World briefs 10/8/04

Sectarian bombing in Pakistan kills 39

MULTAN, Pakistan -- A bomb attack on Sunni Muslim radicals in central Pakistan Thursday killed at least 39 people, wounded more than 100 and prompted the government to ban religious and political gatherings nationwide. Two bombs planted in a car and motorcycle exploded at a predawn gathering of about 3,000 Sunnis in the city of Multan in what police suspected was a sectarian attack.

One in 4 children under 5 dying in Sierra Leone

UNITED NATIONS -- In Sierra Leone, one in four children dies before age 5. In Iraq, one in 10 does not make it to a fifth birthday. Across the globe, poor care for newborns, malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and measles snuff out lives of the very young, according to a U.N. report released today. The United Nations Children's Fund reported "alarmingly slow progress on reducing child deaths" -- one in 12 children worldwide does not live to age 5, with half of all those deaths occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

Teens pretending to fire rockets killed in strike

JEBALIYA REFUGEE CAMP, Gaza Strip -- An Israeli missile strike on Thursday killed two Palestinian teenagers who were playing with a tube and a gasoline-filled bottle in a game imitating militants firing rockets at Israel, relatives said. The deaths brought to 84 the number of Palestinians killed since Israel began its offensive into northern Gaza on Sept. 29 after a rocket attack killed two Israeli children. More than half those killed were militants. Sixteen of the civilians were age 16 and under.

More beheaded corpses turn up in Haiti's capital

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti -- Two beheaded bodies, one wrapped in tires and set ablaze, turned up in Haiti's capital, officials said Thursday, the latest victims of violence fueled by supporters of an ousted president. The killings brought the death toll to 20 in a week-long protest by backers of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who are seeking the former president's return to power.

Explosion rattles Afghan capital near embassy

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A loud explosion rattled the Afghan capital near the U.S. Embassy early today, prompting American officials to order diplomatic staff to take shelter in an underground bunker. Lt. Commander Ken MacKillop, a spokesman for international peacekeepers, said it was not clear what caused the blast, which came a day before the start of national elections.

Book says France thought of sending troops to Iraq

PARIS -- French President Jacques Chirac considered committing up to 15,000 troops to the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq until a dispute over U.N. support scuttled prospects for cooperation, according to a new book. The book, "Chirac Contre Bush: L'Autre Guerre" ("Chirac vs. Bush: The Other War"), claims Chirac was on the fence about offering French forces as late as January 2003 -- two months before the invasion -- but balked amid signs that President Bush was bent on war.

Soldiers back in Germany after 15 months in Iraq

WIESBADEN, Germany -- Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz welcomed the U.S. Army's 1st Armored Division back to its German base Thursday after an extended, 15-month tour of duty in Iraq, joining with soldiers to pay tribute to 130 comrades killed in the Middle East. Soldiers representing the division's individual battalions, brigades and companies lined up in full battle gear, helmets and desert fatigues as the homecoming ceremony opened.

-- From wire reports