Region

Satellite TV broadcasts latest bin Laden audio tape

By Alyson Brodsy and Robert H. Reid · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:36 a.m.

DOHA, Qatar -- A raspy voice believed to be Osama bin Laden's urged Iraqis to carry out suicide attacks against Americans and draw U.S. troops into combat in Iraqi cities. U.S. officials said the call broadcast Tuesday proves the world must fear Saddam Hussein's ties to the al Qaeda terror network. The appeal was made in a voice tape aired by the Al-Jazeera satellite television station throughout the Arab world and believed by U.S. officials to be authentic. It was broadcast as U.S. officials warned of devastating attacks within the United States and the Persian Gulf, where U.S. forces are massing for a possible attack against Iraq.

Stuck in a Winter Wonderland

By Katherine Helmke and Kathryn Helmke · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:36 a.m.

Winter in Bloomington has never seemed so bad. IU winters are mild. A few snow storms and some cold days. But this winter is proving to be different. Snow is something we can't get away from. It's on our cars in the morning and on our backpacks, shoes, coats and hats when we get to class. Its remnants grace the floors and stairwells of all the buildings, and the possibility of slipping to the ground is constant. But we haven't seen the last of the snow.

Islamic students react to message

By Christina Galoozis · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:36 a.m.

Muslim students at IU immediately reacted to Osama bin Laden's latest message Tuesday, which calls on Muslims around the world to fight any U.S. led-military action against Iraq. The message aired on the Al-Jazeera network on the Hajj, an important day for the Islamic religion.

Hoosiers looking to extend winning streak

By Tyler Rainey · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:35 a.m.

The IU women's tennis travels to Lexington, Ky., in search of their fourth straight win and their first win on the road. The No. 50 Hoosiers (5-2 overall) take on the No. 34 Wildcats in the team's last pre-conference meet. IU returns home for the weekend to take on Big Ten foes Wisconsin on Saturday and Northwestern on Sunday.

Last-minute plans mean higher costs

By Hannah Schroder · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:33 a.m.

Spring break is now less than a month away and can be met by students with mixed emotions. While some may be looking forward to his or her travel plans, others may be wondering if it's too late to plan any kind of trip. But don't despair yet. If you're willing to pay a little extra, there are still hundreds of destinations awaiting your visit.

Foundation endowment grows

By Julia Balnford and Julia Blanford · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:25 a.m.

Despite a slow economy, the IU Foundation endowment grew 3.6 percent to $956 million in the last fiscal year, which ended on June 30, 2002. The foundation manages all donations given to the University. Private giving to IU totaled $92.4 million. The economy affected the foundation's assets, but it credits a diverse group of investments, which maintained a more profitable pool of donations.

IU hopes to stop five-game skid

By Sara Meinecke and Sarah Meinecke · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:12 a.m.

The last time the IU men's basketball team experienced a five-game losing streak, a Republican was president and war was a reality. Perhaps the national events from 31 years ago are oddly familiar, but the winning drought presently plaguing the Hoosiers is unfamiliar territory for the current team.

Runners are in grave peril

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:06 a.m.

Dear Fellow Harriers: On the eve of the Inaugural Little 50 at Indiana University on April 13th 2003, I have grievous cause for concern over the intended use of traditional lane-track batons in the running version of Howdy Wilcox's Little 500. Of special concern is the potential for injury to external vitals (gums & teeth, eye sockets, and nasal septums) as well as internal organ injuries due to a mass of runners falling on upturned batons ... and each other.

Neighborhood just not right for shelter

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, Feb. 12,2003 12:05 a.m.

Homeless shelters are good for the community. They give down-and-out citizens the chance to get back on their feet and start again. Shelters shouldn't be constructed in slums; they should be placed in middle- to upper-class neighborhoods where the homeless have a chance to reintegrate themselves. But turning the Pi Kappa Alpha house into a homeless shelter will only present problems.

Don't limit the homeless

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:55 p.m.

The old Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity may be turned into a shelter for the homeless or abused. The shelter is a great idea, but some critics have still voiced concerns. The people of this campus should be willing to help others, and this shelter is the perfect opportunity. Because of its proximity to the University and many greek houses, students and faculty should accept the people housed within and give them a chance to better themselves.

Tuition rises 13 percent

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:53 p.m.

Tuition increases at Indiana's four-year public colleges and universities last year averaged 13 percent, the 10th highest increase in the nation, a new national study found. Massachusetts had the nation's biggest increase in tuition and fees at 24 percent, according to the report released Tuesday by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Missouri, Texas and Iowa all had increases of 20 percent.

