- Special Local Newsmaker: Update on Terrorism Indictments Today, as shoe bomber Richard Reid admitted guilt to trying to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight and America awaited sentencing of John Walker Lindh, federal authorities arrested three men in Oregon and a fourth in Michigan on charges of conspiring to assist al Qaeda terrorists. The Los Angeles Times- Josh Meyers, who was at the Ashcroft press conference, says that the Justice Department is playing this one close to the vest.
- Newsmaker: Ashcroft Announces Terrorism Arrests
Six men, including a former US Army reservist, have been charged with trying to travel to Afghanistan to join forces with al Qaeda against the US. Despite two of the six men remaining free overseas, Attorney General John Ashcroft called the arrest of the four a -defining day'' in America-s fight against terrorism. Dan Carney, Washington correspondent for Business Week, has more on the arrests. - Reporter's Notebook: Brazil Looks Left as Sunday Elections Loom
A former union boss and friend of Fidel Castro, who once sold peanuts to survive, is the likely next President of Brazil. A growing number of business people are supporting the election of Luiz In-cio Lula da Silva, who is best known as -Lula.- The Wall Street Journal-s Jonathan Karp reports that the landmark election will impact Brazil-s financial markets as well as its political profile.
Iraq and the Middle East
President Bush wants -regime change- to prevent Iraq from obtaining nuclear weapons, but even some supporters are raising questions about the timing. As America prepares for war on Iraq, there is unfinished business with al Qaeda and Afghanistan. The Israeli-Palestinian struggle is more explosive than ever, guaranteeing new fuel for Muslim extremists. All this leads to a warning that America could win the battle with Saddam Hussein while losing a broader struggle over the long term. We examine the delicate challenge of pursuing regime change in Iraq, backing Palestinian aspirations for statehood and insuring security for Israel and the region with Middle East and disarmament specialists, and senior officials from the Clinton and Bush, Sr. administrations.