The Bush administration is intervening with governments in southern Africa to prevent a Chinese ship carrying weapons for Zimbabwe’s security forces from unloading its cargo, officials said.

Armed Islamic militants attempted to storm the US Embassy in Damascus, Syria, today in a bold attack using automatic rifles, hand grenades and at least one van rigged with explosives.

Syrian security forces killed three attackers, the government said, after gunmen apparently blew up a car outside the US Embassy and exchanged fire with Syrian guards today.