Arafat offers cease-fire as Israel presses offensive [AP photo] JERUSALEM -- As Israeli tanks moved on Palestinian cities, Yasser Arafat said Thursday he was ready for an immediate cease-fire. Israel dismissed the offer by the Palestinian Authority president as a ploy and went ahead with plans for a punishing military offensive. Hamas rejects Arab peace overture to Israel, vows to continue attacks BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Hamas, the Islamic militant group that said it was behind a lethal suicide bombing in Israel this week, rejected the Arab peace initiative to Israel on Thursday and vowed to continue "all kinds of resistance."

Land mine accident kills Tallahassee-native SEAL

Billy Wilder, Oscar-winning filmmaker, dies at 95
LOS ANGELES -- Ever the contrarian, Oscar-winning filmmaker Billy Wilder made a career of romanticizing cynicism.

Iraq, Saudi Arabia appear to reconcile
BEIRUT, Lebanon -- In a setback to U.S. efforts to rally support for ousting Saddam Hussein, Saudi Arabia's crown prince kissed an Iraqi representative in greeting at an Arab summit Thursday, signaling a reconciliation for the first time since the 1991 Gulf War.

Survivor recalls bombing
KFAR SAVA, Israel -- His daughters had warned him that spending the Passover Seder at a crowded hotel was dangerous. Undeterred, 73-year-old Isaac Atsits joined his fellow retirees at Table No. 17 in the festive dining hall of the Park Hotel.

Smallpox vaccine could be stretched
The country might be in better shape to counter a smallpox outbreak than it appeared to be right after the attacks.

'Hijacker' prosecutors seek death
WASHINGTON -- Prosecutors told a federal court Thursday that they will seek the death penalty against suspected al-Qaida terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui in connection with the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, even though he was in jail on Sept. 11 and apparently had no direct links to any of the 19 hijackers.