES

BEIJING – Bolivia’s president-elect, Evo Morales, yesterday met with President Hu and called China an “ideological ally,” a day after he invited the communist country to develop Bolivia’s vast gas reserves. Mr. Morales’s visit to China came at a propitious time for Beijing, which is also eager to develop links with Latin America. China sees nations such as Bolivia as new sources of fuel and raw materials as well as new markets for its exports.

– Associated Press

CENTRAL ASIA

PURPORTED TALIBAN LEADER’S STATEMENT WARNS OF MORE ATTACKS

KABUL, Afghanistan – Taliban leader Mullah Omar purportedly warned yesterday of a coming surge in violence, clearly rejecting the Afghan president’s proposal a day earlier to “get in touch” if he wants to talk peace.

Meanwhile, Pakistan said it protested to the American military over a cross-border firing that killed eight people in a Pakistani village, but stopped short of blaming American forces for the attack. Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said his country was still trying to determine who opened fire Saturday on the frontier village of Saidgi and whether American helicopters landed there as claimed by local elders.

– Associated Press

WESTERN EUROPE

BRITISH SCIENTISTS TO DISCLOSE GENE CODE OF BIRD FLU WITHIN DAYS

LONDON – British scientists will deduce the entire genetic sequence of a Turkish bird flu virus within days, providing clues as to its origins, whether it is resistant to treatment, and the chance that it may start a pandemic. The work is being conducted by a team led by the director of the World Influenza Centre in north London, Dr. Alan Hay. The team has received six samples from Turkey.

– The Daily Telegraph

CARIBBEAN

STRIKE IN HAITI BRINGS COMMERCE TO A HALT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Businesses ground to a halt yesterday in a general strike called to protest a wave of kidnappings that has terrified people and cast a shadow over already troubled efforts to restore democracy in Haiti.The Haitian Chamber of Commerce and Industry called the strike to pressure U.N. peacekeepers to move against gangs – allegedly loyal to ousted President Aristide – who have carried out many of the kidnappings.

– Associated Press

AUSTRALIA

TROPICAL CYCLONE CROSSES NORTHWEST AUSTRALIAN COAST

SYDNEY, Australia – The first tropical cyclone of Australia’s storm season reached the country’s northwest coast early yesterday, cutting power to thousands of homes and forcing oil companies to shut down their offshore rigs. Cyclone Clare had winds gusting to more than 115 mph.

– Associated Press