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Activists want timeline on Obama's promise toallow gays to serve openly in the military
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama restated his campaign pledge to allow homosexual men and women to serve openly in the military, but left many in his audience of gay activists wondering when he would make good on the promise.
"I will end 'don't ask-don't tell,'" Obama said Saturday night to a standing ovation from the crowd of about 3,000 at the annual dinner of the Human Rights Campaign, a gay civil rights advocacy group. He offered no timetable or specifics and he acknowledged some may be growing impatient.
"I appreciate that many of you don't believe progress has come fast enough," Obama said. "Do not doubt the direction we are heading and the destination we will reach."
Some advocates said they already have heard Obama's promises and now they want a timeline. Cleve Jones, a pioneer activist and creator of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, said Obama delivered a brilliant speech, but added "it lacked the answer to our most pressing question, which is when."
"He repeated his promises that he's made to us before, but he did not indicate when he would accomplish these goals and we've been waiting for a while now," said Jones, national co-chair of a major gay-rights rally scheduled for Sunday on the National Mall.
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Bloody 22-hour siege at Pakistani army headquarters ends with at least 19 killed, 42 rescued
RAWALPINDI, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistani commandos freed dozens of hostages seized by militants at the army's own headquarters Sunday, ending a deadly, 22-hour drama that embarrassed the nation's military as it plans a new offensive against al-Qaida and the Taliban.
At least 19 people died in the standoff, including three captives and eight of the militants, who wore army fatigues in the audacious assault. The rescue operation began before dawn Sunday, ultimately freeing 42 hostages, the military said.
One attacker, described as the militants' ringleader, was captured.
The attack on the nerve center of the army, Pakistan's most powerful institution, showed the continued strength of insurgents allied with al-Qaida and the Taliban despite military operations and U.S. missile strikes that have battered their ranks. It was the third major attack in Pakistan in a week.
The government said the siege only steeled its resolve to go through with an offensive in South Waziristan, a tribal region along the Afghan border and a major militant stronghold. The U.S. and Pakistan's other Western allies want Islamabad to take more action against insurgents also blamed for soaring attacks on U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan.
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US, Afghan troops storm al-Qaida compound in east, killing more than 12 militants
KABUL (AP) - American and Afghan forces stormed a mountainside compound in eastern Afghanistan before dawn Sunday that had been used by an al-Qaida commander, killing more than a dozen militants in a gunbattle, the U.S. military said.
The clash comes amid a debate in the U.S. about whether to send more forces to Afghanistan to gain control of the country or to more narrowly target terrorists taking refuge in the mountainous region that straddles eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan.
Al-Qaida's leadership is widely assumed to be hiding in Pakistan, though Afghan officials have said they believe foreign fighters are increasingly crossing into their country to bolster the Taliban insurgency.
This has already been the deadliest year for U.S. forces since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. An American service member was killed by a bomb strike in western Afghanistan on Saturday, the military said.
The fighting in eastern Kunar province started overnight when the troops pushedinto targeted compound in the hopes of capturing those inside, said U.S. military spokeswoman Capt. Elizabeth Mathias. They quickly came under fire, sparking a clash in which more than 12 insurgents died, she said.
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US troops help struggling Philippines in relief efforts as toll from recent storms tops 600
MANILA, Philippines (AP) - American military helicopters started ferrying tons of aid Sunday to a northern Philippine mountain region facing shortages of food, gasoline and coffins after back-to-back typhoons killed more than 600 in the country.
Four Marine CH-46 helicopters were flying to Baguio city, which along with nearby provinces was devastated by storm-triggered mudslides that have blocked three key access roads to the area, isolating the upland region.
The U.S. military was responding to a request from the Philippines to help them deal with the nationwide aftermath of two major storms since Sept. 26. Tropical Depression Parma blew out of the country's mountainous north late Saturday, allowing U.S. troops to start airlifting food aid to hard-hit Baguio city.
Philippine officials asked U.S. troops, which were in the country for an annual war exercise, to instead help with relief operations. About 700 Marines and sailors were on hand to help out, said Marine Capt. Jorge Escatell, a U.S. military spokesman.
The helicopters flew to northern San Fernando township, where they picked up about 10 tons of food that will be delivered to Baguio, Escatell said.
