USA

The suicide bombings in Morocco again show that "terrorism respects no boundaries nor borders," President Bush said in a statement Saturday. He also offered help tracking down those responsible. US officials have said they strongly suspect the attacks, like those in Saudi Arabia last week, are part of a coordinated campaign by Al Qaeda. US intelligence agencies have warned the group also may be plotting to strike Western targets in Iraq, Kenya, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Rival Democratic presidential hopefuls roundly denounced Bush on terrorism, the economy, and other issues in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, while mostly leaving each other alone. At the forum organized by a labor group, US Sen. Bob Graham of Florida said the administration let Al Qaeda "regenerate" by conducting "an ideological war in Iraq." House minority leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri said Bush's economic policy "is failing ... and there's going to be a referendum on his leadership in November 2004."

Investigators suspect that last week's deaths of 19 illegal immigrants in an unventilated truck may be linked to a large smuggling ring, a federal prosecutor in Houston said Friday. So far, only the driver has been charged in the case. As many as 100 people were packed into the truck, which was discovered in Victoria, Texas. A Mexican highway patrol, meanwhile, intercepted 92 more illegal migrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras Saturday hidden in another truck apparently headed for the US.

AT&T and MCI sued to block rival SBC Communications from charging them sharply higher rates for use of its local phone lines in Illinois. The increase is set to take effect June 9 under a bill signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D). SBC says the measure will preserve jobs in the state, while competitors and consumer groups contend it will result in higher phone bills.

Philip Morris USA and two other top tobacco companies agreed to a settlement Friday in a class-action lawsuit filed by growers who accused them of colluding to reduce domestic purchases. The deal would increase growers' profits by a repported $1 billion over 10 years.