World News | Latest News: 09/09/10

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Decision to suspend Quran-burning met with relief AP

LHOKSEUMAWE, Indonesia Religious and political leaders across the Muslim world have welcomed a decision by a small American church to suspend plans to torch copies of their holy book. But some say the damage already has been done.

Rev. Terry Jones from the Dove Outreach Center in Florida triggered international outrage when he announced he would burn the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, with hundreds of angry protesters in Afghanistan and Pakistan burning U.S. flags and chanting "Death to the Christians."

His decision to hold off, made overnight in Asia, when many people were sleeping, was met with relief.

But cleric Rusli Hasbi told 1,000 worshippers in Indonesia on Friday that Jones has already "hurt the heart of the Muslim world."

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Decision to suspend Quran-burning met with relief AP

His decision to hold off, made overnight in Asia, when many people were sleeping, was met with relief.

But cleric Rusli Hasbi told 1,000 worshippers in Indonesia on Friday that Jones has already "hurt the heart of the Muslim world."

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Police: 2 shot dead at Kraft plant in Pa., 1 hurt AP

PHILADELPHIA A female employee who had just been suspended from her job and escorted from a Kraft Foods Inc. facility returned with a handgun and opened fire Thursday, killing two people and critically injuring a third before being taken into custody about an hour later, police said.

The shooting happened in the citys northeast section shortly after 8:30 p.m. inside a plant of the nations largest food manufacturer, whose products include Oreo cookies, Philadelphia cream cheese and Oscar Mayer bacon, Lt. Frank Vanore said.

The woman returned to the building in a car 10 minutes after being escorted out and drove through a security barrier before re-entering the building on foot, Vanore said.

As she walked inside, she fired a shot at an employee who had followed her in and had yelled, "Hide, shes got a gun," Vanore said. That shot missed.

The woman then shot the three victims, said police, who didnt immediately know the victims identities or whether they had been targeted. Officers responded and isolated the shooter in a room, and she fired a shot at them but missed, Vanore said.

Officers freed seven people who were "in a bad position" near the woman and were hiding, Vanore said, but he wouldnt refer to them as hostages. The shooter eventually was apprehended around 9:30 p.m., he said.

Television footage showed workers leaving the Northfield, Ill.-based companys plant, which used to be known as the Nabisco factory. Police surrounded the plant minutes after the shooting, and roads in the area were detoured as officers swarmed nearby.

Dough mixer Andy Ryan, who has worked at the plant for nearly 30 years, said he was on the third floor when the sound of the shots echoed through the building.

"I heard the gunfire, and I ran," he told The Associated Press, his apron still on. "As I was running down the steps they were yelling, Oh, my God, theres three people shot"

The Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper reported that about 100 people were inside the plant but had been cleared out.

Several telephone calls and e-mails to Kraft on Thursday night werent immediately returned.

The identity of the suspended worker wasnt immediately released.

The shooting came just weeks after a driver who had been accused of stealing from a Manchester, Conn., beer distributorship shot and killed eight people and then himself.

The driver, Omar Thornton, had calmly agreed to quit Aug. 3 after being confronted with surveillance video showing him stealing beer. But shortly afterward, he started shooting.

Thornton, who was black, had seethed with a sense of racial injustice in his job at Hartford Distributors, said his girlfriend, Kristi Hannah. Thornton said as much in a chilling call to police dispatchers.

"This place is a racist place," he said in the call. "Theyre treating me bad over here. And treat all other black employees bad over here, too. So I took it to my own hands and handled the problem. I wish I could have got more of the people."

Hartford Distributors president Ross Hollander said there was no record to support claims of "racial insensitivity" made through the companys anti-harassment policy, the union grievance process or state and federal agencies. Relatives of the victims also rejected the claims.

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Mexican police didnt know theyd caught drug capo AP

MEXICO CITY The Mexican police officers who arrested infamous drug suspect Edgar Valdez Villarreal, alias "La Barbie," did not initially know who they had caught, according to a booking report obtained Thursday.

The Mexican government has depicted the capture of the U.S.-born Valdez as the result of a 1 1/2-year investigation and a carefully planned raid involving agents specially trained abroad.

