OCR Text |
Show DAILY MORNING BRIEFING Compiled fromDaily Herald wire services Sendo, March 26,206 HERALD FAST FACT The first chair of parapsychology was established at Edinburgh University in 1984 and was endorsed to Hungarian author Arthur Koestler. Source Meropedia of World Facts The NATION WASANT WANICHAKORN /Associated Press Thai people hold candles during protest in Bangkok on Sunday. Protesters gathered near the Thai prime minister's office Saturday in last ditcheffort-to force Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatrafrom office, while protest and opposition leaders pleaded withthe kingto interveneto end thepolitical standoff. Canada’s hotly debated seal hunt under way company, said it would be im-* GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE — Sealers took to the thawing handles U.S.-boundcargo. ice floes off the Atlantic Ocean onthefirst day of Canada’s contentious seal hunt Saturday, sparking confrontations with animal rightsactivists practical for American agents to workin everyport that Meredith said the best option for the United States is to rely on-trusted agents using sophisticated inspection equipmentto scan shipments at ports abroad. whoclaim.the annualcull is ‘ANN JOHANSSON Ass: Anabel Chavarria, 17, waves a Mexicanflag as she joins demonstrators gathered to protest federal immigrationlegislationin front of City Hall in Los Angeles, on Saturday. The U.S. House of Representatives passedabill that would makeit a felony to bein the U;S illegally, impose newpenalties on employers whohireillegal immigrants anderect fences along one-thirdof the U.S.-Mexican border. The Senate is to begin debating the proposals on Tuesday. cruel. Protesters had to dodgeflying seal guts pitched at them byangryhunters as tempers flared onthefirst day of the spring leg of the world’s largest seal slaughter. Reporters and animal rights activists tried to get as close as permitted to the hunt on the Gulfof St. Lawrence,but their Thousandsstage second day of demonstrations for immigrants’ rights Three other victims were taken toa hospital after the timesto put the weapon down, Kerlikowske said, The man neighborhood east of down- turnedthe gun on himself and fired a fatal shot, he said. LOS ANGELES — Tensof town,said police spokesman Rich Pruitt. Twoofthe three werein critical condition, he said. thousands of immigrantrights advocates from across South- ern California marched Saturday inprotest of federalleg- islation that would build more walls along the U.S.-Mexico border and make helpingillegal immigrants a crime. shootingsin the Capitol Hill “It's oneofthe largest crime scenesthe city has ever had,” said Police Chief Gil Kerlikowske. Hesaid the victims’ bodies Mourners recall Chilean buscrash victims MONROE TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Hundreds of mourners paid emotional tribute Saturdayto 10seniorcitizens wholost their Theycontinued to evengreater heights ... the glorious heights of God's heaven. Theyleft Monroe Township wanting to be togetheras friends, and now these most precious friendswill be together forever with God, said Perlman. Flood mapdelays spur angst for Gulf Coast WASHINGTON — Delays in presenceinfuriated sealers hunting for scarce animals on small, drifting ice pans. At one point, a sealing vessel charged uptoa small in- flatable boat carrying protesters, and a fisherman flung seal Police believe the shooting happenedat a party, and the dead wereallin their early CantorEli Perlman, the neighborhoods have slowed re- spiritual leader of the Jewish Congregation of Concordia, worshipped, recited the names building, frustrated homeowners and created uncertainty about the future of the region ravaged byHurricane Katrina. of almost 400 people was Gov. nothing, the governmentsays. JonS. Corzine. Residents of the city and surrounding communities have Thaiscall for king to replace prime minister mansaid. “They played by the rules. Theyraised their families. And then they went on a journey together asfriends to climb to the heights of the mountains in a faraway land. “But they did notstopthere. waited'sincethefall for the BANGKOK,Thailand — Holding candles over head and around the nation. OnSaturday, demonstrators streamed into downtownLos Angeles for what wasexpected to be oneofthe city’s largest pro-immigrantrallies. The crowd wasestimated at more than 100,000, said police Sgt. Lee Sands. Many of the marchers wore white shirts to symbolize peace and also waved U.S.flags. Somealsocarried the flags of 20s, authorities said. At least a dozen other people were in the houseatthetime,officials