World

Speculation grew that Osama bin Laden was killed in one of the US assaults on caves in eastern Afghanistan. But while a spokesman for the US-led coalition acknowledged that possibility, he said special operations personnel would dig through collapsed caverns in search of information about bin Laden or his Al Qaeda network. At the scene, however, a local tribal leader said his own forces were engaged in that mission and "we don't need American soldiers here," although international peacekeepers were welcome.

Tensions rose still higher between India and Pakistan amid exchanges of gunfire across the disputed Kashmir border and the expulsion of a high-ranking diplomat from New Delhi for collecting classified security documents. India ordered its own envoy to Pakistan home late last week. Meanwhile, Pakistan reportedly was moving anti-aircraft guns and deploying fresh troops to the border. Above, a Pakistani and his sister exchange goodbyes as she leaves Lahore on one of the last trains to India before rail service is suspended next week.

Financial markets are due to reopen today in Argentina for the first time since President Fernando de la Rua quit last weekend and his successor halted payments on the $132 billion national debt. But new President Adolfo Rodriguez Saa appeared unconcerned that foreign lenders were reacting negatively to his move, saying he had come to "work, work, work" on plans to generate millions of new jobs.

Army troops were pouring into southwestern Nigeria to maintain order after the murder of the nation's justice minister. Bola Ige, a close ally of President Olusegun Obasanjo, was shot at home by unidentified attackers late Sunday. There were no other signs of violence as the Monitor went to press, although two more politicians there also died over the past week in a local feud.

Almost 3 million people are eligible to vote tomorrow in what appears likely to be the closest presidential election in Zambia's 37 years of independence. Eleven candidates are vying to succeed Frederick Chiluba, but only three are given much hope of winning: Chiluba's heir-apparent from the ruling Movement for Multiparty Democracy, Levy Mwanawasa, and opposition leaders Christon Tembo and Anderson Mazoka. Tembo was fired from his cabinet post earlier this year for leading a revolt against Chiluba's abortive try to amend the Constitution and seek an illegal third term.