FEBRUARY 02,2005

Jesse Helms biggest fear? Bill Clinton running the United Nations

Bill Clinton in charge of the United Nations? That's the image former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms is dangling in front of his ardent supporters in a letter aimed at raising money for his senatorial library.

Job Description for the Next Pope

To ensure the vitality of the Catholic Church, the successor to John Paul II must embrace science, reject globalization, reach out to the Islamic world—and brush up on economics.

Reintroduced Fetal Pain Bill Garners Unlikely Supporter

Kansas Senator Sam Brownback reintroduced a bill on Wednesday that requires abortionists to notify women who want abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy that their unborn baby can likely experience extreme pain.

Annan Selects Clinton for Tsunami Effort

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has selected former President Clinton to be the U.N. point man for tsunami reconstruction and ensure that the world doesn't forget the needs of those devastated by the Dec. 26 disaster, a U.N. diplomat said Tuesday.

German jobless hits Nazi-era highs

Despite some signs of improving sentiment, big German companies including industrial giant Siemens AG and Deutsche Bank have continued to shed jobs.

Pope Hospitalization Raises Talk of Succession

The sudden hospitalization of Pope John Paul was another reminder, if any were needed, that one of the longest and most event-studded pontificates in history may be coming to a close.

Abbas Agrees to Meet Sharon in Egypt - Official

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accepted an invitation to a summit with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Egypt next week, senior Palestinian officials said on Wednesday.

Source: Slayings resembled Islamist executions

Fatal wounds of New Jersey family suggest religious motive

PBS stations to air lesbian-promoting cartoon

Despite criticism from education secretary, own network's cancellation

U.N. Chooses Bill Clinton as Tsunami Envoy

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has been chosen as a special U.N. envoy to ensure the reconstruction effort for the Asian tsunami victims remains a high-profile operation, the United Nations said on Tuesday.

FEBRUARY 03,2005

Univ. of Colo. Faculty Backs 9/11 Slur Prof

As pressure mounts on a University of Colorado professor who ignited a furor by comparing the World Trade Center victims to Nazis, colleagues have come to his defense — on free speech grounds.

UN Demands Speedy Prosecutions over Darfur 'Genocide'

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan demanded speedy prosecution of Sudanese officials and militiamen guilty of crimes against humanity in Darfur, as members of the Security Council came under renewed pressure to tackle the issue at last.

Antarctic ice sheet is an 'awakened giant'

The massive west Antarctic ice sheet, previously assumed to be stable, is starting to collapse, scientists warned on Tuesday.

Russia, China to Hold Security Talks

"This is the first time ever that China is establishing a mechanism of national security consultations with another country," said Tang, who said he had discussed details of the initiative with Russian Security Council secretary Igor Ivanov earlier in the day.

Rare Sexually Transmitted Disease Strikes 2 in N.Y.

Two New Yorkers have been diagnosed with a rare sexually transmitted disease that is spreading among gay and bisexual men in Europe, the city health commissioner said on Wednesday. The disease, known as LGV or Lymphogranuloma venereum, is caused by specific strains of chlamydia and is often marked by painful, bloody rectal infection and genital ulcers.

"LGV is a serious condition and its emergence in New York City reflects continuing high levels of unsafe sexual activity among men who have sex with men," Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden told a news conference. "Unprotected anal intercourse, in particular, is extremely risky in terms of the spread of LGV as well as HIV," he added.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta has confirmed six recent cases in the United States, including three cases in San Francisco and one in Atlanta. Among the cases identified thus far, most have also had HIV/AIDS infection, Frieden said. The Netherlands has reported 92 cases of LGV dating back to 2003 and Belgium, France, Sweden and Britain have also reported infections. Most people infected report having multiple sex partners and engaging in unprotected anal intercourse and other high-risk practices, officials said.

LGV can be cured by a three-week course of antibiotics if identified early. Untreated, it can cause swelling and scarring of the genitals and permanent damage to the bowels.

Israel, Palestinians Seek Summit Call to End Violence

Israel and the Palestinians said on Thursday they hoped to declare a formal halt to violence at an Egyptian-hosted summit next week that will mark a dramatic return to peacemaking after more than four years of bloodshed.

The truth is out there: declassified reports of UFO sightings reveal 88 sightings last year

Details of Britain's most recent UFO sightings are revealed in previously secret - Details of Britain's most recent UFO sightings are revealed in previously secret documents disclosed to The Independent .

The files, released under the Freedom of Information Act, show that, last year, the Ministry of Defence's UFO unit received 88 reports from military staff and members of the public worried about unexplained objects in our skies.

The classified files help to complete a picture of the scale of UFO sightings first revealed by this paper last month. These updated "X-files" show the most recent observations were made on 15 January this year following two separate reports from Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, and Whitstable, Kent. The reports refer to "strange lights seen in the sky".

