U.N. office target of grenade

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Two men on a motorcycle lobbed a hand grenade at a building housing the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization in the southern city of Kandahar on Thursday, a spokesman said on Saturday.

No one was injured in the attack, though several windows were shattered. There have been no arrests, and there were no warnings before the attack.

The two crashed their motorcycle trying to flee, then escaped on foot into a field.

U.S. soldier charged with assaulting detainee

BAGRAM, Afghanistan -- A U.S. soldier was charged with assault for striking an Afghan detainee, a U.S. military spokesman said Saturday.

On July 22, a private first class was seen striking the detainee in the back of the head with the butt of his rifle, Col. Roger King said. The soldier was from the 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, based in Fort Bragg, N.C., but was not further identified.

If found guilty, the soldier could face reduction in rank, forfeiture of a half-month's salary for two months and extra duty and restrictions for up to 45 days. The detainee was checked by a medic and is still in custody, King said.

Search on for possible radioactive material

DETROIT -- Federal agents are searching Michigan and the northern Midwest for a shipment of possibly radioactive material unaccounted for after crossing the U.S.-Canadian border in May.

Government inspectors first became aware of the missing shipment about a week after it crossed the border at Port Huron or Detroit, officials said Friday.

Sensors to detect material at the border showed positive readings when checked days after the truck apparently passed, the Detroit Free Press reported Saturday.

White House officials said they were taking the missing shipment seriously, but pointed out the material could have been for a legitimate purpose, such as construction or medical supplies. They also said sensors could have shown a false positive reading.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright