OCR Text |
Show Tuesday, April 25, 2006 DAILY HERALD MORNING BRIEFING | FASTFACT , | Themoonis 2,160 miles in diameter. The earth's diameter at the equator is 7,926.68 miles. Source: The Book of Answers Compiled from Daily Herald wire services Prosecutor: U.S. will more detainees GUANTANAMOBAY NAVALBASE, Cuba — The U.S. governmentplans tofile past legislative races in Haiti, despite a claim by a European Union observer team that turnout was poor. Trial charges against more detainees at Guantanamo Bayand will seekthe death penalty in some cases, the top military prosecutor at the military base said Monday. Air Force Col. Morris Davis, ome prosecutor for the tribuals being held at this remote U:S.military base in southeastern Cuba,declined to disclose details about plans to charge’ about two dozen detainees in addition to the 10 already charged. Pretrial hearings were scheduled this week for three of the 10 — andthe lawyer for one of themsaidhis client is threatening a boycott. The alleged al-Qaida militant was recently transferred toa highersecurity section of the GuantanamoBayprison and will boycott his military trial unless his confinement conditions are eased, his lawyer said Monday. More Haitiansvotein election than projected PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Atleast a million Haitians voted in an election runoff to choose a new parliament, dou- ble the initial estimate given by some international observers, U.N.officials said Monday. An official count showed at least 30 percent of Haiti’s 3.5 million registered voters partic- ipated in Friday's election, said David Wimbhurst, a spokesman for the U.N. peacekeeping mission,citing data from Haiti's Provisional Electoral Council. Final results are expected as early as Tuesday. Wimhurst said the participation figure represented “a big step forward” compared to AMMAN,Jordan— A woman who failed toset off a suicide bomb vest during an at- tack on three Jordanian hotels told a court Monday she married her Iraqi husband just days before he blew himself up in the ult. -Security officials said the assal ‘iage apparently was meant to allow the woman —a 35-year-old nativeof Iraq's conservative Sunni-dominated Anbar province — to leave‘Iraq in the companyof strange men on a mission tokill, Veiled and chained at the ankles, Sajida Mubarak al- Rishawiwent on trial charged with trying to carry out the suicide attack. A total of 63 people died when three suicide bombers, including her husband,set off explosives in the Amman hotels Nov. 9. AlRishawi’s explosivesbelt failed to detonate, and she was arrested after fleeing and later madea televised confession. Vietnam re-elects its top leader, Nong Duc Manh HANOI, Vietnam — The ruling CommunistParty re-elected its top leader Monday and selected a president and prime minister — changes that bring new faces though not necessarily a new direction for Vietnam. The leadershipfaces the task of reining in deep-seated corruption while continuing along the path of economic reforms that has transformed Vietnam into Southeast Asia's fastestgrowing economy. General Secretary Nong Duc Manh, 65,retained his post as Winegrower Franz Schweizerputsfertilizer on the vineyards in Ebringen near Freiburg, southern Germany, on Monday.Forthe next days meteorologists predict warm spring temperatures in southwestern Germany. the head of the Communist Party andthe first among equals in the ruling triumvirate, accord- defeated Fatah in January parliamentary elections. Abbas, elected separately, has been ing to Vietnamese closeto the party. They spoke on condition trying to trim the powersof the they not be named because they werenot authorized to talk to reporters ahead of today's official announcement. Joining Manhwill be Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, 56, who wastapped to replace Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, and Nguyen Minh Triet, 64, Ho Chi Minh City's party chief, whowill take over from President Tran Duc Luong. Hamasthreatens to end truce with Israel GAUTAM SINGHAssociated Press Violencein Nepal Anopposition party supporterpleads with police after a demonstration against King Gyanendra in Katmandu, Nepal, on Monday.Police fired rubber bullets at hundredsofprotesters on the northern edge of the Nepalese capital on Monday, wounding atleast seven, news reports andwitnessessaid. ~ WINFRIED ROTHERMEL/Associated Press Preparing for spring JERUSALEM — Hamas angrily rejected a warning by the moderate Palestinian president Mondaythathe could dismiss