But a copy of the booking report obtained by The Associated Press and other media outlets indicates that while special police teams were in the area where Valdez was caught Aug. 30, the officers who actually detained him were simply following a suspicious vehicle.

The report filed by federal police with prosecutors says a police patrol was traveling on a road west of Mexico City that day when a convoy of three vehicles passed at a high rate of speed.

The officers, who were not identified in the report, followed the convoy for more than two miles four kilometers before the vehicles stopped and officers ordered the occupants to get out.

The first person to descend from the vehicles was "a light-complexioned man who we later learned was Edgar Valdez Villarreal," according to the report, which also says the arresting officers were coordinating patrol efforts with a special operations unit.

In a statement, the federal police said the fact that such units were participating in the operation "implies that they were focusing on specific targets," not just detaining suspects at random.

A federal police spokesman said the two versions of Valdezs arrest were not contradictory. He said the special operations group, as part of routine procedures, may not have informed all uniformed officers in the area about who exactly they were looking for.

The spokesman would not allow his name to be used, as is customary at government agencies.

Police said earlier that they had traced Valdez to a ranch in the wooded outskirts of Mexico City by tracing his assets and from information obtained following the arrest of some of his associates.

Doubts had arisen about the official version of the arrest after the alleged drug capo, known as "the Barbie" for his fair complexion and green eyes, showed no sign of fear or consternation when he was paraded before news media following his arrest. He smirked and appeared to shrug at reporters questions.

In comments to the television network Televisa, U.S. Ambassador Carlos Pascual said he was "absolutely convinced" that the arrest was the result of a focused, long-standing investigation.

"They followed the case for a long time and they finally had success in capturing La Barbie, capturing him ï¿½ and I think this is important ï¿½ alive," Pascual said. "In this sense, it provides a lot of opportunities to go on exploiting any information he may have, to go after other drug traffickers."

The 37-year-old Valdez faces charges in three U.S. states for allegedly trucking in tons of cocaine.

As a U.S. citizen living illegally in Mexico, he could be deported to the United States, or he could face prosecution in Mexico for drug-related crimes. Mexican authorities say he could be responsible for dozens of murders.

The arrest was portrayed by the Mexican and U.S. governments as a victory for President Felipe Calderon, who is trying to recover public support for his war on organized crime in the face of escalating violence.

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Homes on fire after explosion reported in Calif. AP

SAN BRUNO, Calif. A massive fire burned homes as it roared through a mostly residential neighborhood in the hills south of San Francisco following a loud explosion that shot a fireball more than 1,000 feet into the air and sent frightened residents fleeing for safety Thursday.

A local fire chief said a gas line explosion likely caused the blast that sent flames tearing through the streets, incinerating possibly more than a dozen homes just after 6 p.m.

"We believe its a high-pressure gas line thats blown," San Bruno Fire Chief Dennis Haag told KPIX-TV.

Pacific Gas and Electric, the utility company that serves the San Francisco Bay area, had crews in the area investigating the possibility of a natural gas explosion but had no additional information, said spokesman J.D. Guidi.

Following the initial blast, flames reached as high as 60 feet in the air as the fire fueled itself on burning homes. Planes and helicopters flew over the neighborhood dumping water in an effort to stanch the flames.

Witnesses said the blaze was preceded by a loud explosion and huge fireball. They described seeing residents fleeing for safety and rushing to get belongings out of their burning homes.

Connie Bushman returned home to find her block was on fire. She said she ran into her house looking for her 80-year-old father but could not find him. A firefighter told her he had left, but she had not been able to track him down.

"I dont know where my father is, I dont know where my husband is, I dont know where to go," Bushman said.

Victims suffering from serious burns began arriving at San Francisco Bay area hospitals shortly after the blast. An estimate of the number of injured was not immediately available. Hospitals reported receiving at least four victims in critical condition but anticipated more.

Jane Porcelli, 62, said she lives on a hill above where the fire is centered. She said she thought she heard a plane overhead with a struggling engine.

"And then you heard this bang. And everything shook except the floor, so we knew it wasnt an earthquake," Porcelli said.

