World in brief

U.S. backs down on Iran arms, report says

VIENNA - The United States agreed Tuesday to tone down its criticism of Iran in order to win European support for a demand that Tehran divulge more about its nuclear program, the New York Times reports, quoting unnamed European diplomats.

Washington dropped threatening language from a draft resolution being prepared at a meeting of the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog, and agreed to insert a paragraph praising Iran's cooperation. The board's 10 European members signed off Tuesday on the revised draft, and the United States will present it to remaining board members today.

INDONESIA: The Indonesian Supreme Court has reduced the prison sentence of the alleged spiritual leader of an Islamic group, Jemaah Islamiyah, that has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States. The cleric, Abu Bakar Bashir, who was convicted last September on relatively minor immigration charges and sentenced to three years, is likely to be free within a few weeks. The U.S. Embassy expressed extreme disappointment with the decision.

YEMEN: Four of 32 militants captured in a crackdown by Yemen's security forces are linked to the October 2000 USS Cole bombing that killed 17 American sailors, an official said Tuesday. The four were among 10 suspects who escaped from prison early last year, the official said on condition of anonymity.

PAKISTAN TESTS MISSILE: Pakistan test-fired the most advanced missile in its arsenal, capable of delivering a nuclear warhead deep inside rival India.

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