U.S. intelligence thinks al-Qaeda may have nuclear weapons, and says a secret stash of nukes may still exist somewhere in Afghanistan. In December, enough low-grade uranium-238 was discovered in tunnels near a former al-Qaeda base there to make one “dirty” bomb. They probably got the material on the black market, which has been thriving ever since the breakup of the Soviet Union, as smugglers in former communist countries sell off old weapons. Dirty bombs usually aren’t powerful enough to blow up large structures, but they can spread radioactive contamination over a wide area.
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In our latest poll, we asked you what topics on Dreamland interest you the most. Here’s the list, in order of preference:

1. UFOs and Abductions 2. Lost Worlds of the Past 3. Secret Societies 4. Prophecy 5. Political Conspiracies 6. Psychics 7. Remote Viewing 8. Secrets of Mythology 9. Religion and Philosophy 10. Cryptozoology.
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Pakistan intelligence has announced that 7 al-Qaeda members were killed and 8 wounded in a recent operation carried out by “allied forces” in Afghanistan near the Pakistan border, and that 2 of the wounded are Osama bin-Laden’s sons. However, the U.S. denies that the sons were captured. Pakistan official Sanaullah Zehri says, “This is what I have been told, but our soldiers were not involved. There were no Pakistanis involved. I am getting my information from my sources and this is what I have heard.” White House spokesman Ari Fleischer says, “We have no information to substantiate that report.” One of those said to be captured is Saad, bin-Laden?s eldest, who is on the U.S. most-wanted list as a terrorist. Bin-Laden has 23 sons by several wives.
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Belgium has the world?s worst water, according to UNESCO. It’s dirtier than the water in India, Jordan and nine African countries. The next worst European country is Germany, in 57th place. The best water comes from Finland, Canada and New Zealand. The U.S. is 12th on the list for the cleanest water.

The water quality index rates countries according to the cleanliness of their rivers and underground water, the amount of treatment that they give to sewage and the way they enforce anti-pollution laws. The U.K. is now number 4 for clean water, but the Thames was once filled with sewage. It’s now so clean that salmon swim in it. Belgian’s environment ministry says things will improve when a sewage treatment plant is completed in Brussels in 2005.
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