The World : Beirut Battle Traps Envoy

Terry Waite, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s envoy who is trying to free U.S. hostages in Lebanon, was pinned down by gunfire between Muslim militias in Beirut. At least five people were killed and 32 wounded in the fighting between the Shia Muslim Amal militia and the Druze sect’s Progressive Socialist Party. Waite, who was trapped in an Associated Press office for about six hours but was not injured, said he was still optimistic about the kidnaped Americans’ chances for freedom and urged their relatives to be brave.