Mystery continued to surround a firefight that broke out when US and Iraqi forces surrounded a house in the northern Iraq city of Mosul that was believed used by members of al-Qaida in Iraq. Eight insurgents and four Iraqi policemen died in the assault, officials said.

PENTAGON officials say white phosphorous was used as a weapon against insurgent strongholds during the battle of Fallujah last November, but deny reports that the chemical weapon was used against civilians.

Osama bin Laden remains Public Enemy No. 1 but recent developments raise questions about the ability of US forces to track down the elusive terrorist and the resources dedicated to the hunt more than three years after the September 11 attacks.

Canadian fighters shadowed a New York-bound Air India jetliner over the Atlantic Ocean today after authorities found a suspicious passenger was aboard, US government officials said.

A passenger plane was turned back to Los Angeles escorted by US Air Force jet fighters after a passenger allegedly uttered an anti-American threat during a confrontation with flight attendants.