Qaeda to Pakistan: Set up Islamic state

CAIRO - An American member of Al Qaeda called on Pakistanis to put aside differences and establish an Islamic state. In an English-language video released yesterday, Adam Gadahn called the Pakistani government a US puppet and said it is responsible for the deaths of more Muslims than the American "crusaders." In the half-hour video, he also pointed to the US economic crisis as proof that the enemies of Islam face defeat. (AP)

BANGKOK - A former Bangkok mayor and key leader of an antigovernment movement that spearheaded the ouster of a Thai prime minister was arrested today on charges of insurrection, police said. Police on Aug. 27 issued arrest warrants for nine protest leaders on a variety of charges. The nine, members of the People's Alliance for Democracy, led mass street protests that led to the ouster of Samak Sundaravej last month. (AP)

NEW DELHI - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Indian counterpart, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, lauded a new agreement that opens up US nuclear trade with India, but they stopped short of signing the deal yesterday. Rice said Congress has not sent the pact to the White House. (AP)

HARARE - President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to settle differences over the finance and home affairs ministries in a new Zimbabwe government yesterday. Their meeting was held to try to break the deadlock over Cabinet posts, an impasse that threatens a power-sharing deal. (Reuters)

LA PAZ - President Evo Morales said yesterday that Bolivia does not need help from the United States to control its coca crop, stepping up his anti-Washington rhetoric days after rejecting a US request to fly an antidrug plane over the South American nation's territory. (AP)