World

Police arrested nine more people with possible connections to this month's terrorist bombings in Britain even as London police Commissioner Ian Blair cautioned that "other cells" may be "capable and intent on striking again." None of the new arrests netted suspected bombers, however, and in the meantime, the "largest-ever deployment of police" was patroling Britain's rail network. Police also expressed anger at ABC News of the US and various British media outlets for showing pictures of unexploded bombs turned up by investigators. A spokeswoman said the news organizations had been asked "in the strongest possible terms" not to do so since that might "prejudice" the ongoing investigation and any future prosecutions.

Negotiators for the US and North Korea held almost three hours of face-to-face talks Thursday, their third such get-together this week. That, and the fact that the six-sided discussions in Beijing on the North's nuclear weapons program are open-ended - unlike the three previous rounds, which have wrapped up in three days - invited speculation that the sides were inching toward progress. But American lead delegate Christopher Hill said that "there continue to be points of disagreement" and "we have a long way to go, still."

Deeply suspicious Protestant leaders quickly cast doubt on the announcement by the Irish Republican Army that it has ordered its followers to end the longstanding campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland and "dump arms," effective immediately. The IRA said it now will use "purely political and democratic programs" to pursue its goals and has asked Catholic and Protestant "independent witnesses" to verify that it is putting its vast arsenal of weapons beyond use. Senior members of the two main Protestant political parties in Northern Ireland said the IRA declaration couldn't be taken at face value and that the organization had failed to say it was ending its "multimillion-pound criminal activity."

Saying, "I have decided to nominate myself," Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced that he will seek another six-year term in the nation's first election featuring more than one candidate. Mubarak has led Egypt since the assassination of his predecessor, Anwar al-Sadat, in 1981. Opposition party leader Ayman Nour is expected to declare his candidacy for the post Saturday. The election is scheduled for Sept. 7.