its month-old government, threatening to scrap a truce with Israelif he does. The public warning heightened tensions betweentheIslamicmilitant group andPresident Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the Fatah Party. Hamas new Cabinet. Inan interview broadcast Monday on CNN-Turk, Abbas said Hamas must recognize Israel and talk peace to avert an economic catastrophe because of Westernsanctions. Afghanplane carrying US.officials crashes LASHKARGAH, Afghanistan — A planecarrying U.S. drug enforcementofficials slammedinto tents and mud four crew — werekilled, said Canadian military spokesman Maj. Quentin Innis. Eight others wereinjured and flown by he- licopters to a U,S.-led coalition hospital in Kandahar, about 75 miles away. Manarrestedin Arubacase released ORANJESTAD, Aruba — A 19-year-old man arrested in the disappearance of a young Alabama womanwas released from jail on Monday, but prosecutors said he remained a suspect. In a statement, the prosecu- COLUMBUS, Kan. — Five teenage boys were charged Monday withthreatening to carry out a shooting spree at their high school on the anniversary of the Columbine bloodbath. Each was charged with in- citementto riot and making a criminal threat. A judge set bail at $50,000 for Charles New, 18, who was charged as an adult. The four others were charged as juveniles and ordered held for a May3 hearing. “These areserious allegations, and they scared me.as I read or iacee Robert Fleming said. The incitement charge carTies to seven to 23 months in jail; the criminal threat charge is punishable by five to 17 months behind bars. The punishmentis the same for adults and juveniles. It aol be premature to say whether more charges will be filed, said Deputy Attorney General Eric Rucker. Best en efficiency comes in black holes, researchers find in Lashkar Gah, capital of Helmandprovince. Twoof the 16 people aboard the plane — 12 passengers and WASHINGTON — With gasoline hitting $3 per ae scientists have just found the most energy-efficient engines in the universe — black holes, those whirli -dense centers of g that suck in ace spurting out of older ultra-efficient black goers onthe a crucial role as zoning cops large galaxies, preventing ‘cn X-ray Observatory that were released Monday. Forthefirst te! scientists measured both the mass of hot gas thatis being sucked into nineolder black holes and the unseen supér-speedyjets of high energy particles spit out, which essentially form a cosmic ngine. Then they determined a rate ateof how efficient these older black hole engines are and were awe-struck. These black holes are 25 times moreefficient than Geoffrey van Cromvoirt, the 19-year-old who was arrested on April15,is suspected of “criminaloffenses that may-be related to the disappearance”of Holloway, prosecutorssaid. “Hehas beenreleased be- DISTRICT HEIGHTS,Md. — 12-year-old boy accused anything man has built, with NATI HARNIK/Associated Press Out onthetrail Terry Murphyof Bayard, Neb., drives a covered wagon on the Oregon Trail near Chimney Rockin Western Nebraska during a spring snow storm on Monday. Murphy, 51, takes tourists and schoolgroups on a covered wagontourof the Oregon Trail. of the matteris that | have nothing but contempt for a system that gives employers afree rein to abuse workers.” Rev. Al Sharpton and community leaders cand7 9/11 official he's worried about illnesses tothedoor ofthe abythe the 5 said outside the jail. “The truth WASHINGTON — The govcity just before Christmas last year and violated a state strikes by public re ruled that ees. A jailed for ernment’s point man on Sept. 1] health programs said he is worried that an autopsy linking a retired detective’s death to recovery work at ground zero While universities nationwide wereshut or thrown into disarray by the protests, the Sorbonne’s column-lined maybe a warning sign of other life-threatening cases. Dr. John Howard also said it will take time to determine whetherthereis a scientific link between deaths toxic dust. Some epidemiologists havesaid it will take 20 years or more to prove-such link, Howard, who is to meet in New Yorkthis week with congressional leaders about groundzero health issues, was tapped by the Bush administra- tion in February to coordinate the federal response to ongoing Sept. 11 health programs. That role took on greater with the April release ofretired Det. James Zadroga’s main building on the Left Bank it March 8-11 and riot police sackedoffices and piled up desks in a courtyard before holing upin a conference room. Police