IUPD

American journalist released unharmed

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- American reporter Jill Carroll was set free Thursday, nearly three months after she was kidnapped in a bloody ambush that killed her translator. She said she had been treated well.

Bahrain ferry carrying 150 people capsizes

MANAMA, Bahrain -- A ferry carrying up to 150 people capsized Thursday night in the Persian Gulf off the coast of Bahrain, and at least 48 bodies were recovered, the country's coast guard chief said. American divers and a U.S. helicopter aided the rescue effort. Coast guard chief Youssef al-Katem said at least 63 people survived. A passenger on board the ferry calling from his cell phone was the first to alert officials that the ship was listing, he said.

Supreme Court hears case on immigration removal order

WASHINGTON -- After a 30-year struggle to live in the United States, Humberto Fernandez-Vargas said he thought he had finally earned his keep.

Man flees police; found with marijuana

Police arrested a Bloomington man early Tuesday morning on preliminary charges of carrying a handgun without a permit, possession of marijuana and resisting law enforcement.

Community Farmers' Market to begin spring growing season

An annual Bloomington tradition begins Friday at Eighth and Morton streets in Showers Common.

New campaign to revitalize aging Bloomington areas

Mayor Mark Kruzan unveiled the specifics of the new "Be Bloomington" campaign Thursday at a press conference at City Hall.

Inside the press conference: new coach addresses past issues

IU men's basketball coach Kelvin Sampson spoke at the press conference about recruiting violations at the University of Oklahoma and graduation rates.

Kelvin Sampson decided to come to IU less than 24 hours after being contacted, but he has long given the job thought. In theory, at least. The newly appointed IU coach was guided by the advice of an old Civil War hero -- General William "Tecumseh" Sherman, whom he often references. "He's always talking about, it's from war general Sherman: 'Life's not about security. It's about opportunity,'" said Kellen Sampson, his 20-year-old son. "He could have stayed at Oklahoma and finished a very nice career, but this is an opportunity to live every dream imaginable for him." Kelvin Sampson left the University of Oklahoma looking fairly secure. The winningest coach in Big 12 and school history, his 72 percent winning average took a backseat to OU's championship-caliber football teams. His Sooner squads made the NCAA Tournament in 11 of his 12 seasons with the team -- but that for him was part of the problem.

UPDATE: Journalist hostage released unharmed

American reporter Jill Carroll was set free Thursday, nearly three months after she was kidnapped in a bloody ambush that killed her translator. She said she had been treated well.

Extended version: Former Marine captain to discuss Darfur genocide

The tragedy in the Darfur region of Sudan and how Americans can help will be the topic tonight as Brian Steidle visits Bloomington for two days of talks and visuals on the subject. A former Marine captain and U.S. representative to the African Union's peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Steidle brings his witnessed accounts of rape, torture and violence all in an effort to raise further awareness to the Darfuri cause. Currently on a 21,000-mile, 22-city tour of the United States raising awareness for what the national Save Darfur Coalition calls, "the world's worst humanitarian crisis," Steidle has testified in front of Congress about the gruesome details he witnessed on the ground in Sudan from 2004 to 2005. In 2004, Congress officially declared the situation in Darfur as genocide, and since then, an estimated 300,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced from their homes into refugee camps.

Online only: Conference to teach "Variations on Blackness"

"Blackness" -- the word has many connotations in America and across the globe. The "Variations on Blackness" conference is a three-day event that will feature lectures from both IU professors and those from other universities, an art exhibit at the IU Art Museum, a dance performance and social events.

THE SEARCH

There's a thin barrier between rumor and reality. And as IU's coaching search stretched on and on, that barrier seemed to stretch thinner and thinner. That is until Wednesday, when rumor and reality were finally separated -- once and for all. "The reality is that I didn't read a single article that was accurate in terms of projections of what was happening," IU President Adam Herbert said. "I was amazed that people were saying X or Y candidate was being interviewed when we never talked to them."

Yoga allows art lovers to work out in museums

UTICA, N.Y. -- It may seem like an ordinary art lecture for the visitors viewing a watercolor titled "Moon and Cumulus Cloud." But the listeners are sitting on exercise mats and wearing sweats. It's a yoga art session, an effort to soothe the soul and tone the body in the inspirational setting of an art museum. After the art lesson on how the painter captured the effect of nocturnal light on the landscape, the visitors will get an hourlong yoga session.

IU fashion shows fill weekend

IU/NYC performers collaborate for performance

In a small rehearsal room in the Musical Arts Center Tuesday night, a group of seven strangely-clad people met to practice their arias and dance steps for their upcoming performance. They wore a mixture of street clothes, dance shoes and bits of fancy petticoats and headdresses. The elaborate costumes, lilting melodies and fluid motions are all parts of baroque period culture. This Sunday, thanks to a grant from IU's New Frontiers in the Arts and Humanities program, the Early Music Institute will be sponsoring a performance featuring the IU Baroque Orchestra and the New York Baroque Dance Company. The production will be at 8 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater and admission is free. The first half of the program will showcase the New York Baroque Dance Company with two dance numbers, and the second half will feature several IU students in the baroque opera "Pygmalion." The IU Baroque Orchestra will provide the music for the entire show, said Catherine Turocy, co-founder and artistic director of the NYBDC.

Vases and mad orgies: sexual expression varies with culture

They have to be requested from the librarians at the Fine Arts Library. You can only look at two at a time and only in their reading room. Their pages are full of sexually explicit and implicit paintings, sketches and photographs that range from the highly amusing to the intensely arousing. No, I'm not talking about Hustler, Penthouse or Playboy. The pages I perused earlier this week belonged to the books of IU's erotic art collection.

Rockin' in the NCAA: John Mellencamp to put on free Final Four concert

INDIANAPOLIS -- Growing up near Indiana University, John Mellencamp couldn't help but become a big college basketball fan. So big, in fact, that as part of the NCAA's Final Four weekend here he's headlining a free outdoor concert Sunday -- one expected to draw up to 100,000 people. Mellencamp, whose "R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A." is featured in commercials promoting this year's NCAA tournament, agreed to perform largely because of his relationship with former IU president Myles Brand, who now heads the NCAA.

QUESTIONS

When IU fans in Assembly Hall's east stands got their first glimpse of their new basketball coach Wednesday, they saw him walk onto Branch McCracken court behind seven current IU players. D.J. White was among them. Robert Vaden was not. With new IU coach Kelvin Sampson's coronation came more questions about the future plans of Hoosier sophomores White and Vaden, questions that were largely left unanswered at Sampson's introduction.

INFRACTIONS

The pressure is on IU's new coach to revitalize Hoosier basketball tradition. "Good or bad -- we're all known for something," said new coach Kelvin Sampson at Wednesday's press conference. "And that something is going to be your identity." But trying to put IU's best foot forward might start with Sampson taking the Hoosiers a step backward. Sampson and his staff made too many phone calls per week to recruits, he said, violating an NCAA rule. Making such a mistake shocked the coach into evaluating University of Oklahoma basketball program's commitment to complete compliance with the NCAA.

Arnesen captures ITT

After setting the record at Individual Time Trials last year, Alpha Tau Omega rider Hans Arnesen failed to complete a quarter of a lap before his chain broke in the first spring series event of the season. Clearly disgusted with his bike, Arnesen slammed his Schwinn into the outer fence of Bill Armstrong Stadium as his fellow riders completed their trial. When Arnesen took the track two hours later, neither his chain nor the other riders would deny the senior his second ITT title in a row. Arnesen's time of 2 minutes, 17.7 seconds edged out Cutter rider Alex Bishop's time of 2:20.7 for first place.