As American troops continued the hunt for Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan, the world viewed a shocking videotape of the suspected terrorist mastermind. The tape, which was released by the U.S. government on Thursday, showed a smiling bin Laden taking credit for the September 11 attacks that killed thousands of Americans. "This is all that we had hoped for," he boasts.
Last week, there were reports that bin Laden had escaped from Afghanistan, but U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld believes bin Laden is still in the country. "He is in hiding," says Rumsfeld. "We are asking everyone [in the area] to help."
Afghans need help too. Years of drought and war have left thousands homeless and dependent on charity. With the start of winter, the situation is becoming desperate.
In October, President George W. Bush asked American kids to help the children of Afghanistan. Kids in the U.S. collected $1.5 million, which was used to buy tents, clothes, food and even teddy bears. Last week, a U.S. Air Force jet delivered the first shipment of these goods to nearby Turkmenistan. One day soon, Afghan kids will receive the packages. Each is marked, "A gift to Afghan children from American children."