with riot helmets and shields asked the demonstrators to follow them out of the building and they complied. » Boy, 12, charged with killing mother, brother “I stand here today because a judge has found me guilty of contempt of court,” Toussaint Staging a final demonstration. stormed in to dislodge them. Monday's pgotesters ran- in this case was directly related conte! law forced theschoolto close six weeksago,butpolice had to remove 150 die-hard protesters interrogation. No details were provided. jured,including several Antericans,after the Russian-made, twin-engine An-32 aircraft plowed into a nomadsettlementon landing at an.airport to the 9/11 incident.” The autopsy said Zadroga died in January ° of respiratory failure caused by exposureto toxic dust. transit union chief on Monday began serving a 10-day sentence for leading last year’s transit strike, entering a Manhattan lockupafter marching across the Brooklyn Bridge with a boisterous group of supers. Roger Toussaint was walked Mondayforthefirst time since protests against a youth jobs becamea symbolof the standoff after students occupied was releasedafter six hours of autopsy, which concluded “with a reasonable degree of medical certainty that the cause of death 10 daysandfined $1,000 for PARIS — SorbonneUniversity students returned to classes Holloway on Saturday and as many bur; galaxies chockfull ofstars as previously expected,said scientists citing results from NASA's Chandra reports tojail NEW YORK — The city’s Paris's Sorbonne reopens after weeks of protests ground. Atleast 13 people werein- trying to avoid a truck ona runway,killing two people on board and twogirls on the That explains why there aren't NYCtransit union boss elaborating. tor's office also said Monday that a 20-year-old manwith the initials A.B. was arrested in the disappearanceof Natalee manystars from sprouting. nuclear power being the most efficient of man-made efforts, said study lead author Steve Allen of Stanford University and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. detention are nolonger there. He remains a suspect,” the prosecutor's office said without brick houses Monday while The NATION Five teens charged with plotting school attack cause the grounds forhis of beating and stabbing to death his mother and younger brother was charged as a juvenile Monday with twocounts of first-degree murder. The boy, whose name was not released because ofhis age, will remain in custody until his next hearing May 15. Katrina Denise Powe,31, and 9-year-old Mystery Toma Hillian were found dead Sundayin the family’s apartment outside Washingtonafter police received a 911 call. Authorities havenot said who made the call. Detectives interviewed the boy andarrested him there, said Cpl. Clinton Copeland. He said the boy implicated himself. 3rd-place finisher backs runner up in mayorrace math of Hurricane Katrina. “Mitch Landrieu has the experience to implementa plan. to managea plan andto rebuild our city,” Forman said. Formansaid that his cam- paign was aboutthe need for newleadership, and that Landrieu represents the best opportunity for changeina city that was struggling with poor schools and povertyeven be- . fore the storm. Forman, whose wife was Nagin’s press secretary before the campaign, said of Nagin: “The je’s worn out, in Mandies whensink hole opensin his home ALTA,Calif. — A large sink hole opened in the middle of a house,killing a 27-year-old man who plummeted 10feet and was covered by the rubble. officials said Sunday. The two-story home,built in the 1980s, might have beensit- ting atop a decades-old undergroundmine, authorities said. Recentrains possibly softened the ground underthe home,in an isolated area near LakeAlta, northeast of Sacramento. “It's unbelievable.” Placer County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Dena Erwin third-place finisher in the New Orleans mayoral race endorsed NEW ORLEANS — The said. “From the front of the house,it's absolutely normal. Then,in the middle of the the runner-up, Lt. Gov. Mitch house, is this enormous hole.” Landrieu, on Monday over Mayor Ray Nagin in next month's runoff election. Ron Forman, head of the organization that runs New Orleans’ zoo and aquarium, said Landrieu has his “full support” in the contest to decide who should leadthe city in the after- The victim was on the ground floor about 9:30 p.m. Friday whenthe concrete foundation near the kitchen gave way, Erwin said. The man’s wife also was in the house at the time and called oe was uninjured, Erwin 91. |