Briefly

Al-Qaida No. 2 posts criticisms on Web

CAIRO, Egypt -- The deputy leader of al-Qaida accused moderate Arab leaders of being traitors for cooperating with the United States in a message posted on the Internet Saturday to mark the most important Islamic holiday. Ayman al-Zawahri lashed out at moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah movement in a 15-minute audiotape message posted on a Web site commonly used by Islamic insurgents. Al-Zawahri did not mention Saddam Hussein's execution, suggesting the tape was made before the ousted leader's hanging Saturday.

Abbas in Gaza, first time since eruption of violence

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas traveled to the Gaza Strip on Saturday in his first visit to the region since a deadly outbreak of factional violence this month. Abbas, who spends most of his time at his headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah, arrived to celebrate the Eid al-Adha holiday, according to his office. Earlier this month Fatah and Hamas militants waged deadly street battles that killed 17 people, paralyzed much of Gaza and led to fears of a civil war. A shaky cease-fire last week has largely ended the violence. Before leaving Ramallah, Abbas criticized Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, saying he had broken his promise to release Palestinian prisoners ahead of the Islamic holiday.

Somali forces go to final showdown with militia

MOGADISHU, Somalia -- Thousands of Somali and Ethiopian troops closed in Saturday on the last remaining stronghold of a militant Islamic movement in southern Somalia, as the prime minister called for talks to avoid further bloodshed. Some 3,000 Muslim militiamen have taken a stand in the port city of Kismayo. The Islamic movement's leader pledged to continue its fight despite losing capital and other key towns in recent days. The military advance on Kismayo marks the latest move in a stunning turnaround for Somalia's government, which just weeks ago could barely control one town, its base of Baidoa in the west.

Many feared dead after Indonesian ferry sinks

SEMARANG, Indonesia -- Navy ships searched into the night Saturday for survivors from a crowded Indonesian ferry that sunk off Java island during a violent storm, leaving the vast majority of the nearly 640 passengers still missing. Nearly 24 hours after the disaster, just 59 survivors had been found, officials said. No bodies had been recovered. Witnesses reported seeing lifeboats carrying more survivors, the transport minister said, and one person on board the ferry said most people had time to put on life jackets. Other survivors reported panicked passengers fighting over life jackets as the Senopati capsized close to midnight Friday.

-- From wire reports