world

News executives indicted

By Paul Shin · Wednesday, Sept. 5,2001 12:09 a.m.

SEOUL, South Korea -- Prosecutors indicted 12 newspaper owners and executives Tuesday on charges of evading millions of dollars in taxes and embezzling company funds.

Germany introduces new Euro

By David McHugh · Thursday, Aug. 30,2001 11:51 p.m.

FRANKFURT, Germany -- Copies of Europe's colorful new Euro bills, each two stories high, rippled in the breeze above Frankfurt on Thursday as the European Central Bank unveiled its design for the notes that will replace 12 national currencies next year. "With the new single currency the people of Europe have one more fundamental thing in common, their money," bank President Wim Duisenberg said during a packed ceremony at Frankfurt's opera house.

Olympic outcry

By J. Chris Carmichael · Thursday, July 26,2001 12:20 a.m.

The International Olympic Committee announced July 13 that the 2008 Olympic Games would be held in Beijing. Thousands gathered as Tiananmen Square erupted into celebration following the announcement, which the Chinese government views as an international endorsement of recent reforms. But human rights groups still contend that China has a long way to go on the issue of human rights reform and are unsure whether or not China can uphold the principles of the Olympic Charter. "Considering the escalation in serious and widespread human rights violations over the past three years, the Chinese authorities have a long way to go to demonstrate a healthy and basic respect for human rights," Amnesty International said in a press release. "The Chinese government must prove it is worthy of staging the Games by upholding the Olympic spirit of 'fair play' and extending 'respect for universal, fundamental, ethical principles' to the people of China."

Twenty years with AIDS

By Bryan Harris · Sunday, June 24,2001 11:14 p.m.

Twenty years ago a small but deadly pneumonia epidemic began in Los Angeles. By June 5, 1981, five had been infected and two were dead. Doctors submitted a report to the Center for Disease Control. The CDC published the report with an editorial note describing the condition as associated with immune dysfunction and sexual contact. After the publication, doctors across the country began submitting similar reports. Eighteen months later, a team of CDC scientists discovered the root of the epidemic and dubbed it Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome: AIDS. Those isolated reports 20 years ago marked the beginning of a plague which, according to the CDC, has now consumed the lives of more than 400,000 Americans.

Debate continues over value of organic food

By J. Chris Carmichael · Sunday, June 24,2001 10:42 p.m.

During the past few years, the chic and health-conscious alike have been flocking to organic food stores, which are cropping up all across the country. Supermarkets across the nation are hurrying to bolster their organic foods sections. In fact, the organic food industry is becoming big business, a label that many long-time supporters shun. The organic food industry has grown at a rate of 20 percent every year for the past decade and generated more than $7 billion in the past year. Locally, Bloomingfoods claims to be busier than ever this summer. Still, it's unclear whether or not organic food is healthier than conventionally grown foods.

Red Cross raises blood prices

By Laura Baldwin · Sunday, June 17,2001 8:40 p.m.

Humans need more blood. The Red Cross has been a provider of safe and available blood, but according to the Red Cross, they have not been charging realistic prices for the end product. While the cost of distribution, transportation and testing the donated blood raises 27 percent every year, the Red Cross is only raising the price 9.9 percent more. Through the years this cost absorbency has flung them into a $335 million debt and left them looking to revise the entire organization.

Muslim group takes offense at columnist

By Alyson Brodsy and Liz Cole · Sunday, June 17,2001 8:37 p.m.

A column by Tribune Media Service's Cal Thomas has provoked outrage from the Council for American-Islamic Relations. Published by the Jewish World Review, the column suggests that Palestinians should leave Israel. Thomas's statements that "Israel should declare its intention to transfer large numbers of its Palestinian residents to Arab nations…" and that "Eviction is a better avenue to stability" were interpreted by CAIR President Ibrahim Hooper as "quasi-genocidal" and comparable to Germany's Nuremberg Laws. "This is so bizarre," said Hooper. "Is he recommending the transfer of his fellow Christians along with Muslim Palestinians? Should we go back to the old Nuremberg Laws? Bizarre implications come from (Cal Thomas's) kind of thinking."

Muslim leaders protest outside state department

By Matt Stamps · Monday, June 11,2001 12:44 a.m.

Leaders of several U.S.-based Muslim organizations staged an act of civil disobedience in Washington D.C. last week in protest of what Khalid Turaani, Executive Director of American Muslims for Jerusalem, described as "America's uncritical support for Israeli's Apartheid-like policies against the Palestinian people." The six Muslim leaders sat down in the street that runs in front of the U.S. Department of State building, blocking traffic for over an hour. There were no arrests.

