IUSA

Bush, Putin discuss Iran, nuclear weapons over lunch man says

By Alyson Brodsy and Jennifer Loven · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 10:45 p.m.

MOSCOW -- President Bush, eager for Russian help in ongoing nuclear disputes with North Korea and Iran, tended to the sometimes frosty Washington-Moscow relationship Wednesday by paying a quick call on President Vladimir Putin. Bush paused to visit the Russian leader for an hour and a half at an airport stopover on his way to Asia for an eight-day trip that includes stays in Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia. Bush has meetings scheduled with several important allies, including Putin, on the sidelines of a summit of Pacific Rim leaders in Hanoi, Vietnam, later this week. But only Putin rated a social call as well.

Top general against timetable in Iraq

By Alyson Brodsy and Anne Plummer Flaherty · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 10:44 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- The top U.S. commander in the Middle East warned Congress on Wednesday against setting a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, putting him at odds with resurgent Democrats pressing President Bush to start pulling out of the violence-torn country. Gen. John Abizaid spoke as the Senate Armed Services Committee began re-examining U.S. policy in the wake of last week's elections, which gave Democrats control of Congress starting next year and was widely seen as a repudiation of the administration's war policies.

Rape, murder suspect shot in chase

By Audrie Garrison · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 10:42 p.m.

Police are investigating a series of events from late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning in which a woman was raped, a man was murdered and another man sustained gunshot wounds in a city an hour southwest of Bloomington. Indiana State Police suspect Roger Nicholson, 39, of Loogootee, Ind., drove to Red Wing Mobile Home Park in Lowell, Ind., Tuesday night, picked up a woman, drove her to a rural area on County Road 1300 East in Daviess County and raped her, according to an ISP news release. Police say Nicholson then drove her back to the trailer park and dropped her off.

High school coach might have stolen game proceeds

By Alyson Brodsy and Associated Press · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 10:42 p.m.

ELKHART, Ind. -- Four young children whose bodies were found in the basement of their home suffocated to death, and their mother remained hospitalized under sedation, police said Wednesday. Detectives were reviewing previous police calls to the home involving custody disputes between the woman and the father of the two oldest children but were not focusing yet on a particular suspect in the attack, police Capt. Steven Mock said. No arrests were immediately made, but the deaths of the two girls and two boys were ruled homicides, and detectives had interviewed the father of the older children, he said.

4 children fatally suffocated

By Alyson Brodsy and Tom Coyne · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 10:40 p.m.

ELKHART, Ind. -- Four young children whose bodies were found in the basement of their home suffocated to death, and their mother remained hospitalized under sedation, police said Wednesday. Detectives were reviewing previous police calls to the home involving custody disputes between the woman and the father of the two oldest children but were not focusing yet on a particular suspect in the attack, police Capt. Steven Mock said.

Candidates jockey for vacated council seat

By Joseph S. Pete · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 10:39 p.m.

Monroe County Prosecutor-elect Chris Gaal is leaving his at-large City Council seat up for grabs among Democrats in January when he assumes his new office. A past council candidate and an economics professor have already declared their candidacies, and more are expected to contend to fill the soon-to-be-vacated seat, which comes up for election in November 2007.

Silence of the signs

By Alyson Brodsy and Jonathan Hines · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 3:08 p.m.

"Fire John L. Smith, please." Big banner. Large letters. Couldn't miss it. The demands of a sizable chunk of the visiting Michigan State Spartan fans regarding their visiting coach could be made out from an airplane thousands of feet above Memorial Stadium during Saturday's homecoming victory. After a Michigan State fumble led to another Kellen Lewis touchdown pass in the final minute of the first half, the banner quickly unfurled, rattled in the wind for a few minutes and disappeared into the crowd. The scoreboard should have read: IU: 30, John L. Smith: toast.

Israel spokesman: Peace still possible

By Nick O'Neill · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:42 p.m.

Mark Regev is used to answering difficult questions regarding the struggle for peace in the Middle East as the spokesman for Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. At at a half-full room in Woodburn Hall on Tuesday night, he fielded inquiries and comments from students, faculty and community members about what he thinks is the next step in ending the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Hoosiers fall to Butler 60-55

By Matt Mattucci · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:06 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Just as soon as Kelvin Sampson picked up his first win as IU coach, he suffered his first loss. The Butler Bulldogs upset Sampson and the Hoosiers 60-55 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Tuesday night.