"I feel helpless that I cant do anything. I just gotta sit by and watch."

Stephanie Mullen, Associated Press news editor for photos based in San Francisco, was attending childrens soccer practice with her two children and husband at Crestmoor High School when she saw the blast at 6:14 p.m.

"First, it was a low deep roar and everybody looked up, and we all knew something big was happening," she said. "Then there was a huge explosion with a ball of fire that went up behind the high school several thousand feet into the sky.

"Everybody grabbed their children and ran and put their children in their cars," Mullen said. "It was very clear something awful had happened."

Several minutes later, Mullen was near the fire scene, about a half-mile away in a middle-class neighborhood of 1960s-era homes in hills overlooking San Francisco, the bay and the airport. She said she could feel the heat of the fire on her face although she was three or four blocks away from the blaze. It appeared the fireball was big enough to have engulfed at least several homes.

"I could see families in the backyards of the homes next to where the fire was, bundling their children and trying to get them out of the backyards," she recounted.

She said people in the neighborhood were yelling, "This is awful," "I live down there," and "My family is down there."

Judy and Frank Serrsseque were walking down a hill away from the flames with a makeshift wagon carrying important documents, medication and three cats.

Judy Serrsseque said she heard an explosion, saw that fire was headed toward their home and knew they had to leave. As they fled, they said they saw people burned and people struggling to get their things out of burning houses.

"We got everything together, and we just got out," Judy Serrsseque. "Mostly were wondering if we have a house to go back to."

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Iran to free female American for holiday clemency AP

TEHRAN, Iran Iran said Thursday it will free Sarah Shourd, one of three Americans jailed for more than 13 months, as an act of clemency to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

The imprisonment of the Americans has deepened tensions between the U.S. and Iran, a relationship already strained over Washingtons suspicions that Tehran is trying to manufacture nuclear weapons ï¿½ something Iran denies.

Bak Sahraei, the second counselor of Irans UN mission, sent an e-mail confirming the release of Shourd, following up an earlier text message from the Culture Ministry telling reporters them to come to a Tehran hotel on Saturday morning to witness the release.

The site is the same one where the three were allowed the only meeting with their mothers since they were detained in July 2009.

Iran claims they illegally crossed the border from Iraqs northern Kurdish region and had threatened to put the three on trial for spying. Their families say they were hiking in the largely peaceful region of Iraq and that if they crossed the border, it was accidental.

"Offering congratulations on Eid al-Fitr," the ministry text message said, referring to the feast that marks the end of Ramadan.

"The release of one of the detained Americans will be Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Estaghlal hotel."

The gesture could be a calculated move by Iran to soften international criticism of its judiciary. Iran has faced a growing storm of protest over a stoning sentence for a woman convicted of adultery that has been temporarily suspended.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has in the past proposed swapping the three for Iranians he says are jailed in the U.S., raising fears that the Americans are being held as bargaining chips.

There was no word on the fate of the other two Americans, Josh Fattal, 28 and Shane Bauer, 28, to whom she got engaged to while they were in prison.

Releasing prisoners and showing clemency is a common practice in the Muslim world during the fasting month of Ramadan. Irans official IRNA news agency said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has already pardoned a group of prisoners for Eid al-Fitr. The report gave no number of the freed inmates and did not say whether they also included the American.

Shourd, 31, had told her mother she has serious medical problems.

Nora Shourd, said her daughter told her in a telephone call in August that prison officials have denied her requests for medical treatment. The mother said they talked about her daughters medical problems, including a breast lump and precancerous cervical cells, and her solitary confinement in Tehrans Evin prison.

During the American hostage crisis in 1979-1981, Iran first released women and African-Americans as a sign of respect for women and mercy toward minorities.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said U.S. officials are in contact with Swiss diplomats who handle U.S. affairs in Iran.

"We dont know, frankly, what Iran is contemplating at this point," Toner said. "If this turns out to be true, this is terrific news. The hikers release is long overdue."

A statement by Samantha Topping, a New York-based spokeswoman for the three mothers, said they are "urgently seeking further information."

"We hope and pray that the reports are true and that this signals the end of all three of our childrens long and difficult detention," the statement said. "Shane, Sarah and Josh are all innocent and we continue to call for their immediate release, so that they can return home together and be reunited with our families."

