Jerusalem (Agencies): Israeli tanks forced the Palestinian prime minister to scrap a tour in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday amid reports that U.S. President George W. Bush may visit the Middle East to try to rescue a peace plan.

United Arab Emirates (Agencies): Qatar's Al-Jazeera television aired on Wednesday what it said was an audio tape purnortedly from Osama bin Laden's top aide in which he urged Muslims to intensify their holy war against Americans and Jews.

Singapore (Reuters): For clues to where the al-Qaeda network could strike next, the words of its leader, Osama bin Laden, are a treasure trove. For an insight into its strength, the suicide bombers in Riyadh offer a lesson.

Washington (Agencies): Philippine President Gloria Arroyo on late Tuesday warned "evil" elements were bent on crushing the alliance between Washington and Manila but promised to confront and destroy fear and terror.

Beijing (Reuters): Chinese President Hu Jintao will step onto the world stage when he meets President George W. Bush and his Russian and trench counterparts over the next two weeks on his first trip abroad since taking office in March.

Kuala Lumpur (Associated Press): About 20 delegates, mostly Muslim scholars, stormed out of international conference on AIDS after an American academic suggested that some Islamic teachings worsen the spread of the disease, participants said on Wednesday.

Washington (Agence France-Presse): Billionaire financier George Soros said on Tuesday he was selling the dollar, even as he criticized U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow for allowing the currency to slide.

Beijing (Associated Press): China will give 100 million yuan (US$12.1 million) in aid to airlines and other travel businesses in hopes of limiting the economic damage from SARS and is telling banks to help other companies, state media said on Wednesday.

Dusseldorf, Germany (Agencies): Favorite Spain was knocked out of the 1.85-million-euro ATP World Team Cup here on Wednesday.

Auburn Hills, Michigan (Agence France-Presse): Kenyon Martin scored 16 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Richard...