World

"Either Arafat brings justice to these people, or we will," a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said after rocket attacks on the Palestinian Authority leader's compound in the Gaza Strip that left him without a working helicopter. The raid, Israel's first armed retaliation for last weekend's suicide bombing attacks, came despite the arrest of 110 militants by Palestinian police. Arafat aides accused Israel of trying to destroy the Palestinian Authority and appealed to the US to force an end to the attacks. (Related stories, pages 1, 6.)

In a break with past practice, the Bush administration did not condemn the Israeli raid. Although calling for peace negotiations, spokesman Ari Fleischer said, "Obviously, Israel has a right to defend herself," adding that "Arafat is capable of doing much more" to curb terrorism "and now the burden is on him even heavier to show it."

Thousands of people were streaming out of Kandahar amid fierce fighting for control of the southern Afghan city and its vital airport. US forces were not believed to be involved in the ground effort to take the last Taliban stronghold, but were bombing heavily in support of the Northern Alliance. (Related stories, pages 1, 6.)

Banks were to stay open late across Argentina Monday to deal with frightened depositors (such as those gathering outside a branch in Buenos Aires, above) after the government imposed strict limits on how much cash may be withdrawn or transferred overseas. Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo said no more than $250 a week could be taken from individual savings accounts after a run on banks that began Thursday drained them of more than $1 billion. He again pledged that the peso would not be devalued. The measures were taken to avert financial collapse as worry spread that deposits could be frozen under a massive economic reform plan. Argentina, in its fourth year of recession, owes $132 billion in debt.

At least two policemen were assigned to every polling place in Sri Lanka with orders to arrest anyone flouting election laws as voters prepare to choose a new Parliament tomorrow. But analysts said the election might not end the island's political crisis, as President Chandrika Kumaratunga has hinted she may not appoint opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister, even if his coalition wins the majority of seats.

Expectations were low for today's face-to-face meeting between the Greek and Turkish leaders of Cyprus, their first in four years. The talks, to be mediated by a UN representative, lack a fixed agenda but unofficially are aimed at breaking an almost 30-year stalemate on the ethnically split island.