world

Senate blocks gay marriage vote

By Rami Chami · Wednesday, July 14,2004 11:07 p.m.

A proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as a union between a woman and a man was blocked by the Senate Wednesday. Fifty senators voted against the amendment, which seeks to place a federal ban on gay marriage. Forty-eight senators voted in favor, but they were unable to muster the required 60 votes needed to advance the measure to a formal vote.

Blair accepts responsibility for Iraq

By Alyson Brodsy and Ed Johnson · Wednesday, July 14,2004 11:07 p.m.

LONDON -- Iraq had no stockpiles of usable chemical or biological weapons before the war, and British intelligence relied in part on "seriously flawed" or "unreliable" sources in deciding to join the U.S.-attack to oust Saddam Hussein, an official inquiry reported Wednesday. Prime Minister Tony Blair accepted the report's findings and took "personal responsibility," although his government was absolved of "deliberate distortion or culpable negligence."

Israel plans in event of Yasser Arafat's death

By Alyson Brodsy and Josef Federman · Wednesday, July 14,2004 10:21 p.m.

JERUSALEM -- Israel is worried about chaos that might follow the death of Yasser Arafat and will do everything possible to prevent the Palestinian leader from being buried in Jerusalem, according to a contingency plan obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Government produces record $326 billion deficit in 2004

By Alyson Brodsy and Jeannine Aversa · Wednesday, July 14,2004 10:08 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- The government's deficit ballooned to $326.6 billion in the first nine months of the 2004 budget year, according to a snapshot of U.S. balance sheets released Tuesday. That's more than 20 percent larger than the $269.7 billion shortfall for the corresponding period last year. For the current budget year which began Oct. 1, this spending has totaled $1.73 trillion, 6.4 percent more than the same period a year ago. Revenues came to $1.40 trillion, 3.5 percent more than the previous year.

Thailand holds global AIDS conference

By Alyson Brodsy and Vijay Joshi · Wednesday, July 14,2004 10:04 p.m.

BANGKOK, Thailand - The United States urged its detractors Wednesday to end their bickering over condoms and drug patents and join hands with Washington, D.C., in a global partnership to fight their common enemy: AIDS.

Mr. Morley blitzkriegs Europe

By Brandon Morley and Brandon S Morley · Wednesday, July 14,2004 10:02 p.m.

During the 90-minute ferry crossing beginning at the white, chalky cliffs of Dover, England, to the sandy shores of the Pas-de-Calais, France, I sat in the saloon getting to know several of my fellow travelers. This was the first leg of a 29-day blitzkrieg across Western Europe with a hodgepodge of fellow adventurers. It seemed I was the only American. The others consisted of one Canadian and four Indians -- as in the former British colony, not the ones who bumped off Custer -- and everyone else was either English or Australian, aside from a South African, who smoked an endless stream of Marlboro Reds. I prefer Pall Malls, myself.

Jusice Department details use of Patriot Act to Congress

By Alyson Brodsy and Curt Anderson · Wednesday, July 14,2004 10:01 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Justice Department gave Congress nearly three dozen examples Tuesday of how the Patriot Act has been used to prosecute terrorists and other criminals, part of an administration effort to counter criticism that the law does more to harm civil liberties than to protect the nation.

Military prepares for Afghan election

By Alyson Brodsy and Stephen Graham · Wednesday, July 14,2004 9:59 p.m.

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Thousands of American troops have begun a new operation to prevent militants from derailing Afghanistan's first presidential election, the top U.S. commander here said Tuesday in an interview with The Associated Press. Lt. Gen. David Barno insisted the switch does not blur the military's focus on catching Osama bin Laden and other top fugitives. But he acknowledged he has no firm idea where the al-Qaida leader is hiding or what he might be planning.

Bin Laden aide surrenders to Saudi authorities

By Seraphim Danckaert · Wednesday, July 14,2004 9:58 p.m.

An alleged al-Qaida chief, Khaled bin Ouda al-Harby, turned himself into Saudi Arabian authorities Tuesday as part of an amnesty program the country implemented last month. Saudi officials in mid-June devised a one-month amnesty program to commute the sentences of militants who turned themselves in to the government. The Saudi government has come under intense domestic and international pressure to combat an increasingly violent militant movement in the country.

Senate report discredits CIA's pre-war intelligence

By Alyson Brodsy and Katherine Shrader · Sunday, July 11,2004 9:37 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Following the release of a Senate report harshly criticizing U.S. intelligence gathering and analysis, the focus will soon shift to whether and how to make sweeping changes to the intelligence community. After a yearlong investigation, the Senate Intelligence Committee released nearly 120 conclusions about the intelligence community's performance on estimating the threat from Iraq, found primarily in a 2002 assessment that served as the Bush administration's leading arguments for war.

