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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The highest court within the United Methodist Church (search) defrocked a lesbian minister Monday for violating the denomination’s ban on “self-avowed, practicing homosexual” clergy. The nine-member Judicial Council — seven of whom heard the case Thursday in Houston — issued the ruling through its Web site. The …

UNITED NATIONS – Lebanon (search) has yet to achieve “tangible results” in meeting U.N. demands to disarm Palestinian and Lebanese militias — a reference to the Hezbollah guerrilla group, a top envoy said in a report Wednesday. The envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen (search), said Lebanon’s inability to exert control over some …

JENIN, West Bank – Israeli troops entered this West Bank (search) town Thursday and witnesses said they arrested a local leader of Islamic Jihad, pushing forward with an offensive against the Palestinian militant group following a homicide bombing that killed five Israelis. About 35 jeeps, backed by Apache helicopters, entered …