Scores abducted in lightning raid on Baghdad government office

By Christopher Bodeen · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:37 a.m.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Gunmen dressed as police commandos kidnapped scores of staff and visitors in a lightning raid on an education ministry office Tuesday in one of the biggest mass abductions since the start of the U.S. occupation. Five senior police officers -- including the neighborhood police chief -- were arrested, the government said. At least 82 people were killed or found dead in murders, bombings and clashes nationwide.

Monroe County library ranks 2nd in country

By Michael Reschke · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:37 a.m.

Shelia Gullatt would be at the Monroe County Public Library every day if she had time. "I would lose my mind if I didn't have a membership to this library," said Gullatt, a library patron. Monroe County Public Library is the second best in its size category, according to an organization that ranks public libraries across the nation.

IU's championship push begins tonight

By Chris Engel · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:37 a.m.

The IU men's soccer team begins its quest for the eighth national championship title in program history tonight when the No. 7-seed Hoosiers host Northern Illinois University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at 7 p.m. at Bill Armstrong Stadium.

Sampson stunned

By Matt Mattucci · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:37 a.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Just as soon as Kelvin Sampson picked up his first win as IU coach, he suffered his first loss. The Butler Bulldogs upset Sampson and the Hoosiers 60-55 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis Tuesday night. The loss knocked IU out of the NIT Season Tip-Off Tournament, which prevents the team from playing in New York City next week. "This game came down to two things: We put them on the foul line way too much," Sampson said following the loss. "And there were too many turnovers. Not too much to analyze here."

Let the bragging begin: Flag football champions crowned

By DeAntae Prince · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:09 a.m.

Sunday afternoon marked the culmination of one of the largest intramural flag football programs in the country. IU's flag football is second only to Ohio State, with 340 teams competing this season. The championships, held in John Mellencamp Pavilion, featured the 10 remaining teams in the five divisional championships.

League play begins with back-to-back wins for IU

By Mike Abrams · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:08 a.m.

The IU men's hockey team opened league play with two wins to help keep the team at one loss for the season. The Hoosiers faced off against Ferris State University this weekend in Bloomington, winning both games. The team is now 2-0-0 in the Great Midwest Hockey League and 7-1-2 overall. The losses pushed Ferris State to last place in the league with a 0-5-0 record and an overall record of 3-6-2.

Athletic director: Knight did nothing wrong

By Alyson Brodsy and Betsy Blaney · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:06 a.m.

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Texas Tech coach Bob Knight says there were times he was wrong when his hot temper got the best of him on a basketball court. Not this time, however. This time, everyone from the player he confronted to the player's mother and school officials say what Knight did was no big deal.

Hoosiers hoping to avoid letdown against Valparaiso tonight at home

By John Wustrow · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:05 a.m.

It should be a hero's return for the team that IU coach Felisha Legette-Jack calls the "11-headed monster." The IU women's basketball team returns home tonight after its 54-51 victory over the No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats on Sunday. The Hoosiers (2-0) will try to defend their home court tonight against the Crusaders of Valparaiso (0-1) at 7 p.m. in Assembly Hall.

Big Ten weekend with the boys of IU

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:03 a.m.

I was totally focused on beating the Penn State Nittany Lions in the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament last Friday. They had defeated us three times in a row, and we were out for revenge. Beating them would end their season, and that would be almost as satisfying as winning the Big Ten Tournament.

2 Hoosiers reach semifinals in Singles Championships

By Joel Sanders and Joel Sansers · Wednesday, Nov. 15,2006 12:01 a.m.

IU senior David Bubenicek fell in the finals, but junior Dara McLoughlin advanced to the semifinals of the men's tennis Big Ten Singles Championship, hosted by Michigan. The host team's player, Matko Maravic, defeated McLoughlin in the semifinals 6-1, 6-2 and then prevailed against Bubenicek 6-3, 6-2 to take home the championship Monday.

An end to cowboy justice

By Alyson Brodsy and Rachel Fullmer · Tuesday, Nov. 14,2006 11:58 p.m.

[ THE FACTS ] On Nov. 7, the American people elected the Democratic Party into control of both the House and Senate. According to the party's Web site, the Democrats are committed to "lead the world by telling the truth to our troops, our citizens and our allies."" What effect will the newly Democratic Congress have on U.S. security policy?