Bauers mother, Cindy Hickey of Pine City, Minnesota, told The Associated Press that the mothers had hoped for a release during Ramadan because they knew it was a tradition. She said she was excited about the release, even if the hiker being freed isnt her son.

"Im hoping that even if one is released, the other two will follow," Hickey said. "Im holding my breath for the official word on this."

Iranian leaders have repeatedly suggested a link between the jailing of the Americans and Iranians they claim are held by the United States.

The Swiss embassy in Tehran has handled consular affairs for the United States for about 30 years, since after 1979 Iranian revolution. Swiss diplomats refused to comment Thursday on any possible release of the three detained Americans but are expected to be involved in any transfer.

Once the American is released, normal protocol would be to turn the person over to Swiss diplomats to be taken to the embassy.

There are direct commercial flights to Geneva a few times a week. While flights to Dubai, such as the one taken by the Americans mothers, are much more frequent, they are probably all booked because of the holidays.

If the released American requires medical care, Geneva would also be the more attractive option.

Ali Reza Shiravi, the head of Irans foreign media office at the Culture Ministry, confirmed that he had sent the message summoning reporters to the hotel.

The high-rise Estaghlal hotel near Evin prison is where the three Americans mothers were allowed to visit them in May in a highly publicized trip.

Irans president has in the past suggested the Americans could be traded for Iranians claimed to be held by the U.S.

Iran in December released a list of 11 Iranians it says are being held in the U.S. They included a nuclear scientist, Shahram Amiri, who disappeared in Saudi Arabia but has since returned to Iran.

Also on the list were a former Defense Ministry official who vanished in Turkey and an Iranian arrested in Canada on charges of trying to obtain nuclear technology. Three of those on the list have been convicted or charged in public court proceedings in the United States. The circumstances surrounding some of the others are more mysterious.

Ali Reza Asgari, a retired general in the elite Revolutionary Guard and a former deputy defense minister, disappeared while on a private trip to Turkey in December 2006.

The list also includes three Iranians who Tehran claims were abducted in Europe and sent to the U.S.: merchant Mohsen Afrasiabi, who it says disappeared in Germany, as well as electrical engineering student Majid Kakavand and a former ambassador to Jordan, Nasrollah Tajik, who it says vanished in France.

____

Associated Press Writers Edie Lederer at the United Nations, Patrick Condon in Minneapolis, Jeff Baenen in Pine City, Minnesota, and Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report.

This version CORRECTS Corrects ages for Fattal and Bauer in paragraph 10. Updates with comments from one of the mothers. AP Video.

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Judge: Militarys ban on gays is unconstitutional AP

RIVERSIDE, Calif. A federal judge on Thursday declared the U.S. militarys ban on openly gay service members unconstitutional and said she will issue an order to stop the government from enforcing the "dont ask, dont tell" policy nationwide.

U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips said the ban violates the First Amendment rights of gays and lesbians. "Dont ask, dont tell" prohibits the military from asking about the sexual orientation of service members but requires discharge of those who acknowledge being gay or are discovered engaging in homosexual activity, even in the privacy of their own homes off base.

In her ruling, Phillips said the policy doesnt help military readiness and instead has a "direct and deleterious effect" on the armed services.

The Log Cabin Republicans, a 19,000-member group that includes current and former military members, filed a lawsuit in 2004 seeking an injunction to stop the bans enforcement. Phillips will draft the injunction with input from the group within a week, and the federal government will have a week to respond.

After-hours e-mails requesting comment from U.S. Department of Justice attorney Paul G. Freeborne and from the Pentagon were not immediately returned Thursday.

The lawsuit was the biggest legal test of the law in recent years and came amid promises by President Barack Obama that he will work to repeal the policy.

The Log Cabin Republicans said more than 13,500 service members have been fired since 1994.

"This decision will change the lives of many individuals who only wanted to serve their country bravely," said the groups attorney, Dan Woods.

Woods argued during the nonjury trial that the policy violates gay military members rights to free speech, due process and open association.

