Honduras orders diplomats out
Honduras (AP) - Honduras' interim government ordered Argentine diplomats Tuesday to leave the country in three days, sending a defiant message ahead of a visit by six foreign ministers who are seeking the restoration of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.
The Foreign Ministry said the diplomats were ordered to leave in response to Argentina's decision to expel the Honduran ambassador, who has recognized the government of Interim President Roberto Micheletti.
It was another signal that Micheletti will not budge on international demands that Zelaya be restored to power.
"If Argentina decided to expel us then we will do the same thing," Micheletti said. "We have to act the same way they are acting with us."
Argentine Foreign Relations Secretary Jorge Taiana dismissed the expulsion order.
Taliban spokesman nabbed in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD (AP) - The back-to-back arrests of two top Pakistani Taliban members are another blow to a militant network reeling from the apparent killing of its chief in a CIA missile strike and could be a fresh sign of infighting over a possible successor.
Washington will be keen to exploit any disarray within the ranks - and the prospect that Taliban leaders could turn on each other - in its campaign against an al-Qaida ally behind attacks in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.
One of those arrested, Pakistani Taliban spokesman Maulvi Umar, told interrogators Tuesday that the movement's chief, Baitullah Mehsud, had been killed in the Aug. 5 strike close to the Afghan border, according to an intelligence official who took part in the questioning. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
U.S. and Pakistani officials have said they were almost certain that Mehsud had been killed in the attack. But final confirmation has been hard because authorities have not seen his body and at least three Taliban operatives - including Umar himself - had called media organizations soon after the attack to say he was still alive.