WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Thursday it is taking seriously the allegations of some former American hostages who say they believe that Iran’s president-elect was one of their captors in the late 1970s. “I think the news reports and statements from several former American hostages raise many questions …

Israel says no evidence soldiers kidnapped in West Bank Israeli forces on Thursday stormed a Gaza Strip settlers’ hotel where dozens of Jewish extremists holed up, preparing to disrupt this summer’s Israeli withdrawal, in a quick operation that could serve as a blueprint for the pullout itself.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — US President George W. Bush approved dozens of changes at US spy agencies on Wednesday to better combat weapons of mass destruction, including creating a new centre and moving FBI counterterrorism and intelligence operations into a new unit.