Anglican leaders press U.S. church

Anglican leaders demanded Monday that the U.S. Episcopal Church unequivocally bar official prayers for gay couples and the consecration of more gay bishops to undo the damage that North Americans have caused the Anglican family.

In a statement ending a tense six-day meeting, the leaders said past pledges by Episcopalians for a moratorium on gay unions and consecrations have been so ambiguous that they have failed to fully mend “broken relationships” in the 77 million-member Anglican Communion.

The Episcopal Church, the U.S. wing of world Anglicanism, must clarify its position by Sept. 30 or its relations with other Anglicans will remain “damaged at best.”

The meeting was the latest attempt to keep Anglicans unified despite deep rifts over how they should interpret the Bible. The debate erupted in 2003 when Episcopalians consecrated the first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

KABUL, Afghanistan

Forces recapture town from Taliban

Afghan security forces supported by NATO troops today retook a town in western Afghanistan that briefly had fallen to Taliban militants, an official said.

About 200 Afghan police and soldiers moved into the remote town of Bakwa in Farah province at 5 a.m. and faced no resistance, said Gov. Muhajuddin Baluch. He said some NATO troops joined the operation.

The Afghan forces were searching the vicinity for the militants, who moved into Bakwa on Monday and briefly held it and then left, he said.

Meanwhile, a U.S. soldier was killed during combat operations Monday in the Naray area of eastern Kunar province, the U.S. military said.

DEWANA, India

Attack on train doesn’t stop talks

Leaders of India and Pakistan pressed ahead Monday with their peace process, hours after twin bombs – apparently intended to disrupt their relations – sparked a fire that killed 67 people aboard a train that links the two rivals.

Officials said the attack was timed ahead of the arrival of Pakistani Foreign Minister Khursheed Kasuri, who was expected today in the Indian capital.

Pakistan quickly decried the attack, and Indian officials took pains to avoid laying blame. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared his country’s “abhorrence for this heinous terrorist act,” and expressed his condolences by telephone to Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, according to Singh’s office. Most of the dead were Pakistani.

Indian officials detained a resident of Karachi, Pakistan, for questioning today, said Bharti Arora, a senior Haryana state railway police official.