QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our actions will be even more effective.”
President Barack Obama, who announced Saturday that though he believes the U.S. should take military action against the Syrian government because of the purported use of chemical weapons against civilians, he will seek Congress’ support before ordering an attack Article, 1A
China quake kills 5, displaces thousands
BEIJING - An earthquake hit a mountainous area of southwestern China on Saturday, killing at least five people, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing thousands of people to relocate, the government and state media said.
The quake, which also injured 21 people, shook a wide area, including Shangri-La and Deqen counties in Yunnan province, and Derong county in Sichuan province, just to the north.
The China Earthquake Administration said the morning temblor had a magnitude of 5.9; the U.S. Geological Survey said it was 5.8.
The China Earthquake Information Center, citing Yunnan’s provincial Civil Affairs Department, said five people died and 17 were injured in Shangri-La and Deqen counties.
Six of the injured were in serious condition.
Sichuan’s government said four people were injured in Derong county.
The official Xinhua News Agency, also citing Yunnan’s Civil Affairs Department, said the quake destroyed 600 residential units and damaged 55,500 others. More than 9,000 residents were forced to relocate.
Vatican to get new secretary of state
Pope Francis named Archbishop Pietro Parolin, apostolic nuncio to Venezuela, to replace Tarcisio Bertone as the Vatican’s secretary of state, one of the most important posts in the Catholic Church.
Parolin, 58, will take over Oct. 15 for the 78-year-old cardinal, who has held the post for seven years, the Vatican said in a statement posted on its website Saturday.
The secretary of state is similar to a prime minister, formulating the Vatican’s politics and diplomacy. Unlike Bertone, who had no diplomatic background when he was appointed, Parolin served as Vatican undersecretary for foreign affairs from 2002-09.
The Curia, the Vatican’s administrative body, came under public scrutiny last year after former Pope Benedict XVI’s personal butler, Paolo Gabriele, leaked secret papal documents and letters to the press. The material portrayed the Vatican as a hotbed of conspiracy and Benedict as a frail leader, unable to control his subordinates.
Bertone, as depicted by the Italian journalist who wrote a book based on the documents, purportedly plotted to stymie rivals and covered up for corruption and cronyism. The cardinal’s response to the expose was that “many journalists are trying to imitate Dan Brown,” author of The Da Vinci Code.
Czech train strikes herd, killing 17 cows
PRAGUE - An official said Saturday that a passenger train in eastern Czech Republic smashed into a herd of cattle, killing 17 of them. No people were injured.
Martin Drapal, spokesman for Czech Rail Safety Inspection, said the train heading from the town of Krnov to the city of Olomouc hit the animals about 10 p.m. Friday.
The damage to the train is estimated at $5,000. Drapal said in a statement Saturday that the train track had to be closed for almost five hours after the crash.
Yemen leader safe after assassination try
SANA, Yemen - Gunmen opened fire on the motorcade of Yemen’s prime minister Saturday, but he escaped unharmed, an aide said.
The attack on Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Bassindwa’s convoy in the Yemeni capital comes after a senior intelligence officer was fatally shot in the country’s south by unknown assailants, according to security officials.
Ali al-Sarari, a media aide to the prime minister, said the gunmen were riding in a vehicle without license plates and sprayed the three-car convoy with bullets.
Militants in Yemen have been behind a series of assassinations of security officers as the government battles with al-Qaida militants, who have mainly operated in the country’s south. Attempts on politicians are rare, however. It is not clear if the attack on Bassindwa was an operation targeting him or part of the country’s increasing lawlessness and tension. Yemen has been gripped by political infighting since a 2011 uprising against the former president.
Bassindwa was appointed in late 2011 to lead a coalition government comprising ministers from both the opposition and officials from the regime of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Front Section, Pages 8 on 09/01/2013