Dow, Nasdaq and S&P post modest gains

Dow, Nasdaq and S&P post modest gains

NEW YORK -- Stock prices fluctuated but showed signs of stability Tuesday as investors looked for bargains after last week's precipitous drop.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 56.11 to 8,659.97, bringing its two-day advance to more than 424 points. Last week, the blue-chip index lost a record 1,369 points.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 2.15 to 1,501.55, while the Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 8.72 to 1,012.17.

Red Cross gives grants to each victim's family

WASHINGTON -- The Red Cross will give grants of up to $30,000 to families of those who died or are reported missing in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

The first batch of the tax-free payments was sent to families Friday and are meant to assist with short-term expenses such as mortgage or rent payments and funeral costs.

The size of the payments is based on the number of dependents of a victim.

U.S. sends enough wheat to feed 2 million a year

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration is shipping 100,000 metric tons of wheat to feed Afghanistan's refugees, fulfilling a pledge made just days before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington.

It's enough wheat to feed 2 million people for a year, according to the World Food Program.

Even before Afghanistan became a target for U.S. military action, the U.N. agency was estimating it would need to feed 5 million Afghans this winter because of the turmoil in the country and a 3-year-old drought.

Russian leader calls for 'isolation' of terrorists

BERLIN -- Russian President Vladimir Putin underlined his country's commitment to an international coalition against terror after talks with German leaders Tuesday, calling for the "complete ideological and political isolation" of terrorists.

However, he accused the West, which often criticizes Russia's war on the Chechen rebels, of being stuck in Cold War categories of conflict, and complained that it remains wary of Russia. "Meanwhile, we don't recognize the real dangers," Putin said.

Iran, Britain agree to fight terrorism

TEHRAN, Iran -- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said Tuesday that Britain and Iran were in agreement against terrorism following the attacks in the United States.

"We stand together in opposing terrorism of that kind," said Straw, the highest-ranking British official to visit Iran since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Straw had been expected to see if Iran was willing to lend support to the United States and its allies in any offensive against Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Iran -- home to 1.5 million Afghan refugees -- supports Afghanistan's northern alliance, which has been fighting the Taliban troops.

Campaign renamed 'Enduring Freedom'

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon renamed its military campaign against terrorism "Enduring Freedom," dropping an earlier name considered offensive to Muslims.

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld said the name "Operation Infinite Justice" was dropped because in Islam such finality is considered something provided only by Allah.

Crop-dusting flight ban lifted by FAA

WASHINGTON -- The federal ban on crop-dusting flights was lifted at 11:05 p.m. Monday. The ban was the second time the planes had been grounded since the Federal Aviation Administration cleared the way for most flights to resume Sept. 14.

The government banned flights by crop dusters on Sunday and Monday amid concerns they could be used as weapons of chemical or biological warfare.

-- From wire reports