Pope's Irish letter faces critical Catholic world (AP)

FILE - The Dec. 30, 2009 file photo shows Pope Benedict XVI during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at The Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI's former diocese in Munich said Friday, March 19, 2010 it is facing new allegations of physical and sexual abuse on a daily basis. Last week, the diocese confirmed the case of a priest who was transferred in 1980 to Munich. That came after three sets of parents alleged he had abused their children in the northwestern city of Essen, the diocese there said. The priest underwent therapy, but then returned to work with youngsters. He was convicted of abuse in 1986. Pope Benedict, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, was Archbishop of Munich and Freising at the time of the priest's transfer from Essen to Munich. The diocese has said Ratzinger knew about the transfer but not about the priest's continued work in Bavarian congregations after he assumed his duties at the Vatican. Erwin Wild, then spokesman of the diocese's council of priests, said he and his colleagues were not informed by Ratzinger that the priest was an offender, which he thinks was wrong. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)AP - Pope Benedict XVI addresses Ireland on Saturday in a letter apologizing for the sex abuse scandal here — a message being watched closely by Catholics from Boston to Berlin to see if it also acknowledges decades of Vatican-approved cover-ups.




Push on for Mideast talks despite Jerusalem flap (AP)

A Palestinian climbs an electricity pole as he waves a Palestinian flag during clashes in the West Bank city of Hebron, Friday, March 19, 2010. Palestinians in east Jerusalem and the West Bank lobbed rocks at Israeli security forces, set garbage bins and tires ablaze and torched an Israeli flag in a new outbreak of violence over contested Jerusalem building plans and unsubstantiated rumors about threats to the city's holiest shrine. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)AP - With pressure on from global mediators Friday, Israel and the Palestinians appeared likely to resume American-mediated indirect peace talks despite a flap over east Jerusalem construction.




12 wounded in Israeli missile strike in Gaza (AP)
AP - Hamas officials say Israeli aircraft have fired five missiles at Gaza's defunct airport and nearby border tunnels, wounding at least 12 people.

World diplomats urge resumption of Mideast talks (AP)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton seen during talks in Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 19, 2010. Clinton is participating in a meeting of the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators — the U.S., Russia, the EU and the United Nations. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)AP - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton suggested Friday that the United States and Israel have found a way around the worst disagreement the two allies have faced in years while international diplomats set goals for new U.S.-backed peace talks aimed at establishing an independent Palestinian state.




'Lawyer' for US missionaries in Haiti is arrested (AP)
AP - A fugitive who once acted as the lawyer for a group of U.S. Baptist missionaries accused of kidnapping 33 Haitian children was arrested on human-trafficking charges, authorities said Friday.

Sochi: Russian Olympic Scandals, Short Funds, Strike (Time.com)
Time.com - The Sochi Winter Olympics are still four years away, but Russia is alreadyencountering a host of obstacles, including worker strikes and environmentalcomplaints

Clinton says agreement with Russia near on nukes (AP)

From left, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton talk to each other posing for a family photo after the news conferences in Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 19, 2010. Clinton is participating in a meeting of the quartet of Middle East peace mediators - the U.S., Russia, the EU and the United Nations.(AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)AP - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that American and Russian negotiators are "on the brink" of agreement on a nuclear arms reduction treaty.




Yemen president: War with northern rebels is over (AP)
AP - Yemen's president on Friday declared the country's six-year war with northern rebels over, saying the Shiite militants are living up to a cease-fire agreement signed last month.

Bolivian who captured 'Che' wanted for questioning (AP)
AP - The retired general who captured legendary revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara was summoned Friday by Bolivian authorities investigating an alleged plot against President Evo Morales.

Minister: Sierre Leone rattled by disaster hoax (AP)
AP - A top official in Sierre Leone's government said he raced to a town in the country Friday after news reports said at least 200 people had been killed in a mining accident there, only to find out it was a hoax.

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