World briefs 5/19/05

Iran will endure sanctions over nuclear program

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran will endure U.N. economic sanctions rather than give up nuclear fuel development, the vice president said Wednesday ahead of a new round of meetings with European countries trying to rein in its nuclear program. Iran is vowing to restart its uranium reprocessing activities, an early stage in preparing raw uranium for either power reactor fuel or a nuclear weapon. Washington believes Iran is secretly developing nuclear weapons under cover of a peaceful nuclear program. Iran denies this, saying its nuclear program is geared merely toward generating electricity, not bomb. The European Union has threatened to take Iran to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions if it resumes nuclear fuel development.

Italian police arrest nine terror suspects

ROME -- Police arrested nine terror suspects Wednesday during raids in northern Italy in what they said was a crackdown on extremist cells accused of planning attacks in Italy and abroad. Some of the arrests were carried out with the help of suspects turned informants -- a rare form of cooperation in probes into alleged Islamic terrorism in Italy and one that authorities hope will boost their success against militants. Six suspects were arrested in Milan and three in Turin, police said, after investigations into alleged cells based in the two cities.

Anti-Western violence continues in Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Suspected Taliban militants on Wednesday killed five Afghans working on a U.S.-funded project to help end opium farming, and a man claiming to have abducted an Italian aid worker threatened to kill her -- part of a surge in anti-Western violence apparently aimed at undermining Afghanistan's recovery. Italian Clementina Cantoni was in "critical condition" from injuries she suffered when four armed men dragged her from her car in Kabul, where she works for CARE International, said the purported kidnapper, who called himself Temur Shah. The five Afghans killed Wednesday were ambushed and shot to death as they drove through southern Helmand province, said senior provincial official Ghulam Muhiddin.

Ferry in Bangladesh capsizes, dozens missing

MANIKGANJ, Bangladesh -- Rescuers postponed a search Wednesday for dozens of people reported missing after a ferry carrying about 250 capsized during a storm in Bangladesh, killing at least two people. Strong currents and winds hit the overcrowded double-deck ferry ML Raipura on Tuesday as it neared a terminal on the Padma River in central Manikganj district, 25 miles northwest of the capital, Dhaka. The body of a man was found in the river Wednesday, bringing the known death toll to two, police said. A child's body was found Tuesday. At least 50 people swam to shore. The boat has been found under about 30 feet of water, but strong currents and poor underwater visibility were hampering salvage work, police said.

Fox promises to work with U.S. civil rights leader

MEXICO CITY -- President Vicente Fox tried to smooth relations with the U.S. black community Wednesday after saying Mexican immigrants take jobs that "not even" blacks want, promising to work with the Rev. Jesse Jackson to improve labor rights for minorities in the United States. The meeting between Fox and Jackson at the presidential residence was a sharp contrast from a few days ago, when Jackson called on the Mexican president to issue a public apology. The controversy came as Mexico fumed over new U.S. immigration policies on driver's licenses and expanding a wall between California and Mexico.