Afghanistan
U.S. forces kill four
U.S.-led troops mounted overnight raids on suspected al-Qaida compounds in eastern Afghanistan, killing four people and detaining several others, officials said Sunday.
The U.S. military said "several Arab fighters" were among the suspects killed or detained in the operation in Nangarhar province, although a local official said only Afghans survived.
News of the operation came as the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan told The Associated Press that al-Qaida suspects continued to slip across the nearby Pakistani border.
The overnight attack targeted several compounds that "had clear connections to al-Qaida," the military said in a statement.
It said the operation was launched partly on the basis of a tip from local residents and also netted a haul of weapons, explosives and cash.
Bahrain
King pardons human rights activist
Bahrain's king ordered the immediate release of human rights activist who was convicted of inciting hatred of the government and sentenced to one year in prison Sunday in a case linked to criticism of the prime minister.
The intervention by the king, Sheik Hamad, came hours after Abdul-Hadi al-Khawaja was sentenced in a courtroom where scores of his supporters appeared.
Al-Khawaja, the executive director of the now-dissolved Bahrain Center for Human Rights, was detained Sept. 25 after he called publicly for the resignation of Sheik Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, accusing him of being responsible for economic failures and rights violations.
Venezuela
Opposition faltering against Chavez
Underneath the veneer of normalcy in this oil-rich nation is deep frustration felt by President Hugo Chavez's opponents after three efforts to unseat him failed: a coup, a national strike and a referendum. They are in disarray and unable to challenge a president they accuse of steering Venezuela into a Cuba-style dictatorship.
As Chavez moves to further centralize power and advance what he calls his revolution for the poor, the risk that extremists will turn to violence was underscored by the assassination Thursday of a state attorney who was intending to prosecute supporters of the failed 2002 coup.
"The opposition has no legitimate leadership. Not at this moment," said Alberto Garrido, a leading Venezuelan political commentator.
Opponents accuse Chavez of polarizing this South American nation by vilifying the rich while pumping the nation's oil wealth into food, health and education programs for the majority poor, seeking to retain their votes in future elections.
Egypt
Reformist seeks change to electoral system
A prominent Egyptian-American reformist said Sunday he would run for Egypt's presidency if a proposed constitutional amendment allowing direct elections for multiple candidates succeeds.
However, the chances of that happening are slim.
Saad Eddin Ibrahim -- a university professor, sociologist and critic of Egypt's military-controlled regime -- acknowledges there is little hope of success. But he said he was putting the idea forward to try to break the taboo against anyone other than the sitting president being considered a candidate.
President Hosni Mubarak, 76, has led Egypt since the 1981 assassination of his predecessor, Anwar Sadat. In four previous presidential referendums, Mubarak was the sole candidate and Egyptians could only vote "yes" or "no." The next poll is set for October 2005.
Vatican City
Pope seeks protection of family, marriage
Pope John Paul II warned against attempts to tamper with what he called "the irreplaceable" institution of marriage-based family, saying Saturday that such efforts would deeply wound society.
His speech to participants in a meeting of the Vatican's council on family matters did not mention any specific issues. But it appeared to refer to moves by some countries and cities to recognize marriage between homosexuals.
"Family, based on marriage, is a natural, irreplaceable institution and fundamental element of the common good of every society," the pope said. "Whoever destroys this fundamental fabric of human coexistence, by not respecting its identity and by distorting its tasks, delivers a deep wound to society and often provokes irreparable damage."
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