world

Israeli police arrest 31 Jewish demonstrators at holy site

By Alyson Brodsy and Mark Lavie · Monday, April 11,2005 1:21 a.m.

JERUSALEM -- Thousands of Israeli police mobilized at Jerusalem's most sensitive holy site Sunday but confronted only a handful of Jewish extremists intent on scuttling a Gaza pullout by tying up security forces. In Gaza, militants fired dozens of mortar shells after Israeli forces killed three teenagers.

Indonesia rocked by earthquake

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 11,2005 12:42 a.m.

JAKARTA, Indonesia -- An undersea earthquake that hit Sunday near the Indonesian island of Sumatra sent people fleeing from their homes in panic, but the temblor was not strong enough to generate a tsunami, seismologists and meteorologists said.

Pakistan official kidnapped in Baghdad

By Alyson Brodsy and Sameer N. Yacoub · Monday, April 11,2005 12:41 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The family of a Pakistani embassy employee kidnapped in Baghdad appealed Sunday for his captors to release him, and al-Qaida's ally in Iraq claimed to have kidnapped and killed a senior police official. The kidnappings came as Iraq's most feared terrorist organization issued an Internet statement rejecting any efforts by the new government to make peace.

Eric Rudolph to plead guilty in Olympic Park bombing case

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 11,2005 12:39 a.m.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The lawyer at the center of the deal that will spare serial bomber Eric Rudolph's life has helped keep other big-name defendants off death row -- including Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. Judy Clarke has been described as a "one-woman Dream Team" by a colleague who helped her defend Susan Smith, the South Carolina mom who avoided a death sentence after being convicted of drowning her two little boys in 1995.

Record crowds give final farewell to John Paul II

By Alyson Brodsy and Victor L. Simpson · Monday, April 11,2005 12:36 a.m.

VATICAN CITY -- Presidents, prime ministers and kings joined pilgrims and prelates in St. Peter's Square on Friday to bid an emotional farewell to Pope John Paul II at a funeral service that drew millions to Rome for the largest gathering of the powerful and the humble in modern times.

Bomb thrown by motorcyclist in Cairo kills 2, wounds 20

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, April 8,2005 12:46 a.m.

CAIRO, Egypt -- An explosion apparently set off by a bomber on a motorcycle hit a tour group shopping in a historic bazaar Thursday, killing at least two people and wounding 20 -- the first attack targeting foreign tourists in the Egyptian capital in more than seven years.

Iraqi leaders name Shiite al-Jaafari new prime minister

By Alyson Brodsy and Traci Carl · Friday, April 8,2005 12:14 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Cementing Iraq's first democratic government in 50 years, one of Saddam's Hussein's most implacable enemies took his oath as president Thursday and quickly named another longtime foe of the ousted dictator to the powerful post of prime minister.

Iraqis elect Kurdish leader as new president

By Alyson Brodsy and Mariam Fam · Thursday, April 7,2005 2:05 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Two months after elections, Iraq's new government finally began to take shape Wednesday as lawmakers elected as president a Kurdish leader who promised to represent all ethnic and religious groups in a session broadcast across the country -- and shown to Saddam Hussein in his jail cell.

16 killed in U.S. helicopter crash in southeastern Afghanistan

By Alyson Brodsy and Stephen Graham · Thursday, April 7,2005 12:48 a.m.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- A U.S. military helicopter crashed in bad weather in southeast Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing 16 people, including four American crew members in the deadliest military crash since the U.S.-led offensive began in 2001.

Prince of Monaco dies at 81

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, April 7,2005 12:13 a.m.

MONACO -- Prince Rainier III, who reshaped Monaco and worked to overcome its reputation as "a sunny place for shady people," died Wednesday, leaving the throne to Prince Albert II, his only son with actress Grace Kelly.

White supremacist sentenced to 40 years

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Robinson · Thursday, April 7,2005 12:11 a.m.

CHICAGO -- An avowed white supremacist convicted of hiring an FBI informant to kill a federal judge was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison following a rambling, two-hour speech in which he claimed he was the victim and even recited part of the "Star Spangled Banner."

Cardinals set date for next papal election

By Alyson Brodsy and Victor L. Simpson · Thursday, April 7,2005 12:10 a.m.

VATICAN CITY -- The College of Cardinals on Wednesday set April 18 as the date for the historic start of the conclave to elect a successor to Pope John Paul II, as the Vatican made final arrangements for the funeral that is expected to draw millions of pilgrims and world leaders to Rome.

Official discusses role of U.N.

By David A. Nosko · Wednesday, April 6,2005 1:22 a.m.

The United States launched a pre-emptive strike against Iraq in 2002 without the unanimous support or approval of the U.N. Security Council, an international governing body the United States helped to create in 1945. Since then, members of the U.S. government, media outlets and the American public have debated the exact role the United Nations should play in U.S. international affairs.

Iraq to name president Wednesday

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, April 6,2005 12:19 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Ousted dictator Saddam Hussein will watch from his Baghdad jail cell as Iraq's newly elected parliament chooses a new president Wednesday, the next step in building Iraq's first democratically elected government in 50 years, Iraqi officials said.

Plans revealed for pope's burial in grotto

By Alyson Brodsy and Victor L. Simpson · Wednesday, April 6,2005 12:19 a.m.

VATICAN CITY -- Before he died Saturday at age 84, Pope John Paul II made his wish known "to be buried in the ground" and not placed in an above-ground tomb, Archbishop Piero Marini said Tuesday. John Paul will be buried in the tomb left vacant after the remains of Pope John XXIII were exhumed from the cramped grotto under St. Peter's Basilica in 2001 and moved to the main floor after his beatification.

Pope carried to St. Peter's

By Alyson Brodsy and William J. Kole · Tuesday, April 5,2005 1:48 a.m.

VATICAN CITY -- Pope John Paul II's body was carried solemnly on a crimson platform to St. Peter's Basilica, past a sea of more than 100,000 pilgrims who waited for hours Monday under a blistering sun for a glimpse of the late pontiff before his funeral and entombment.

Ebola-like virus kills 146 in Angola

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, April 5,2005 1:11 a.m.

LUANDA, Angola - The death toll in Angola from the outbreak of an Ebola-like virus has reached 146, authorities said Sunday.

Particles

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, April 5,2005 1:09 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Faced with a nation of rapidly expanding waistbands, the government is seeking advice on how to change food labels to help people better understand what they're getting. The Food and Drug Administration said it has received complaints about products that appear to be packaged as single servings, but contain nutrition labels that indicate they really include two or more servings.

Israelpalooza focuses on culture, music

By Monica Dix · Monday, April 4,2005 1:59 a.m.

Israeli culture came alive along with signs of spring, Sunday afternoon in Dunn Meadow at the third annual Israelpalooza sponsored by the Helene G. Simon Hillel Center. Hundreds of people crowded Dunn Meadow in order to celebrate Israeli culture and raise money for the Israeli Red Cross, Magen David Adom.

PAPAL ELECTION: Process to elect new pope set in motion

By Alyson Brodsy and Nicole Winfield · Monday, April 4,2005 1:59 a.m.

VATICAN CITY -- The death of Pope John Paul II triggered a carefully scripted ritual that will culminate in the election of a new leader for the world's 1 billion Roman Catholics. Rome's church bells tolled in mourning. Vatican flags were lowered to half staff. Heavy chains blocked the door of the papal palace to signify the interregnum has begun.