World briefs 2/25/05

Record 199 nominations made for Peace Prize

OSLO, Norway -- A record 199 individuals and groups were nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, and the secret list of nominees was believed to range from former Secretary of State Colin Powell to U2 singer Bono. The final count of nominees, released Thursday, included 163 individuals and 36 organizations, said Geir Lundestad, secretary of the Norwegian awards committee. Last year, Kenyan environmental activist Wangari Maathai won the prize. She was among 194 nominees, the previous record.

Somali government home for first time since exile

JOWHAR, Somalia -- Hundreds of Somalis sang and shouted in welcome Thursday, as their president made his first trip home since forming his government in exile last year. President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi are assessing whether it is finally safe enough to move their government from neighboring Kenya to Somalia and run their country from within. The two men arrived in separate planes, leading a 47-member delegation that included eight Cabinet ministers and several lawmakers.

Taiwan may still attempt unification with China

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Taiwan's president pledged Thursday he would not shut the door on eventual unification with rival China if Beijing expressed goodwill -- one of his most specific pronouncements on the issue. Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian, long viewed as rejecting the possibility of unification, clarified his position at a meeting with James Soong, leader of the opposition People First Party. They signed a joint declaration afterward.

Gunmen storm office in Indian Kashmir

SRINAGAR, India -- Two armed militants stormed a busy government office complex Thursday in Indian-controlled Kashmir, prompting a four-hour gunbattle that left seven people dead, including the attackers, a paramilitary force spokesman said. Two paramilitary soldiers, two civilians and one policeman were among the dead, said K. Srinivasan, a top official with India's Border Security Force. The gunmen forced their way into the administrative complex in central Srinagar in early afternoon, firing automatic weapons and killing the two soldiers guarding the entrance, said Neeraj Kumar, a paramilitary official.

Palestinians OK new Cabinet of professionals

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- The Palestinian parliament on Thursday approved a 24-member Cabinet dominated by professional appointees, including nearly half with doctoral degrees, in a major move toward long-promised government reform. The 54-12 vote, with four abstentions, ended days of wrangling between rebellious legislators and Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia, who initially sought to reappoint political cronies of the late Yasser Arafat.

Court hears appeals of Daniel Pearl killers

KARACHI, Pakistan -- A court in Pakistan on Thursday began hearing the appeals of four militants convicted in the killing of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl, lawyers said. Pearl was kidnapped Jan. 23, 2002, and later beheaded in the southern city of Karachi while he was researching a story on Islamic militancy. In July 2002, British-born Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh was sentenced to death and three other Pakistanis to life imprisonment for involvement in the abduction and execution of the American journalist. The government is also seeking death penalties for the three: Fahad Naseem, Salman Saqib and Sheikh Mohammed Adeel.