world

Iraqi government says more U.N help needed for elections

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, Oct. 21,2004 12:42 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's interim government complained Wednesday that the United Nations isn't doing enough to help prepare for January elections, saying the organization has sent fewer electoral workers than it did when tiny East Timor voted to secede from Indonesia.

Director of CARE Iraq abducted in Bagdad, mortar attack kills four

By Alyson Brodsy and Robert H. Reid · Wednesday, Oct. 20,2004 1:54 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Gunmen seized the head of CARE International's operations in Iraq -- a woman who has worked on behalf of Iraqis for three decades -- as the British government on Tuesday weighed a politically volatile American request to transfer soldiers to dangerous areas near the capital.

Draft issue key among young voters

By Alyson Brodsy and Ron Fournier · Wednesday, Oct. 20,2004 1:20 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Kerry says re-electing President George W. Bush would create "the great potential of a draft." Not so, responds the incumbent: "The best way to avoid the draft is to vote for me."

American Indian museum opens in D.C.

By Waddel Hamer and Waddell Hamer · Wednesday, Oct. 20,2004 1:17 a.m.

When freshman Jasmine Alfonso witnessed the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., last month, she had never seen so many American Indians in one place in her life.

Bush, Kerry fight for swing states

By Alyson Brodsy and Ron Fournier · Wednesday, Oct. 20,2004 1:09 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Eight states worth just 99 electoral votes are up for grabs in the closely fought presidential race, with the White House going to whomever conquers this shrinking battlefield.

U2's Bono, Georgia congressman honored for civil rights work

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Oct. 19,2004 2:16 a.m.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- U2 lead singer Bono and a civil rights leader from Georgia received awards Monday from the National Civil Rights Museum at the site of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Bono, a native of Ireland, was honored with the international Freedom Award for promoting greater Western involvement in improving medical care and reducing poverty in Africa.

Iraqi prime minister to extend arms-for-cash program

By Alyson Brodsy and Tini Tran · Tuesday, Oct. 19,2004 1:50 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi announced plans Monday to extend a cash-for-weapons program for Shiite fighters in Baghdad's Sadr City to cities nationwide in an attempt to disarm the country. In Fallujah, the focal point of the Sunni rebellion, hopes that peace talks could resume there quickly were dashed when the city's chief negotiator, Sheik Khaled al-Jumeili, ruled out restarting talks soon despite his release Monday from U.S. custody.

Particles

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Oct. 19,2004 1:28 a.m.

Bloomington Parks and Recreation holds annual skull workshop Real animal skull remains will be examined in detail during Bloomington Parks and Recreation's program demonstrating how animals' skeletal adaptations are key to their survival.

Floridians begin casting early ballots

By Alyson Brodsy and Jill Barton · Tuesday, Oct. 19,2004 12:10 a.m.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- With memories of 2000 and the state's bitter fight over ballots still fresh, Floridians began casting votes Monday and within an hour problems cropped up.

Sharon: Nothing will deter Israeli pullout

By Alyson Brodsy and Josef Federman · Tuesday, Oct. 19,2004 12:09 a.m.

JERUSALEM -- Facing unrelenting criticism from Jewish settlers, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Monday nothing would deter him from pushing forward with his plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.

Ambassadors seek enduring friendship

By Obaid Khawaja · Monday, Oct. 18,2004 1:43 a.m.

The U.S. ambassador to Mongolia said she hopes the two nations can regard each other as "friendly neighbors" Friday at the annual Mongolia Society Conference.

Court rules searching protesters unlawful

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 18,2004 12:10 a.m.

ATLANTA -- Fear of a terrorist attack is not sufficient enough reason for authorities to search people at a protest, a federal appeals court has ruled, saying 9-11 "cannot be the day liberty perished."

Chicago privatizes Skyway toll road

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, Oct. 18,2004 12:09 a.m.

CHICAGO -- Chicago has reached a $1.8 billion deal to let a private consortium operate the Chicago Skyway toll road -- a trailblazing agreement the city said will save it money on maintenance and allow it to pay off millions of dollars in debt.

Electoral problems could make Colorado the next Florida

By Alyson Brodsy and Jon Sarche · Monday, Oct. 18,2004 12:08 a.m.

DENVER -- Colorado could end up writing an ugly sequel to the Florida election nightmare of four years ago. County clerks have been swamped with a surge in voter registrations, thousands of felons are on the voter rolls and there is widespread confusion about how provisional ballots will be counted and voting rules will be enforced.

Getting out the vote might be key for election victory

By Alyson Brodsy and Tom Raum · Monday, Oct. 18,2004 12:08 a.m.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With the televised debates behind them, President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry have little opportunity further to shape the presidential race except by waging an intense effort in the home stretch aimed at getting out the vote. Voters have a pretty good idea now what Bush and Kerry are all about. There isn't much room for either one to "define" his opponent or himself.

Sharon says Gaza settlers will pull out next summer

By Alyson Brodsy and Gavin Rabinowitz · Friday, Oct. 15,2004 2:19 a.m.

JERUSALEM -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon late Thursday ordered a troop pullout from a refugee camp, defense officials said, signaling that a two-week offensive in northern Gaza that has left more than 100 Palestinians dead could be easing. The move came hours after Sharon announced that all 8,200 Jewish settlers will be pulled out of the Gaza Strip starting next summer and the operation will last 12 weeks.

Bomb attacks in Baghdad's Green Zone kill 10

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Oct. 15,2004 12:53 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Insurgents penetrated Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone and detonated explosives at a market and a popular café Thursday, killing 10 people, including four American civilians, in the first bombings inside the compound housing the U.S. and Iraqi government headquarters. A top Iraqi official said the attacks appeared to have been suicide bombings. The attack was a bold assault on the heart of the U.S.-Iraqi leadership of the country and a district seen as one of the few relatively safe refuges for Americans in the capital.

U.N. report criticizes Israel on human rights

By Mark Lavie · Friday, Oct. 15,2004 12:28 a.m.

JERUSALEM -- Israel is guilty of severe human rights violations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, including "wanton destruction" of Palestinian homes, according to a U.N. report obtained by The Associated Press on Thursday. The 18-page report was prepared by John Dugard, the U.N. representative for human rights, and charges that while some of Israel's actions can be explained by security concerns, many cannot.

Candidates tackle key election issues

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, Oct. 15,2004 12:26 a.m.

The following are President George W. Bush's and Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry's responses to issue questions posed by The Associated Press. Stem Cell Research Q: What should the federal role be in financing stem-cell research?

IU to host Mongolia Society

By Obaid Khawaja · Friday, Oct. 15,2004 12:22 a.m.

The U.S. Ambassador to Mongolia will be speaking at the Mongolia Society meeting today at 9 a.m. in Woodburn Hall room 101. Ambassador Pamela Slutz and Deputy Mongolian Ambassador to the U.S., Ts. Jambaldorj will be two of the dignitaries attending the conference. The State Department's new Mongolia desk officer will also be present. IU is holding the annual meeting in conjunction with the Central Eurasian Studies Society conference. Featured events will include research paper presentations, film viewings and musical performances.