Region

Queerly reared

By Aubrey Donaldson · Monday, April 25,2005 12:25 a.m.

With the staggering surplus of loving homes available to foster children right now, we'd better start weeding some out, eh? According to Reuters News Service, the Texas House of Representatives passed a bill this week banning gays from becoming foster parents. Says State Representative Robert Talton (R): "There's a risk that more of the children will go into homosexuality because it's a cultivated and learned behavior."

Car bombings in Iraq kill at least 21 people

By Alyson Brodsy and Thomas Wagner · Monday, April 25,2005 12:21 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- An emboldened Iraqi insurgency staged carefully coordinated dual bombings in Saddam Hussein's hometown and a Shiite neighborhood of the capital Sunday, killing at least 21 people. An American soldier was killed in a separate attack.

Chinese-Japanese relations could do with some work

By Cameron Thibos · Monday, April 25,2005 12:21 a.m.

China and Japan have been on even worse terms than usual for the past month. Recent developments in Japan and the United Nations set off an outcry of anti-Japanese sentiment from Beijing. In the past two weeks, thousands have taken to the streets of the Chinese capital to fight over past wrongs, present ambitions and the future balance of global power.

George Lucas appears at convention

By Alyson Brodsy · Monday, April 25,2005 12:19 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Fans of "Star Wars" took advantage of a rare opportunity Saturday to listen to the Jedi Master himself, George Lucas, who took center stage at a convention for the first time in about 18 years. "It was phenomenal. The best thing in the world, better than hearing the president speak," said Nicole Ryker, a lifelong fan.

Miss America fights to stay on air

By Alyson Brodsy and John Curran · Monday, April 25,2005 12:18 a.m.

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- How about Miss Arkansas in a cat fight with Miss Texas? Or Miss Alaska plotting with Miss Tennessee to get Miss Maine voted off the runway? Or a swimsuit contest featuring bikini-clad women walking the runway while covered in leeches? For Miss America, such scenarios would've been unthinkable once, when all it took to win was a fetching smile, a modicum of talent and a tight swimsuit.

IU student missing in London

By Mallory Simon · Sunday, April 24,2005 10:48 p.m.

Police in London, England are searching for IU student Lisa Wright who has been missing since Tuesday. The family and friends of the junior are asking anyone with information to aid in the search. Wright was taking classes in England and working as an intern for Merril Lynch in London. The overseas program which she was a part of had just ended, but Wright's family has not heard from her in several days.

24-year old reports rape on campus

By Lori Geller · Sunday, April 24,2005 6:57 p.m.

A 24-year-old woman told police she was sexually assaulted late Monday night. According to police reports, the victim said the incident occurred while she was walking from along the south end of the Campus View Apartment parking lot.

Bursar billing option to be limited

By John Rodgers · Sunday, April 24,2005 6:55 p.m.

If an IU student does not play on an IU athletic team or hold one of four financial aid distinctions, he or she won't qualify to use the bursar billing option at the IU Bookstore starting this August.

Local schools react to waistline growth

By Kama Korvela · Saturday, April 23,2005 3:34 p.m.

"C" is for cookie, but cookies aren't for lunch anymore. In recent years, the number of children in the United States with weight problems has increased dramatically, due in part to unhealthy food choices and a less active way of life.

International student adjusts to U.S.

By Kimberly Laughlin · Friday, April 22,2005 1:01 p.m.

Choosing where to attend college is one of the biggest decisions young adults are faced with. For freshman Nuwan Samaraweera, the decision was made even more difficult by the fact that he had not even visited the colleges he was researching. As a high school student in London, England, he heard about IU through a professional who assisted international students. Samaraweera was drawn to the Kelley School of Business and overall reputation, so he left his home in London to come to the states, a place he had visited only twice before.

AIDS, poverty combine to reverse progress in Africa

By David A. Nosko · Friday, April 22,2005 2:30 a.m.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic includes infections in about every nook and cranny of the world, from the African country of Botswana to the Hoosier heartland of Bloomington.

Taste of Asia brings cuisine, comedy

By Michelle Manchir · Friday, April 22,2005 2:29 a.m.

The Asian American Association of IU is bringing free entertainment to the IU Auditorium with the 12th annual Taste of Asia Celebration today, which will feature authentic Asian cuisine from area restaurants, singing and dancing by student groups and a performance by Daniel Nainan, a professional comedian who competed on NBC's reality show, "Last Comic Standing."

Tending to the place we live

By Trevor brown · Friday, April 22,2005 2:28 a.m.

The IU and Bloomington communities will celebrate the 35th annual Earth Day today by holding a variety of events and activities today and throughout the week promoting conservation, environmentalism and working to make Bloomington a better place to live.

Local sandwich shop robbed

By Mike Wilson · Friday, April 22,2005 2:28 a.m.

An unidentified male subject, who acted as if he was armed with a gun, robbed Big Mouth Subs, 1420 E. Third St., late Thursday night, said two Big Mouth Subs employees. The subject escaped through the back door facing Atwater Avenue.

Around The Game

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, April 22,2005 2:09 a.m.

Cardinals 4, Cubs 0 Chris Carpenter is 5-1 against the Chicago Cubs since the start of the 2004 season. Apparently, familiarity isn't helping the opposition.

Alumnus uses advanced degrees to earn spot at 2004 World Series

By Scott Freedman · Friday, April 22,2005 2:08 a.m.

When IU alumnus Mark Johnson embarked on his freshman year of college in the fall of 1988, he never imagined that in approximately 16 years, he would be celebrating a National League Championship in the St. Louis Cardinals' clubhouse. In fact, Johnson was not even certain of which major course of study he would pursue, let alone what he would be doing in the year 2004. All he knew was that he liked computers, he was good at math and he loved sports.

Revised daylight bill advances

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Smith · Friday, April 22,2005 1:59 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- A revised daylight-saving time bill nudged forward Thursday after an opponent was removed from a panel of lawmakers seeking compromise on the issue and was replaced with someone who advanced the plan.

Inmate executed for killing teenager in 1987

By Alyson Brodsy and Tom Coyne · Friday, April 22,2005 1:59 a.m.

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. -- The second execution in less than six weeks at the Indiana State Prison ended more than 16 years on death row for an inmate convicted of raping and killing a Terre Haute teenager. Prison officials reported that Bill Benefiel Jr., 48, died by injection at 12:35 a.m. Thursday. He was convicted of holding 18-year-old Delores Wells captive for 12 days before killing her on Feb. 17, 1987.

IU vying for 3 seed in Big Tens

By Alyson Brodsy · Friday, April 22,2005 1:32 a.m.

The IU men's tennis team will look to seal the No. 3 seed and a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament this weekend when it travels north to face Michigan and Michigan State for a pair of important contests.

Pacers have 1 last shot to give Reggie Miller a championship

By Alyson Brodsy and Steve Herman · Friday, April 22,2005 1:28 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Reggie Miller still has some unfinished business before he leaves basketball for good. The Indiana Pacers threw a raucous, emotional retirement party for their all-everything player after his final regular-season game. But he still has the playoffs, starting Saturday at Boston, and one last chance to win a championship ring that has eluded him for 18 years.