BAGHDAD -- The Iraqi High Tribunal on Tuesday began the trial of 15 of deposed dictator Saddam Hussein's aides in Baghdad for crimes against humanity dating to 1991.Among the senior military and Baath party officials on trial is Saddam's cousin, former Defense Minister Ali Hassan al-Majid, widely known as "Chemical Ali" based on allegations he used chemical weapons against Kurds and Shiites, the Alalam Satellite TV Network reported.Majid already faces the death sentence for genocide ... [full story]

BAGHDAD -- Another senior Iraqi ministry official has been kidnapped in Iraq, it was reported Tuesday.Gunmen kidnapped Samir Salim al-Attar, the acting undersecretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Monday as he returned to his house in Baghdad, KUNA, the Kuwait News Agency reported.On Aug. 14, gunmen kidnapped Oil Undersecretary Abduljabbar al-Wakka' and four oil ministry managers, KUNA reported. Copyright © 2007, by United Press International. All Rights Reserved. [full story]

JERUSALEM -- European investment in Iran's oil fields will cause Iranian leaders to conclude there is support for the country's nuclear program, said Israel's president."If Europe has decided to invest $10 billion in Iran's oil fields for good humanitarian reasons, the Ayatollahs in Iran will interpret that as clear support for Tehran's policy," said President Shimon Peres.Peres commented Tuesday during a meeting in Jerusalem with Rene van der Linden, chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of ... [full story]

BRISBANE, Australia -- A court in Brisbane, Australia, ruled Tuesday an Indian doctor detained on British terror-related charges and later released should be given back his work visa.Dr. Mohamed Haneef, an Indian national, was arrested July 2 and charged 12 days later with providing "reckless support" to terrorism in bombings in which three of his relatives were involved in Scotland and England.While he was in Australian custody, Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews revoked his work visa. ... [full story]

TEHRAN -- Iran released a U.S. scholar Tuesday on bail after she spent 100 days in prison for unspecified "crimes against national security."Haleh Esfandiari was released on $333,000 bail and was resting at her mother's Tehran home, The Washington Post reported.Esfandiari, a 67-year-old grandmother, is director of Middle East programs at the Smithsonian's Woodrow Wilson Center. She was visiting her ailing 93-year-old mother when she was put under house arrest, then taken to the notorious ... [full story]

OTTAWA -- The United States, Canada and Mexico announced a regional partnership Tuesday to assess and manage the potential risks of industrial chemicals.The announcement followed meetings by U.S. President George Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon at a summit near Ottawa.In a statement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said "the three countries' top environmental officials agreed that their agencies would coordinate efforts to assess and take action on industrial chemicals. ... [full story]

MIAMI -- U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., wants Cuban Americans to have unrestricted access to the island, he said in the Miami Herald.In an opinion piece published in the newspaper Tuesday, Obama said he also believes Cubans living legally in the United States should not be restricted as to how much money they send back to relatives."Cuban-American connections to family in Cuba are not only a basic right in humanitarian terms, but ... [full story]

WASHINGTON -- Support among U.N. members for sanctions against Iran is strong based on distrust, U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns said.Speaking to reporters in Washington, Burns said the Bush administration's goal was to exhaust diplomatic attempts to resolve Tehran's nuclear enrichment program before taking any other steps, but said U.N. debate was necessary in the meantime."I think the (U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency) would be the first to say that for ... [full story]

NEW YORK -- The New York killer known as "Son of Sam" is incapable of feeling regret despite his latest attempt at forgiveness, a criminal expert says.David Berkowitz is serving six life sentences for killing six people 30 years ago in New York City. Last week, he issued a letter from his prison cell in Fallsburg, N.Y., saying he had found religion and was sorry for the pain he caused his victims' families, New York ... [full story]

CHICAGO -- A 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel Tuesday rejected former Illinois Gov. George Ryan’s appeal for a new trial on fraud and corruption charges.The 2-1 decision clears the way for the 73-year-old ex-governor to begin serving a 78-month sentence he received after a six-month trial last year, WLS-TV, Chicago, reported.The Chicago Tribune said Ryan’s legal team may file another appeal with the full 11 judge court.“We conclude that the district court handled ... [full story]