CIA missile said to kill senior Qaeda operative

WASHINGTON, D.C.

CIA missile said to kill senior Qaeda operative
A senior Al Qaeda operative was reportedly killed by a missile fired from an unmanned CIA Predator aircraft near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border earlier this week. Unidentified intelligence officials told ABC News that Haitham al-Yemeni had been tracked for some time in the hope that he would lead them to Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Officials decided to strike to prevent Yemeni from going into hiding. The CIA declined to comment. (AP)

Democrats to slow action on Bolton

Democrats opposed to the appointment of John R. Bolton as UN ambassador said yesterday that they will slow down the Senate's consideration of the embattled nominee as they try to build their case against him. As a result, Senate consideration of the nomination is unlikely before the end of the month, a spokesman for Senate majority leader Bill Frist said. The Democrats vowed to use procedural delays as they continue seeking information about Bolton. (AP)

ETHIOPIA

US commander warns Somalia a terror haven
ADDIS ABABA -- Somalia is a haven for terrorists in East Africa and the government-in-exile is needed to restore law and order to the Horn of Africa nation, the commander of a US counterterrorism task force said yesterday. Marine Major General Samuel Helland said US troops were working with Somalia's neighbors to improve their border security since US pressure on Al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan may force some members to seek refuge in East Africa. (AP)

IRAN

Atomic talks with EU seen possibly effective
TEHRAN -- Talks between Iran and the European Union could still defuse a confrontation over Tehran's plan to resume uranium enrichment, the government said yesterday. ''Iran lays an emphasis on continuing these negotiations but cannot remain indifferent to the future of our energy resources," Ali Aghamohammadi, a member of the Supreme National Security Council, told state television in reponse to an EU threat to refer Iran to the United Nations. (Reuters)

COLOMBIA

Cocaine bust is called the biggest in history
BOGOTA -- Colombian authorities seized $350 million worth of cocaine stashed on a jungle riverbank by far-right paramilitaries, police said yesterday, in what they called the biggest cocaine seizure in history. Police and the navy confiscated 13.8 tons of cocaine hidden on the banks of the River Mira, near the Pacific Ocean port of Tumaco. Police think the drugs were headed for the United States. (Reuters)

EGYPT

Judges set to boycott supervising elections
CAIRO -- Egyptian judges, long stripped of their independence by President Hosni Mubarak's regime, voted yesterday to refuse to supervise an upcoming referendum and presidential election, the latest sign of discontent over the government's limited democratic reforms. A judges' boycott would undermine the credibility of what the government sees as a major democratic step: the opening of the September elections to multiple candidates. (AP)

ECUADOR

Galapagos volcano threatens wildlife
QUITO -- A volcano spewed ash and lava onto part of the ecologically delicate Galapagos Islands yesterday, threatening to kill vegetation, iguanas, and other animals on the island of Fernandina, officials said. The islands are considered to be among the most important natural preserves in the world. No humans live on Fernandina, the westernmost island in the formation.(Reuters)