Community Arts

Iraq on alert after 15-year-old girl dies from bird flu virus

By Alyson Brodsy and Yahya Barzanji · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 11:50 p.m.

SULAIMINYAH, Iraq -- Health authorities went on high alert Tuesday following Iraq's first reported case of the deadly bird flu virus, killing hundreds of thousands of birds and warning farmers across the country to inspect their flocks.

Local travel agent reported missing in midst of consumer scandal; Suit filed

By Elisha Sauers · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 11:44 p.m.

The Monroe County Sheriff's Department cannot locate a Bloomington-based travel agency owner accused of bilking several clients out of thousands of dollars.

Man cleared on car theft charges

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 11:43 p.m.

The Monroe County Prosecutor's Office dismissed charges against Bloomington resident Jerick Mills on Dec. 21, 2005, clearing him of involvement in a series of car break-ins, according to Monroe County Court records.

Daniels confident highway plan will pass

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 11:43 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels said he hopes to win at least some support from House Democrats for his highway and transportation plan, but has enough votes among GOP members to get it through the chamber and advance it to the Senate.

Bloomington, I give you the Bird

By Alyson Brodsy and Derek Kagemann · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 11:38 p.m.

Blood flies amid a flurry of punches as Abraham Lincoln removes his stovepipe hat and steps into the cage. Michael Landon stands down-river with a look of misery stamped across his face.

IU Art Museum: We need more students

By Michelle Manchir · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 11:36 p.m.

Junior Aaron Jackson would rather go to a basketball game than spend an afternoon at the IU Art Museum. Jackson said he's been to the museum just once, and it wasn't voluntarily.

Samuel Alito sworn in as the 110th Supreme Court justice

By Alyson Brodsy and Jesse J. Holland · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 4:15 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. was sworn in as the nation's 110th Supreme Court justice on Tuesday after being confirmed by the Senate in one of the most partisan victories in modern history. Alito was sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts in a private ceremony at the Supreme Court building across from the Capitol at about 12:40 p.m. EST, court officials said.

Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King, dies at 78

By Alyson Brodsy and Errin Haines · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 4:11 p.m.

ATLANTA -- Coretta Scott King, who worked to keep her husband's dream alive with a chin-held-high grace and serenity that made her a powerful symbol of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s creed of brotherhood and nonviolence, died Tuesday. She was 78.

When in China

By -Kehla West · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:47 a.m.

It's truly a terrible time to be Google. The U.S. government is pushing for the site's directors to release search records, free-speech advocates are yelling because the site bowed to the wishes of an oppressive Chinese government and the special logo the site put up for Mozart's birth kind of stunk. OK, that last one isn't really a serious concern. I just didn't like it. But the first two are serious. Congress passed the Child Online Protection Act in 1998, and now, the Department of Justice is asking for search records in order to prove how easily children can stumble onto pornographic materials on the Internet. Every other major search engine, aside from Google, has already complied with the DoJ's request. On this hand, we have Google unwilling to bow to those who would say that private searches for information are just that: private.

Fraternity use better than no use

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:46 a.m.

Six fraternities are now on campus without housing, and this does not include the cultural greek-letter organizations. Some of the returning chapters have old houses, appropriated by IU, while others are starting fresh and have no tradition of a house on this campus. Most, if not all, of these fraternities have looked into moving into an on-campus house, but IU has consistently refused to allot any of its houses for further habitation by greeks while at the same time letting a good many of them sit dilapidated and unoccupied. We feel that while this does not represent any anti-greek attitude on the University's part, it does reveal that land is being used irresponsibly. IU is hard-pressed for space as it is, and simply letting University-owned property sit unused is a waste of land and resources. If IU does not want to let greek organizations occupy the property, then at least fill the space with some obscure academic department starved for space -- like the Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology on Park Avenue or the Department of Polish Studies on Atwater Avenue.

Al-Qaida No. 2 taunts Bush in new videotape

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:40 a.m.

CAIRO, Egypt -- Al-Qaida No. 2 Ayman al-Zawahri said in a videotape aired Monday that President Bush was a "butcher" and a "failure" because of a deadly U.S. air strike in Pakistan targeting the bin Laden deputy, and he threatened a new attack on the United States. Al-Zawahri, shown in the video wearing white robes and a white turban, said a Jan. 13 air strike in the eastern village of Damadola killed "innocents," and he said the United States had ignored an offer from al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden for a truce. "Butcher of Washington, you are not only defeated and a liar, but also a failure. You are a curse on your own nation and you have brought and will bring them only catastrophes and tragedies," he said, referring to Bush. "Bush, do you know where I am? I am among the Muslim masses."

