Israel
SHORESH, Israel -- Raising a new demand, Palestinian negotiators said that Israel must pay compensation for three decades of military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip as part of a full peace treaty.
Sri Lanka
COLOMBO -- Tamil Tiger rebels captured fresh territory in the country's north as heavy fighting ended a short lull in the ethnic war, military officials said Thursday.
Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO -- A TAM airline shuttle flight from Sao Paulo slid off the runway while landing in Rio de Janeiro Thursday, but there were no injuries to the 107 passengers and crew, airport officials said Thursday.
Germany
BERLIN -- The government warned Thursday against putting more pressure on industry to raise its share of compensation to Nazi-era forced laborers after a $4.3 billion offer was rejected Wednesday.
Morocco
TANGIERS -- Paul Bowles, the American writer and composer best known for his novels in exotic North African settings, died Thursday in Tangiers, the Italian Hospital said. He was 88. His most famous novel is "The Sheltering Sky."
Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR -- Jailed politician Anwar Ibrahim and his wife both plan to run for Parliament seats as the chief opposition candidates in Malaysia's
Iran
TEHRAN -- Iran's rival clerical factions held a reconciliation summit under tight security, in an attempt to ease political tensions ahead of next year's parliamentary polls.
Afghanistan
KABUL -- U.N. staffers were working in the Afghan capital after the ruling Taliban militia honored its pledge to curb violent demonstrations protesting newly imposed sanctions, the top U.N. official for Afghanistan said.
Kenya
NAIROBI -- A 60-year-old Kenyan pleaded guilty to stealing food worth 20 cents to feed his 15 children and two wives, a local newspaper said.
Vietnam
HANOI -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai will seek approval from the National Assembly next month to change some senior government personnel, official media reported.
Cambodia
PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia accused some nations of trying to dictate terms of a planned trial of Khmer Rouge leaders, saying some of these countries had once backed the Maoist group and had no right to lecture.
Australia
CANBERRA -- The government's bid to block the entry of thousands of illegal immigrants could be hurt by the upper house's refusal to tighten visa controls, Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock said.
Bosnia
SOPOTNICA DONJA -- Muslim refugees stranded in this deserted village accused Bosnian Serb authorities of preventing them from going back to their pre-war homes just a few hundred yards away.
India
NEW DELHI -- Sonia Gandhi, leader of India's opposition party, wants the president to spare the life of one of her husband's killers. During a meeting with President K.R. Narayanan this week, Gandhi asked that the death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment for S. Nalini because she is the mother of a small child, Congress party official Ajit Jogi said.
Iraq
BAGHDAD -- Iraq accused the United States and Britain Thursday of blocking more than 1,000 contracts worth $1.8 billion signed under its oil-for-food deal with the United Nations.