Around The World

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, May 20,2001 8:46 p.m.

College of Cardinals gathers at Vatican to discuss future Cheney appeals for mideast peace Powell tours Africa on weeklong trip to study AIDS Sharpton to run for president in 2004 Passengers injured on cruise ship

Unearthed dinosaur 'missing link' to T-Rex family

By Alyson Brodsy and Ed Johnson · Wednesday, May 9,2001 11:36 p.m.

LONDON -- A previously unknown relative of Tyrannosaurus rex has been unearthed in Britain, adding a limb to the family tree of the fearsome predator, scientists said Wednesday.

Canadian telemarketing fraud takes $70 million from Americans

By Alyson Brodsy and Marcy Gordon · Sunday, May 6,2001 9:26 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- One of Canada's fastest-growing exports to the United States is telemarketing fraud, which takes in some $70 million a year mainly from elderly Americans.

John Paul II visits Syrian mosque

By Alyson Brodsy · Sunday, May 6,2001 9:24 p.m.

DAMASCUS, Syria -- Pope John Paul II was reaching out to both Christians and Muslims during his second day in Syria Sunday, with a schedule that included a morning Mass at a soccer stadium and the first visit by a Roman pontiff to a mosque.

Death toll 65 in China landslide

Thursday, May 3,2001 7:39 p.m.

BEIJING -- Rescuers found 65 bodies in the wreckage of a nine-story apartment building buried by a landslide in southwestern China, the official Xinhua News Agency said Thursday.

Scientists explore possibilities of marrow stem cells

By Alyson Brodsy · Thursday, May 3,2001 7:38 p.m.

BOSTON -- Some surprisingly versatile bone marrow cells can transform themselves into building blocks of lungs, intestines, skin and probably most other parts of the body, raising the possibility of a rich and accessible source of spare parts, new animal research suggests.

Mission: Love

By Christi Meeks and Cristi Meeks · Thursday, March 29,2001 12:25 a.m.

While Eastern Europe is not considered the hot spot for spring breakers, IU and Miami of Ohio students decided to travel across oceans and countries to the small, war-torn territory known to natives as Kosova. The trip was one of many overseas spring break trips sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ.

Educators discuss impact of 'intellectual revolution' on classrooms

By Christina Jewett · Tuesday, March 27,2001 10:45 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- While hundreds of students took notes, tests and naps during classes March 20, their general fate was discussed in terms of human capital attaining intellectual capital. This phrase was the scope of the discussion among education leaders, business executives and three governors during a roundtable discussion envisioning higher education amid social and economic change.

Lucent networking unit seeking to lower debt

By Troy Barratt · Monday, March 26,2001 12:25 a.m.

Lucent Technologies, once a symbol of America's technological might, is again having troubles. The company plans to launch its optical networking unit, Agere Systems, in an attempt to lower its level of debt and raise-much needed cash. Unfortunately for Lucent, the initial public offering has hit speed bump after speed bump. As the old adage goes: The worst time to ask for money is when you really need it. Since announcing the spin-off, lead underwriter Morgan Stanley has done many things to attract investors.

World economy continues decline

By Troy Barratt · Sunday, March 18,2001 9:54 p.m.

The world economy isn't as safe a place now as it was one year ago. The United States is suffering from swooning stock markets and slowing GDP growth while it appears Japan's decade-long stagnation might get worse before it gets better.

Napster agrees to block files

By Alyson Brodsy and Troy Barratt · Wednesday, March 7,2001 11:13 p.m.

In a blow to free music lovers everywhere, Napster has agreed to block the downloading of files containing copyrighted music. In a press release, Napster said it agreed to this in an attempt to prevent a looming injunction from forcing it to shut down entirely. Many believe this still isn't enough to allay the record industry's concerns. Court of Appeals Judge Marilyn Hall Patel said she still plans to issue an injunction that will severely handicap Napster. "It's no longer a question if we should issue an injunction. It's what it will look like," she told The Washington Post.

Report: Forecasts warn of low earnings

By Alyson Brodsy and Trevor Davis · Sunday, March 4,2001 11:35 p.m.

This week, the markets will monitor the amount of companies that release earnings warnings. According to First Call/Thomson Financial, more than two-thirds of companies that have put out first-quarter forecasts have warned of lower than expected earnings.