World digest 08/24/02

Prosecutors dismiss Abu Nidal-Lockerbie link

LONDON -- The Scottish prosecutors' office dismissed a published report Friday that Abu Nidal, the Palestinian terrorist whose death was announced in Iraq this week, was behind the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.

"We deal, and have dealt with, evidence -- not rumor or speculation," a Scottish Crown Office official said on condition of anonymity.

The Arabic newspaper al-Hayat on Friday published an interview with Atef Abu Bakr, a former spokesman for the radical group headed by Abu Nidal, saying Abu Nidal told a meeting of the group's council that his organization was behind the bombing.

A special Scottish court convicted former Libyan intelligence agent Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi in the Netherlands in 2000. He was sentenced to life in prison.

India, Pakistan trade words over alleged attack

NEW DELHI, India --Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan sparred verbally over a reported military attack in the mountains of the disputed Himalayan province of Kashmir. Pakistan said Indian air force jets bombed a Pakistani army post on its side of the disputed Himalayan province, but India called the accusation "malicious propaganda."

The renewed rhetoric, after weeks of relative calm, raised fears that the 1 million troops gathered on both sides of the border would not be pulled back.

The archrivals have fought three wars since gaining independence in 1947.

North Korea's leader wraps up trip to Russia

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia -- North Korean leader Kim Jong Il capped his second visit to Russia in a year with a long meeting with President Vladimir Putin.

Putin and Kim talked for about 3 1/2 hours Friday near Vladivostok, Russia's main Pacific Coast city. Kim made no comments after the meeting, but as he walked away with Putin he appeared pleased, smiling and spreading his arms wide.

The Russian president said little more, giving only a synopsis of the talks, which he said focused on economic development.

In particular, he said the two leaders talked about potential Russian involvement in a proposal to link the rail systems of South and North Korea and improving the system's connection with Russia's Trans-Siberian railroad.

U.S. company settles over dialysis deaths

ZAGREB, Croatia -- Families of most of the 21 kidney patients who died last year in Croatia during or after dialysis have settled out of court with the U.S. firm that produced a filter widely blamed for their deaths, victims' relatives and the company said Friday.

"We can confirm that the majority of cases have been settled," Patty O'Hayer, the spokeswoman for Baxter International Inc., said. "There are just a few remaining, and we hope to settle with them in the coming days."

Radoslav Dejanovic, whose 60-year-old father, Adolf, was among the dead, also confirmed the deal.

Neither O'Hayer nor Dejanovic wanted to discuss amounts agreed on or other settlement details.

Activists accuse China of crackdown on ChristiansBEIJING -- About 70 Christians have disappeared or been secretly arrested in China in recent months, a group of Chinese religious activists said Friday.

The Christians worshipped in underground churches that operate outside the communist government's control, said the New York-based Committee for Investigation on Persecution of Religion in China.

The committee compiled a list of 71 people who have allegedly been secretly arrested or have disappeared.

Calls seeking comment from the government went unanswered Friday.

The Associated Press tried to call the homes of some of the people on the list, but operators in their towns -- mostly in rural areas -- said that they had no telephone service. It is common for rural homes not to have phones.

-- From wire reports