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Band director says 1 adult killed, several students hurt when bus rolls over in Idaho
INKOM, Idaho (AP) - A bus carrying a celebrated Utah high school band swerved off an Idaho interstate and crashed on its side, killing an instructor and injuring some students, police and a school official said.
Two studentswere rushed by helicopter ambulance Saturday night to a hospital in Pocatello, John Miller, director of the American Fork, Utah, high school band, told The Associated Press. Another 12 were sent to a hospital by ground ambulance with serious injuries, and 30 students were taken to a hospital for minor injuries, he said.
Idaho state police said a preliminary investigation showed that the bus driver had a medical condition that caused the crash.
The Salt Lake Tribune said witnesses at the scene identified the person killed as Heather Christensen, the school's woodwind instructor.
The crash occurred around 7 p.m. MDT on Interstate 15, about two miles north of McCammon and 50 miles north of the Utah border, as the band headed back to American Fork High School after a competition with several other bands in Pocatello.
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All eyes on Czech Euro-skeptic president as EU reform treaty nears ratification
PRAGUE (AP) - The Irish finally said yes, and the Poles did Saturday, but the EU reform treaty still has a huge hurdle to clear. A "no" from the lone holdout - Czech President Vaclav Klaus - could cripple plans to transform Europe into a global player.
For most European leaders the treaty is a big step toward a European Union that is more effective, more accountable and better prepared to take on big issues on the world stage.
Not for vehemently Euro-skeptic Klaus, who has been tirelessly attacking the treaty - and now finds himself in the unique position of potentially blocking it.
Klaus is a largely ceremonial head of state - like the Queen of England - and since both houses of Parliament have ratified the treaty, he is all but legally bound to sign the document.
However, speculation runs high he may try to hold off on his blessing until British elections next year - which the famously Euro-skeptic Conservatives are expected to win easily.
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Russian spacecraft with circus tycoon, Russian and US astronauts lands safely in Kazakhstan
MOSCOW (AP) - The Russian Soyuz capsule carrying Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte and two other space travelers landed safely in Kazakhstan Sunday, ending the entertainment tycoon's mirthful space odyssey.
Laliberte, who wore a bulbous clown nose during his stay aboard the International Space Station, was extracted from the tiny Soyuz capsule Sunday morning following its landing in the steppes of northern Kazakhstan.
Laliberte returned to Earth with Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and NASA astronaut Michael Barratt, several hours after their capsule left the International Space Station.
Valery Lyndin, spokesman for Russian mission control, said the landing took place at 10:32 a.m. local time.
Russian television showed pictures of Padalka sitting outside the spacecraft eating an apple and drinking tea as ground crew extracted the other space travelers from the cramped capsule.
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Israel says Turkey has canceled air force drill because it opposed Israeli participation
JERUSALEM (AP) - Turkey has canceled an annual joint air force drill that was to have taken place this week because it opposed Israeli participation, the Israeli military said, in the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the two countries.
Turkey, a secular country ruled by an Islamic-oriented party, had long been Israel's best friend in the Muslim world. But ties have cooled sharply over Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's sharp criticism of Israel's winter war in the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli military said the drill was delayed indefinitely "because of Turkey's decision to change the composition of the participantsand not allow the Israeli air force to take part."
The exercise was to have been the sixth annual maneuver of its kind. The military said it was to have included U.S., Italian and NATO forces.
Israeli defense officials said Ankara canceled the drill after the U.S. pulled out over the Turkish decision to blackball Israel.
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United States clinches sixth straight World Cup berth with 3-2 victory over Honduras
SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras (AP) - American players danced in the locker room and swigged some bubbly, With a thrilling victory on a hot and humid night in Central America, the U.S. soccer team earned a trip to South Africa and another chance to impress at the World Cup.
Conor Casey scored his first two international goals in the second half, Landon Donovan added another and the United States clinched its sixth straight World Cup berth with a game to spare by rallying to beat Honduras 3-2 on Saturday.
"It never gets old, that's for sure," Donovan said. "After what most of us would say was a very disappointing 2006 World Cup, we now have a chance at redemption."
In one of the most exciting end-to-end matches the U.S. has played in many years, the Americans took a 3-1 lead before Honduras closed on Julio Cesar De Leon's second goal of the game in the 78th minute.
Carlos Pavon had a chance to tie following a hand ball in the penalty area by Stuart Holden. Pavon stood over the ball ahead of his penalty kick, and U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard worried.
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