Senate committee and teenage lobbyists oppose drugs and alcohol

By Alyson Brodsy and Mike Smith · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:51 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS -- A state Senate committee endorsed a bill Tuesday that would strengthen Indiana's open-container law and negate millions of dollars in federal penalties. Meanwhile, about 300 teenagers from across Indiana roamed the Statehouse and urged legislators to crack down more on drugs, alcohol and drunken driving.

Junk e-mail unwanted

By Lauren Claytor · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:50 p.m.

Unwanted junk e-mail could soon be a thing of the past for Hoosiers. The Indiana House of Representatives has responded to the rising problem of unsolicited commercial e-mail, better known as "spam," with new legislation. The House recently passed in a 95-0 vote Bill 1083, which will give Indiana residents the ability to fight back against unsolicited commercial e-mail. The bill was co-authored by State Representatives Matt Pierce and Peggy Welch, both D-Bloomington. The bill includes several guidelines for people who send mass commercial e-mail.

Inmate challenges death row law

By Alyson Brodsy · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:49 p.m.

TERRE HAUTE -- An inmate is challenging the procedure for executions at the federal government's death row, including what witnesses are allowed to see. David Paul Hammer contends in a federal lawsuit that reporters and other witnesses should be allowed to see the inmate enter the death chamber and everything that happens until the prisoner is pronounced dead.

Preparing for the worst

By Alyson Brodsy and Erin White · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:43 p.m.

No one saw it coming. He entered the house unnoticed and quietly crept into Lisa Levy's room. He watched her sleeping like a snake waiting to devour his prey. He beat the Florida State University college student with a log, raped her and strangled her before moving on to his next victim. He murdered two young women that evening and severely injured three more. Ted Bundy looked like an average college student. He was young, intelligent and handsome, yet he was one of the most sought after serial killers during the 1970s. According to www.crimelibrary.com, Bundy said he took between 30 and 40 lives before he was executed in 1989. Ironically, his executioner was a woman.

The social science of porn

By Mike D’Avria · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:42 p.m.

This upcoming weekend is Valentine's Day, and one thought pops into my head. Porn. I could have chosen to use this precious space to talk about how great my girlfriend is, or use it to get my helpless, and often pathetic, roommate a date -- but I will use this space to speak of porn. There were many columns in the fall semester about this topic, but this column will be different since I have seen "Campus Invasion No. 32."

Networks say no to 'Sex and the City'

By Alyson Brodsy and David Bauder · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:42 p.m.

NEW YORK -- Three of the four biggest broadcast networks said they have no interest in airing a sanitized version of HBO's Emmy Award-winning comedy "Sex and the City." The fourth network, CBS, would not comment on the possibility Monday. Published reports, first in Variety on Friday, said HBO had approached executives at ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox about airing an edited "Sex and the City" as a prime time series, starting this fall.

'Chicago,' 'Gangs of New York' lead nominees for 75th Oscars

By Alyson Brodsy and David Germain · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:41 p.m.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- "Chicago," the musical adapted from the stage hit about two murderous women competing for tabloid celebrity, led Academy Award contenders Tuesday with 13 nominations, including best picture. Other best-picture nominees for the 75th annual Oscars were "Gangs of New York," "The Hours," "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and "The Pianist."

Powell warns of Iraqi ties to terrorism

By Alyson Brodsy and Barry Schweid · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:34 p.m.

WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Colin Powell told a Senate panel Tuesday that what appears to be a new statement from Osama bin Laden shows why the world needs to be concerned about Iraqi ties to terrorism. Powell said he read a transcript of "what bin Laden -- or who we believe to be bin Laden" will be saying on the Al-Jazeera Arab satellite station later Tuesday, "where once again he speaks to the people of Iraq and talks about their struggle and how he is in partnership with Iraq."

Closure set on Israeli border

By Alyson Brodsy and Laurie Copans · Tuesday, Feb. 11,2003 11:33 p.m.

JERUSALEM -- Israeli troops killed an armed Palestinian in the Gaza Strip, and Israel imposed a blanket closure Tuesday on the Palestinian areas during a Muslim holiday because of warnings of possible attacks by militants. The closure, which bars Palestinians from entering Israel, reverses a decision to ease travel restrictions during the holiday, Eid al-Adha, which begins Tuesday. Israeli troops making