13 children killed by Afghanistan suicide bomber

Kandahar, Afghanistan

A suicide bomber targeted a NATO patrol in a marketplace filled with children Tuesday, killing 13 elementary-school students and at least four other people.

Eight Dutch soldiers patrolling on foot — the apparent targets — and at least 35 Afghans were wounded in the bombing in Uruzgan province. The Taliban claimed responsibility.

Qassim Khan, the provincial police chief, said the bomber blew himself up outside a pharmacy as the Dutch patrol entered the market, a central shopping area for people from nearby villages. Seven shops were destroyed.

The United Nations and NATO criticized the Taliban for the civilian deaths. "Such utter disregard for innocent lives is staggering," said the U.N.'s Tom Koenigs.

The U.S. and NATO have taken heat this year over Afghan civilians killed by Western military action.

Mexico City

Rebels vow to keep bombing pipelines

A leftist guerrilla group claimed responsibility Tuesday for a series of bombings of pipelines operated by Pemex, Mexico's national oil company, and authorities moved to protect the nation's oil and gas industry from further attacks.

The Popular Revolutionary Army (known by the Spanish initials EPR) said it would continue the bombings until the government disclosed the location of two group members said to have disappeared in Oaxaca last year.

A spokesman for President Felipe Calderón said the Mexican government would "punish those responsible" for the attacks that began Thursday.

Explosions triggered flames nearly 1,000 feet high Tuesday outside Corregidora, in the central state of Queretaro, where several pipelines were severed, including a 36-inch pipe transporting natural gas and a 16-inch line that supplied a local refinery with crude oil. Officials said no one was injured.

Guatemala City

U.S. firm to close troubled train route

A Pittsburgh railroad company plans to shut down Guatemala's only train service after years of fighting thieves, squatters and government-backed lawsuits.

Henry Posner III, the company's owner, said Tuesday that trains would operate until Sept. 30 so the business can fulfill its obligations to cargo companies.

Ferrovias, the name of the U.S.-owned Railroad Development's operations in Guatemala, runs one line between Puerto Barrios and Guatemala City.

Also

The first visit by Arab League envoys to Israel, scheduled for Thursday, has been postponed to July 25, Egyptian and Israeli officials said Tuesday.

Seattle Times news services