said. Kerlikowskesaid an officer in the neighborhood heard shots fired just after 7 a.m. WhenOfficer Steve Leonard reachedthe scene, he found one personstaggering out of the house with a gunshot wound. Mexico and other countries, Theofficer confronted another man whoemerged with and even wore them as capes. a shotgun,telling him several Elger Aloy, 26, of Riverside, wheresix of the victims had of the dead. Among the crowd “They worked hard,” Perl- a premed student, pushed a stroller with his 8-month-old And the angst mayall be for 1naps that will help determine howmuchflood insurance they will need to rebuild. Under cur- rent maps,80 percent of New Orleansliesin a federally des- ignated flood plain; that figure probablywill rise. Without the maps, homeowners saythey do not knowif they canafford to stay and son at Saturday's Los Angeles march. “I think it’s just inhumane.... buy the additional insurance required by mortgagesorif theywill be forced toleave and Everybodydeservesthe right toa betterlife,” Aloy said of the legislation. Congregation honors slain pastor, wife returns to face murder charges suing preliminary ding standards as earlyas this week, says homeowners do not have tomakethat decision now. SELMER. Tenn. — Members Cold Waris over, but huntforintelligence isn't of the congregation planted flowers Saturday outside the Fourth Street Church of Christ as they waited for their minister's wife to be brought hometofacefirst-degree murder chargesin the death of her WASHINGTON — Even as the United States and Russia are cooperating to resolve internationalcrises and track militant Islamic groups. Moscowis workingat least as hard at stealing U.S. military and * industrial secrets as during the husband. The gardening project and aspring cleanup had been planned weeks ago by Mat- Soviet era, current and former thewWinkler. the 31-year-old minister who was shot to death at the parsonage he shared with intelligenceofficials say. Moscow'sspies operate undera larger variety of “covers” than in Soviet days, experts say, and their morale is the highest since the mid-1980s. The Russian diaspora has created a pool of emigres, some of whom canbe bribed, cajoled or blackmailed into helping. *The Russian targetis still -his wife Mary andtheir three youngchildren. “We're doing this because Matthewwantedusto,” church member James Turnersaid as he duga spadeinto the dark soil of a flower bed.“It keeps us busy,”said Jimmie Smith, a retired counselor. “Listen, the Mary we knew didn't dothis,” Anita Whirley said as she planted purple, yellowandred pansies. “She was a wonderful person. Wejust don’t understand.” Police found Mary Winkler, 32, and her daughterslate Thursday about 340 miles from homein'Orange Beach,Ala., whereshe hadrented a condo. Friday with first-degree murder, a crimethat requires pre- year atop Lenin's Tomb. SEATTLE — Six young people wereshot to death early Saturday at a home, apparently at a party, andthe alleged gunman committed suicide when confronted bypolice, authorities said. “You'reallies and friends in one arena andyou kindof battle each otherin the other arena,” said David W. Szady, who served as the FBI's chiefof Dayin the park counterintelligence from 2001 to , Se + January ofthis year. “Those relaERIC SUMBERG/Quad City Times tionships are absolutely essential. It is crucial that that cooperation Elijah Jones, center, looks at his cousin Trae Edwardsafter his dad Lloyd Joneslet him go downa slideat Fejervary Park in Davenport, Iowa, on Saturday. little understandingof their centuries-old traditions. kneeling to pay their respects, tens of thousandsof protesters Saturdaycalled on Thailand's revered king to end a political crisis by replacing Prime Min- ister Thaksin Shinawatra. “Thecrisis has reached an impasse,” Sondhi Limthongkul, a key leaderin the anti-Thaksinalliance, told the crowd. “We,the king's subjects, see no other way out in resolving thecrisis without causing bloodshed.” Sondhi andother protest leadersled the crowdoutside Thaksin's office at Government Housein singing the king's anthem,a song honoring the monarchythatis often played at majorevents. Some waved the country’s . red, white and blue flag and then began chanting “Thaksin, Get Out.” King Bhumibol Adulyadej's top advisers havepublicly called for calm and dialogue, but the palace has otherwise keptits distance from the fray becausethe constitutional monarchis not supposed to get involvedin politics. exists (to combat) terrorism. But everybody has needs forintelligence, and therefore there are those needs to collect it.” Islam to Christianity without angering ‘Muslim clerics who havecalled for him to be killed. Karzai and several Cabinet ministers discussed the case of Abdul Rahman, who faces a possible death sentence for alleged apostasy, an official Hoursearlier, another official said Rahman“could be released soon.” Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not autho- rized to discuss the matter with the media. Pope Benedict XVIhassent a message to Karzai asking that the case be dropped, citing respect for religious freedom, the Vatican said Saturday. Butclerics have questioned Karzai's authority to order Rahman's release and have warned ofa possible revolt if he tries. Z “The Quran is very clear, and the words of our prophet are very clear. There can only be one outcome:death,”said cleric Khoja Ahmad Sediqi, whois also'‘a memberof the SupremeCourt. “If Karzai releases him,it will play into the hands of our enemy, and there could be an uprising.” Palestinian leader to accept Hamascabinet JERUSALEM — Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas notified Hamas officials Saturday that he would accept their proposed cabinet even though its program does not endorse previous agreements or peace initiatives backed bythe Pal- estinian Authority that recog- nize Israel, At the sametime, Abbas reiterated his demand that Hamas adopthis vision of a two-statesolution to the IsraeI-Palestinian conflict to avoid putting “our national struggle in opposition to international Hong held firm legitimacy.” Hamas, known formally astheIslamic Redefendsplansto help Movement,is desigscreen U.S.-boundships , sistance nated terrorist organization HONG KONG — A Hong Kong conglomerate that has concern about the contract of the Politburo gathered each Seven peoplekilled in Seattle shooting activists, who they say have are scrambling to keep up.” The twist, perhaps, is that the killing and she was charged meditation. during the past decade. They said they resent animal-rights very muchthere,still doing the things they did years ago,” said Michael A. Donner,chiefof counterintelligence for the FBI, in an interview this month. “We sia spy gamecan nolonger be paintedin black-and-white, good-against-evil terms, as it generally was when members Police said she confessed to have dwindled dramatically wona federal contract to screen U.S.-bound cargoin the Bahamas forterror threats defended the plan on Saturday, sayingit wouldnot be feasible for Americanofficials to work in ports acrossthe globe. Some U.S.lawmakers and se- the United States-versus-Rus- wayto free an Afghan man ontrial for converting from Saturday. of protesters to majorcities NewOrleans’ mostflood-prone searched on Saturday for a at Karzai'spalace said. But she declined to comment on the outcomeofthe talks on the house. releasing newfederal mapsof sure, President Hamid Karzai Quebec and Newfoundland say the hunt supplements their meager winter incomes, particularly since cod stocks onFridaythat drew throngs werefoundin several places in ree convert KABUL,Afghanistan — Under mounting foreign pres- intestinesat the observers. Thefishermeninthe isolated island communities of lives in a Chileanbuscrash, recalling their loveforlife and for eachother. The march followedrallies way to curity experts have expressed for Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. because American customs agents will not be working with the screening equipment, designed to detect smuggled radioactive materials, The Hong Kong company is in the final stages of being awarded a no-bid, $6 million contract from the United States for screening at the Freeport Container Terminal * in the Bahamas,just 65 miles from the American shoreline. John Meredith, group managingdirector for Hutchison Port Holdings, the maritimesubsidiary for Hutchison Whampoa Ltd. and the world’slargest ports by the United States and the European Union. U.S. Embassyhiring Jordanians, not Iraqis BAGHDAD,Iraq (AP) U.S. Embassy,a diplomaticfortress in central Baghdad's isolated “Green Zone,” has begunhiringits local staff from neighboring Jordan, ratherthan recruiting Iraqis. Aninternal embassy notice obtained by The Associated Press says the “Jordan Hiring Program” was devised because Iraqis face “unique security andsafety risks” in working for the embassy, a reference to the threat of violence facing Iraqis associated with the U.S. occupation, officials would not answer questions about the unusual program, includi whether they were Tava ficulty hiring Iraqis or whetherthey had concerns Iraqis might pose security risks as possible sympathizers with the anti-U.S,insurgency. |