CIA attack kills six, may signify potential intensification of war

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) carried out an attack Sunday that killed six suspected members of the al Qaeda network including Ali Oaed Senyan al-Harthi, who the U.S. has linked to the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole, according to U.S. intelligence officials. The men died after their jeep was hit with a missile fired from an unmanned CIA plane-generally believed to be a Predator drone, according to the BBC. Neither the CIA nor President George Bush would comment publicly on the reports, according to the AP and BBC. This would mark the first time a Predator Drone was used to fire on al Qaeda suspects outside of Afghanistan, signaling a potential intensification of the War on Terrorism, according to the New York Times. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld refused to say whether American forces had any role in the attack on Harthi's car, but he congratulated Yemen on its cooperation with the U.S. in the fight against al Qaeda. "It would be a very good thing if he were out of business," Rumsfeld added, referring to the reports of Harthi's death, while declining to confirm them.

National: Washington, D.C.

Barkley to replace Wellstone for rest of Congressional session

Earlier this week, Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura appointed independent Dean Barkley to fill Senator Paul Wellstone's seat. Barkley immediately declined to say whether he would vote with Democrats or Republicans for the remainder of the 107th Congress, according to the New York Times. The decisions about whom Barkley will vote with could affect not only the Senate leadership, but also the shape of the proposed Homeland Security Department and the ability to pass crucial appropriations measures that have been stalled. Asked what he would do in the Senate, he said at the press conference, "as much mischief as I can." The Minnesota appointment also raises intriguing possibilities that leave even Senate experts scurrying for precedents. What if Barkley declines to affiliate with either party? Normally a senator would not refuse to join a party caucus even as an independent, because caucuses make all committee assignments. But committees will not be a significant factor in the lame-duck session, according to the Times.

Local: Amherst, Massachusetts

UMass student in critical condition after meningitis diagnoses

UMass Health Services issued a warning yesterday that a 22-year-old UMass senior was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and is in critical condition at Hartford Hospital. The male student from Dorchester felt ill Monday and went to University Health Services. He was taken to Cooley Dickinson Hospital and started on antibiotics before being transferred to the hospital in Connecticut. Although the student was not identified, close friends and family are being treated as well, according to UMass and The Daily Hampshire Gazette. Meningitis is a bacterial disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis. It causes an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord and some forms can be fatal. Persons who have had close contact with a patient within the previous two weeks may be advised to take preventive antibiotics, as the illness is contagious through close contact including kissing, coughing or sneezing. The last reported cases of meningitis at UMass were in 1999 when three students were diagnosed with the disease, according to The Gazette.