Washington, D.C.

Senate won’t act on Internet tax ban

The Senate on Tuesday declined to act on a bill to extend a federal ban on Internet access taxes — potentially allowing cash-strapped states and cities to impose levies of their own.

A few states, including Montana, have passed laws authorizing new Internet taxes if the federal Internet tax moratorium, which expired Nov. 1, is not renewed or made permanent.

State and local governments say they could raise millions of dollars annually by taxing service from Internet providers such as EarthLink Inc. and Time Warner Inc.’s America Online.

The federal ban prohibits access taxes similar to those paid on telephone service. When first passed in 1998, the tax moratorium was intended to encourage people to connect to the Internet. The Senate will review the ban in 2004.

West Bank

Palestinians seek pledge from militants to halt attacks

Palestinian officials plan to secure a pledge from militant groups next week to halt all attacks against Israel, which they will present along with a demand for enforcement of the U.S.-backed “road map” peace plan, a Palestinian negotiator said Tuesday.

The comments by Saeb Erekat, which were welcomed by Israel, were the latest sign of progress in efforts to halt three years of violence and resume full-fledged peace talks.

Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, have agreed to attend a conference starting Tuesday in Cairo, Egypt. The groups, which have carried out scores of deadly attacks on Israelis, are expected to commit to a cease-fire then, Erekat said.

Iraq

Civilians bearing brunt of guerrilla attacks

With U.S. troops heavily armed and bunkered behind concrete and razor wire, guerrillas are pointing their guns at softer targets like Iraqi police and civilians, top U.S. military and civilian officials said Tuesday.

American officials expect attacks on Iraqis working with the coalition to surge as the U.S.-led administration begins handing power to local leaders.

After dark, three large explosions shook the center of Baghdad from the city’s western half. The blasts triggered a warning siren in the “Green Zone” housing the U.S. headquarters; no casualties were reported.

New York City

Airport crew network arrested in drug smuggling

Twenty-five airport ground crew members were arrested and accused of smuggling tens of millions of dollars worth of cocaine and marijuana into the United States, federal officials said Tuesday.

The suspects, nearly all current or former employees at Kennedy Airport, unloaded drugs that had been stashed aboard flights from Guyana and diverted it around border inspection areas, prosecutors said.

Federal officials began surveillance on flights from Guyana 14 months ago and watched suspects unload drugs that had been stashed in luggage, cargo and, in one case, under ice in a plane’s galley, authorities said.