Around The World

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, July 11,2004 9:24 p.m.

NASA delays launch of Aura satellite LOS ANGELES -- NASA officials Saturday ordered a 48-hour delay in the launch of an atmospheric studies satellite after engineers discovered that a shield was not aligned properly. The Aura satellite was to have been launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 3:01 a.m. PDT Sunday aboard a two-stage Boeing Delta II rocket.

President plans measure against gay marriage

By Alyson Brodsy and Pete Yost · Sunday, July 11,2004 9:23 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- President Bush says legalizing gay marriage would redefine the most fundamental institution of civilization and that a constitutional amendment is needed to protect it. A few activist judges and local officials have taken it on themselves to change the meaning of marriage, Bush said Saturday in his weekly radio address.

Palestinians, Israelis react to Hague ruling

By Alyson Brodsy and Michael Zennie · Sunday, July 11,2004 9:22 p.m.

JERUSALEM -- Israelis and Palestinians were lining up support for a showdown at the United Nations over Israel's planned security barrier in the West Bank, while violence erupted in the Gaza Strip and four Palestinians were killed. Palestinians and the Arab world were elated by a nonbinding world court ruling Friday that declared the barrier illegal and said it should be dismantled.

Kerry picks Edwards as running mate

By Tony Sams · Wednesday, July 7,2004 9:58 p.m.

Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry chose former presidential rival Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina as his vice presidential running mate Tuesday morning. "I am pleased to announce that, with your help, the next vice president of the United States of America will be Sen. John Edwards from North Carolina," the Massachusetts Democrat told the cheering crowd Tuesday in Pittsburgh. Edwards, 51, is a former trial lawyer and first-term senator.

Iraqi government announces new emergency powers law

By Alyson Brodsy and Danica Kirka · Wednesday, July 7,2004 9:37 p.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The Iraqi government issued a long-anticipated package of security laws Wednesday to help crush insurgents, including a provision allowing interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi to impose martial law. "The lives of the Iraqi people are in danger, they are in danger from evil forces, from gangs of terrorists," said Human Rights Minister Bakhityar Amin, who compared the new law to the U.S. Patriot Act.

U.N.: AIDS epidemic worsening

By Alyson Brodsy and Emma Ross · Wednesday, July 7,2004 9:35 p.m.

LONDON -- The world is losing the race against the AIDS virus, which last year infected a record 5 million people and killed an unprecedented 3 million, the United Nations reported Tuesday. The virus has now pushed deep into Eastern Europe and Asia, and tackling it will be more expensive than previously believed, according to the most accurate picture to date of the global status of HIV infections.

Enron's Ken Lay indicted

By Alyson Brodsy and Kristen Hays · Wednesday, July 7,2004 9:31 p.m.

HOUSTON -- The three-year investigation of Enron Corp.'s scandalous collapse has reached the top of the energy company, with the criminal indictment of founder and former chief executive Kenneth Lay, sources told The Associated Press Wednesday. Lay, who has insisted he knew nothing of the financial fraud at Enron, was expected to surrender to federal authorities Thursday, said the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

IU reacts to Iraq handover

By Rami Chami · Wednesday, June 30,2004 10:04 p.m.

The U.S.-led coalition handed over power Monday in Iraq to an interim Iraqi government two days ahead of the scheduled June 30 deadline in a move that caught many off guard. In a stealthy ceremony within the heavily fortified green zone in central Baghdad, the former Coalition Provisional Administration administer of Iraq, Paul Bremer, formally handed over responsibility of governing Iraq to Iraq's Prime Minister Iyad Allawi and his interim administration.

High court rules on detainees

By Sheeba Madan · Wednesday, June 30,2004 9:46 p.m.

In a decision that could be one of the largest setbacks to President Bush's war on terrorism, the Supreme Court ruled Monday that detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, had the right to a judicial review of evidence against them. The 6-3 Supreme Court ruling made the writ of habeas corpus available to detainees classified as enemy combatants by the U.S. government.

Army calls up 5,000 reserve soldiers for duty

By Alyson Brodsy and Robert Burns · Wednesday, June 30,2004 9:16 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- For the first time in more than a decade, the Army is forcing thousands of former soldiers back into uniform, a reflection of the strain on the service of long campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. Army officials announced Wednesday that 5,674 former soldiers will be assigned to National Guard and Reserve units that are scheduled to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan. The first notifications are to be received July 6.