Other sightings give more detail. A report from Devizes in Wiltshire on 24 September last year records an object that: "Looked liked a big ball of fire coming down from the sky with a tail and sparks coming off the end of it." Another, from Somerset the week before, states: "The object looked like a great bright light and was really intense, like a ball of fire coming down from the sky, rapidly moving towards the ground." documents disclosed to The Independent .

Ho Chi Minh City Kills Ducks in Bird Flu Fight

Vietnam's biggest city, home to 10 million people, began slaughtering its ducks on Wednesday in an increasingly desperate fight to halt the spread of the deadly bird flu virus that has killed 13 people in the last month.

Iran and China linked to Ukraine missiles

An investigation by the Ukrainian secret police has found that Iran and China bought long-range missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads from Ukraine, one of the country's politicians said on Wednesday.

Egypt to host Middle East summit

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have accepted an invitation to attend a summit in Egypt next Tuesday.

Pope in hospital for second night

Pope John Paul II has spent a second night in hospital after being taken ill with an acute respiratory infection.

European Economies: German Jobless Rise to Record

German unemployment jumped to the highest since World War II as new rules added welfare recipients to the jobless register, clouding the outlook for Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder in elections this month.

FEBRUARY 04,2005

Vatican's No. 2 Man in Spotlight

The Vatican's No. 2, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, spent more than two decades as a key behind-the-scenes churchman before the pontiff's poor health drew him increasingly into the public spotlight.

Palestinian ceasefire ends four-year intifada

The Palestinians will officially declare an end to four years of armed confrontation with Israel when they announce a ceasefire at a summit in Egypt next week, Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, said yesterday.

Scientists locate universe's missing matter

Some of the universe's missing "normal" matter has been found hiding in clouds of hot gas between galaxies, according to research published on Thursday in the British scientific journal Nature.

Local clergy unite for ban on same-sex marriages

Testing their political muscle, more than 50 clergy from an interracial mix of denominations gathered Thursday to demand legislators’ support for a state constitutional amendment that would forbid same-sex marriage.

Church needs better evolution education, says bishops' official

Catholic educators need better teaching programs about evolution "to correct the anti-evolution biases that Catholics pick up" from the general society, according to a U.S. bishops' official involved in dialogue with scientists for 20 years.

Russia Might Send Peacekeepers to Sudan

President Vladimir Putin has signed a resolution that would have Russian troops join a proposed U.N. peacekeeping operation in Sudan, the Kremlin said Thursday.

As Pope ails, questions of succession abound

Should he die, there would be no clear favorites in sight - making the question of papal succession as unpredictable as any in recent history.

Iranian TV sermon threatens U.S.

'We will punch you in the mouth' followed by 'Death to America'

Judge rules against Christians who preached to homosexuals

'Philly 5' lose round in federal court, prosecutors get away with calling defendants' words 'hateful'

FEBRUARY 05,2005

Four U.S. Soldiers Killed in Iraq

Insurgents launched fresh attacks, killing four U.S. soldiers and four Iraqi security troops in roadside bombings, as partial returns from the historic national elections showed a Shiite alliance with ties to Iran rolling up a strong lead over pro-U.S. interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.

Frail Pope's health 'improving'

Pope John Paul II's health is improving and he is eating normally, a Vatican spokesman has told reporters. Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the pontiff hoped to give his regular live address on Sunday from hospital but a decision would not be taken until the day.

Rice urges 'united front' on Iran

New US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called on Europe to show "unity of purpose" with Washington in opposing Iran's nuclear programme.

Greek church rocked by scandals

The Greek Orthodox Church has suspended a senior bishop over a scandal that has engulfed the clergy and the judiciary.

FEBRUARY 06,2005

Sick Pope makes public appearance

Pope John Paul II waved to pilgrims after appearing at the window of his hospital room where he is recovering from flu and breathing difficulties.

Relics of biblical history debated

Experts dispute archaeological finds' authenticity

Unmarried families are more likely to fall apart

The findings indicate that family breakdown is no longer driven by divorce, but by the collapse of unmarried partnerships.

Closest Flyby of Large Asteroid to be Naked-Eye Visible

An asteroid expected to fly past Earth in 2029 will be visible to the naked eye, scientists projected Thursday.

North Korea threatens: U.S. bases 'sea of fire'

South: 690,000 American troops, 2,000 planes to be dispatched to peninsula
U.S. military bases will become a "sea of fire" if war breaks out on the Korean peninsula. That's the latest threat from North Korea, while South Korea says close to 700,000 American troops would be sent to the region.

NYC to Appeal Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

The city will appeal a judge's ruling against the state ban on same-sex marriages, the mayor said Saturday. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he wanted the issue to be settled in the state's highest court or in the Legislature.

Most Hezbollah sites hosted in U.S.

Companies provide domains, space for Lebanese terror group. A recently disclosed list of companies providing service to Hezbollah websites exposed something shocking – 22 out of 25 primary sites for the Lebanese terror group are hosted by U.S. companies.

Embryo in clinic ruled a 'human'

Judge: Mistaken disposal of fertilized egg meets law's criteria for 'wrongful death'