Vatican denies celibacy rule led to sex scandal
VATICAN CITY (AP) -- The Vatican on Sunday denied that its celibacy requirement for priests was the root cause of the clerical sex abuse scandal convulsing the church in Europe and again defended the pope's handling of the crisis....
UN chief sees dangers up-close in Haiti quake camp
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) -- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon promised Haitians on Sunday that the world has not forgotten the quake-torn nation as it suffers from a shortage of shelter and growing violence in teeming camps for the homeless....
American, 22, completes solo row across Atlantic
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) -- A 22-year-old American rower completed a solo journey across the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday, touching a pier in the coffee-brown waters of Guyana to claim a record as the youngest person to accomplish the feat....
At least 2 snowmobilers dead in Canadian avalanche
d K REVELSTOKE, British Columbia (AP) -- An avalanche that killed at least two people at an informal snowmobile rally in Canada's Rocky Mountains may have been triggered by three daredevil sledders who apparently unleashed a deadly wall of snow on up to 200 people below, witnesses said Sunday....
Sarkozy's party humbled by leftists in French vote
PARIS (AP) -- French voters scarred by economic crisis dealt President Nicolas Sarkozy and his conservative leadership a stern blow Sunday by strongly favoring leftist candidates in regional elections, according to near-complete official results....
3 with ties to US consulate killed in Mexican city
CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico (AP) -- Three people with ties to the American consulate were killed in a drug-plagued Mexican city, including a U.S. couple shot to death within sight of the border with their baby in their back seat, officials said Sunday....
Iraqi PM holds slim lead in partial election tally
BAGHDAD (AP) -- Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki edged ahead Sunday in a tight race in the country's parliamentary elections after partial results from all of Iraq's 18 provinces showed his bloc leading in seven - two more than his chief rival....
Israeli apology gets cool reception in Washington
JERUSALEM (AP) -- Israel's prime minister expressed regret Sunday for a crisis with the United States over plans to expand a Jewish neighborhood in east Jerusalem, even as American officials played down the apology and called for bold Israeli action to get peace efforts back on track....
Venezuelan Web site rejects Chavez's allegations
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- A Venezuelan Web site that was accused by President Hugo Chavez of spreading false reports of killings said Sunday the government is trying to restrict criticism, but announced it had banned the visitors who posted the inaccurate rumors....
