Argentina

Bombs explode at Buenos Aires banks

Homemade bombs exploded in two Buenos Aires banks before they opened Wednesday, killing a security guard, police said.

The explosions occurred near ATM machines in branches belonging to Citibank, shown above, and Banco Galicia, damaging the building’s facades and shattering windows, officials said. No group immediately claimed responsibility.

A 38-year-old security guard was killed at a Citibank branch downtown, said German Fernandez, a spokesman for a private ambulance service.

Police said they also deactivated two explosive devices, and at least one officer was injured after authorities detonated a bomb found inside a second Citibank branch.

Banks remain a flashpoint of public anger following Argentina’s 2001-2 economic crisis.

Afghanistan

Source says militants don’t have hostages

Criminals rather than Islamic militants are holding three kidnapped U.N. workers, an official said Wednesday, dismissing the claims of a Taliban-linked group threatening to kill the trio unless the United States frees 26 jailed comrades.

Afghan authorities believe the three foreigners — Philippine diplomat Angelito Nayan, British-Irish citizen Annetta Flanigan and Shqipe Hebibi of Kosovo — have been kept in Kabul since their abduction three week ago.

A little-known rebel group called Jaish-al Muslimeen, or Army of Muslims, said Wednesday through a spokesman that its leaders were holding a critical meeting on the hostages’ fate.

But a spokesman for the Afghan government’s Interior Ministry, which is leading the search for the hostages, said Jaish-al Muslimeen was not holding the foreigners.

Pakistan

Pearl abduction suspect killed in shootout

An Islamic militant wanted in connection with the murder of American Journalist Daniel Pearl was killed in a shootout with police, according to Pakistani authorities on Wednesday, who also announced the arrest of a suspect in the deadly bombing near the U.S. Consulate in Karachi two years ago.

The actions mark the latest in a series of high profile arrests and killings of militant suspects wanted for terrorist attacks in Pakistan since its military leader, President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, made the Muslim country a key ally in the U.S.-led war on terror in late 2001.

Police in Karachi announced the death of Asim Ghafoor, wanted in the January 2002 kidnapping and killing of Pearl, a correspondent for the Wall Street Journal.

Kenya

More money sought to fight global diseases

Health activists demanded more money for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria ahead of the group’s board meeting where U.S. representatives are expected to push for a suspension of new projects.

A consortium of 435 organizations that promote better health care for Africans called Tuesday for rich nations to boost donations to the Global Fund and for the agency to contribute to new health programs for the world’s poorest people.

Since 2002, the Global Fund has become a major donor, helping to improve health care of poor people around the world. But wealthy nations have not adequately supported the fund, creating financial problems.

U.S. officials have been lobbying the directors to suspend any future calls for grant proposals because of funding shortfalls. The Bush administration has cut donations to the fund from $546 million in 2004 to $200 million in 2005.