Iraq bombarded a missile battery on Monday in the most serious clash since the end of Operation Desert Fox eight days ago. Washington said the F-16 jets retaliated after coming under fire from Iraqi ground-to-air missiles.
JERUSALEM - Israel`s leading political parties agreed in principle to hold national elections on May 17, 1999, as the circle of challengers to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu widened to five. Israel accused the Palestinian Authority of stopping Israeli security officials from inspecting an Egyptian plane at Gaza`s new airport and threatened to block incoming flights if further inspections were not allowed.
KABUL - Afghanistan`s Taleban movement refused to comment on the latest outburst of exiled Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden but reiterated he would not be expelled. A senior Taleban official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that despite recent comments by bin Laden, the movement would "remain committed to its promise of keeping him as a guest".
ABIDJAN - West African states met for emergency talks over renewed conflict in Sierra Leone but announced no new initiative on ending a war that is again threatening the capital Freetown.
LUANDA - The United Nations Observer Mission in Angola said that Morse code signals had been picked up by U.N. communications staff near the site of a plane crash in the central highlands.
