In the news

President Barack Obama, who called California Attorney General Kamala Harris “the best-looking attorney general” in comments at a Democratic fundraiser during which he also called her “brilliant,” “dedicated,” and “tough,” has apologized to Harris “for the distraction created by his comments,” said White House press secretary Jay Carney.

Sens. Bill Nelson of Florida, Joe Donnelly of Indiana and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota have become the latest Democrats to change their stance and support same-sex marriage.

Benjamin Fullwood, 23, has been charged in Effingham County, Ga., with felony cruelty to animals over allegations that he unleashed his two pit bulls on a neighbor’s pet pig that got loose in a mobile-home park, then stabbed the animal 23 times in front of children, authorities said, adding that Oliver the pig was in critical condition.

Pope Francis said the Roman Catholic Church’s “credibility” was on the line as he directed the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to act decisively on clergy sexabuse cases and punish pedophile priests, the Vatican announced.

Hillary Rodham Clinton told a crowd at the annual Women in the World gathering in New York that the rights of women represent “the unfinished business of the 21st century” in the United States and around the world.

Army Gen. David Rodriguez has taken charge of U.S. Africa Command from Army Gen. Carter Ham, who is retiring after 39 years in uniform.

Fidel Castro used his first column in Cuba’s Communist Party daily Granma in nearly nine months to urge restraint amid tensions on the Korean Peninsula, gently admonishing North Korea to remember its “duty to the countries that have been your great friends” and writing that “the duty to avoid” war belongs to the U.S.

Vinay Sharma, one of six men accused in the fatal gang rape of a woman on a New Delhi bus in December, was beaten so badly in jail that his arm was broken, his lawyer said.

Casey Anthony, who in 2011 was acquitted of murder in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee, has objected in federal bankruptcy court in Florida to a proposal by her bankruptcy trustee for permission to sell the exclusive rights to Anthony’s story.

Front Section, Pages 1 on 04/06/2013

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