World

Terrorists in Baghdad added the Red Cross headquarters to their target list, exploding a bomb outside that killed at least 10 people and wounded dozens more. Other bombers struck police stations Monday, killing or injuring 75 people, seven of them US soldiers. The violence was the worst in a single day since resistance to the US-led occupation began six months ago. Yet another blast was reported in the capital as the Monitor went to press. The Red Cross said it didn't understand why it was a target because it is not involved in politics and would consider cutting back operations in Iraq. Since early August, bombers have struck the embassies of Jordan and Turkey, the UN headquarters, two Baghdad hotels, several police stations, and a mosque in the Shiite Muslim holy city of Najaf.

For the first time publicly, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said his government would not attempt to kill Yasser Arafat. He told visiting European legislators: "You don't have to worry; he's alive and ... taking all the steps to murder children, civilians, [and] the old." Meanwhile, Israel Radio quoted a senior Hamas leader as contradicting weekend reports that his organization was preparing to meet with the Palestinian Authority to discuss a new cessation of attacks against Israel.

Defeat appeared certain for Colombian President Alvaro Uribe after a weekend of voting that he'd promoted as a test of public confidence in his campaigns against corruption, terrorism, and the 39-year civil war. With ballot-counting almost complete, one of his most prominent leftist critics had easily been elected mayor of Bogotá, the capital, and too few votes were recorded on 11 of 15 proposed reforms, such as limiting government spending, to make their outcomes valid.

Four more board members of Zimbabwe's only independent daily newspaper were arrested for publishing without a license and obstruction of justice because they failed to surrender immediately. In one case, police couldn't find a director at home and arrested his niece until he gave himself up. The Daily News, a regular critic of President Robert Mugabe, was shut down by the government Sept. 12. On Friday, an appeals court ordered that it be granted a license by Nov. 30, but police say the ruling doesn't give the paper authority to resume publication. They occupied its offices Sunday, arresting 18 staffers.