Video of kidnapped journalist released

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:39 a.m.

CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Jazeera aired a new videotape Monday of kidnapped U.S. journalist Jill Carroll, showing her wearing an Islamic veil and weeping as she purportedly appealed for the release of female Iraqi prisoners. The video is dated Saturday, two days after the U.S. military released five Iraqi women detainees. U.S. officials said the release had nothing to do with the kidnappers' demands. The video had no sound, but the Al-Jazeera newscaster said Carroll appealed to the U.S. military and the Iraqi Interior Ministry to free all women in their prisons and said this "would help in winning her release."

Student copes with rare disease

By Megan George · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:38 a.m.

The Food and Drug Administration recently passed a law that requires food labels to list ingredients made from proteins of the eight major foods that cause allergic reactions. These foods include milk, eggs, fish, crustaceans, wheat, tree nuts, soybeans and peanuts.

Democrats' filibuster attempt fails

By Alyson Brodsy and Jesse J. Holland · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:38 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The Senate all but guaranteed Samuel Alito's confirmation as the nation's 110th Supreme Court justice Monday, shutting down a last-minute attempt by liberals to block the conservative judge's nomination with a filibuster. Republican and Democratic senators on a 72-25 vote agreed to end their debate, setting up a Tuesday morning vote on Alito's confirmation to replace retiring moderate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

U.S. will cut off aid to Hamas-led government

By Alyson Brodsy and Anne Gearan · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:37 a.m.

LONDON -- The United States and other would-be Mideast peacemakers struggled Monday to present a clear ultimatum to the Palestinians' incoming Hamas leaders that they must change their ways to keep the foreign aid they desperately need. The future of aid was unclear, with both Hamas and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas appealing for continued world support, President Bush insisting the United States won't give direct aid to a government that includes terrorists, and European leaders hedging their bets. Of the Palestinian Authority's $1.6 billion annual budget, $1 billion comes from Europe, the United States and other donor countries and international agencies, $70 million of that from the United States.

IU researchers find fish oil lessens asthma symptoms

By Fatimah Scott · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:37 a.m.

If asthmatic patients suffering from exercised-induced asthma (EIA) could treat their condition without the use of traditional asthma medications, they could avoid the potential side effects posed by them.

When stress is too tough to handle ... UNWIND with a good massage

By Audrie Garrison · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:35 a.m.

When the stress of college becomes too much to bear, the IU Health Center offers a chemical-free way to relax, even if it is just for fifteen minutes. The Health Center employs licensed masseuses available on appointment. "For most people, it improves mood and promotes relaxation, which is good for stress management," said Anne Reese, director of Health and Wellness Education at the Health Center.

Hoosiers split weekend doubleheader, move to 4-1

By Jonathan Hines · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:28 a.m.

The IU women's tennis team split its doubleheader Sunday, losing its first match of the season to No. 14 Duke 6-1 before rebounding against Ball State 7-0. The No. 32 Hoosiers faced a tough opponent in the Blue Devils, who boast two singles players ranked in the top 30 nationally. Despite the loss, the team members said they felt positive about their performance. "Even though we lost to Duke, we had a lot of close matches," IU's No. 3 singles player Brianna Williams said. "Everybody was in every match and had a chance to win."

Armed man robs Speedway convenience store Saturday

By Audrie Garrison · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:28 a.m.

A man robbed the Bloomington Speedway convenience store, 2700 N. Walnut St., early Saturday morning. Bloomington Police Department Sgt. David Drake said the female clerk reported that a black male in his late-30s to mid-40s entered the store and told her he had a gun. According to the police report, she said he then patted his waist to show her where it was. The gun was never actually seen.

Parks and Rec partners with Special Olympics

By Michael Zennie · Tuesday, Jan. 31,2006 12:27 a.m.

The Bloomington Board of Park Commissioners approved a plan Tuesday intended to strengthen the Monroe County Special Olympics program. Under the agreement, the city's Parks and Recreation Department will grant Special Olympics Indiana-Monroe County access to facilities like basketball courts and softball fields and will provide staff to help supervise and coordinate the events. The city will also help publicize Special Olympics events and provide meeting space and an information hotline.