He said the ban damages the military by forcing it to reject talented people as the country struggles to find recruits in the midst of a war. Lawyers also submitted remarks by Obama stating "dont ask, dont tell" weakens national security.

Freeborne had argued the policy debate was political and that the issue should be decided by Congress rather than in court.

The U.S. House voted in May to repeal the policy, and the Senate is expected to address the issue this year.

Government lawyers also said Phillips lacked the authority to issue a nationwide injunction.

Six military officers who were discharged under the policy testified during the trial. A decorated Air Force officer testified that he was let go after his peers snooped through his personal e-mail in Iraq.

The officers who participated in the trial were "reacting emotionally because theyre so proud that they were able to play a part in making that happened," Woods said after the ruling.

"Itll be an interesting decision for our president to decide whether to appeal this case. Hes said that dont ask, dont tell weakens national security, and now its been declared unconstitutional," Woods said. "If he does appeal, were going to fight like heck."

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Islamic charity co-founder convicted on tax charge AP

EUGENE, Ore. A federal jury on Thursday convicted the co-founder of an Islamic charity chapter who was accused of helping smuggle $150,000 to Muslim fighters in Chechnya.

Pete Seda was convicted of one count of conspiracy to defraud the government, and one count of filing a false tax return. His lawyers said they would appeal.

"The verdict is a devastating blow to Mr. Seda and his family," said defense attorney Steven Wax. "We do not believe that it reflects the truth of the charges. We will be pursuing a just result of this case to the highest court in the land, if need be. This fight is not yet over."

Judge Michael Hogan set Sedas sentencing for Nov. 23.

Seda claimed the money was intended as a tithe that his accountant failed to disclose on a tax return for the U.S. chapter of the Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation in Ashland, Ore. The foundation has been declared a terrorist organization by the U.S. government.

Prosecutors said Seda had a more sinister purpose, arguing throughout the weeklong trial that he was a Muslim radical posing as a moderate promoting peace. They alleged he was trying to smuggle the money to help fighters overthrow the Chechnyan government.

The jury returned the verdict after nearly 13 hours of deliberation. A groan passed through the courtroom as Sedas family slumped down on the benches. Seda, wearing a purple polo shirt with his beard neatly trimmed, turned and smiled at his family.

Assistant U.S. attorneys Charles Gorder Jr. and Chris Cardani told the jury that Al-Haramain distributed the Quran to U.S. prison inmates. They said non-Muslims were issued a regular Quran while Muslim prisoners got an edition with an appendix calling for violence against Jews and nonbelievers, a version they called the "Noble Quran."

Part of Sedas crime occurred when the charitys co-founder, Soliman Al-Buthe, left the country with a donation of about $130,000, converted to travelers checks, without declaring the amount. Seda also failed to note the donation on the charitys tax forms.

Al-Buthe, who is in Saudi Arabia, faces the same charges as Seda but cannot be extradited. The original donation of $150,000 from an Egyptian doctor was deposited and converted at an Ashland bank.

Sedas attorney reminded jurors that a rabbi and a Christian minister testified on behalf of Seda, their neighbor, who has been a U.S. citizen for 16 years.

Seda, 52, shortened his last name from Sedaghaty and adopted the nickname Pete instead of his first name, Pirouz, after moving from his native Iran and attending Southern Oregon University in Ashland. He found widespread support when he helped open a branch of the now-defunct Saudi charity in Ashland to improve the understanding of Islam and relations with Muslims.

Seda became a community fixture, working as an arborist and taking part in local events, including walking a camel down the main street in the Fourth of July parade. A raid on his home, which served as the headquarters of the Al-Haramain chapter, led to an indictment on tax charges while he was out of the country and turned him into an international fugitive.

Seda returned voluntarily with the help of a friend, Portland attorney Tom Nelson, who has been involved with a related legal battle over alleged government eavesdropping on attorneys for Al-Haramain.

Prosecutors pointed to Sedas flight as a reason to keep him in custody, while Wax said Seda showed he could cooperate with house arrest while he wore an ankle monitor for almost three years.

The judge agreed with the prosecutors and ordered Seda to be taken into custody. Plainclothes U.S. marshals stood behind Seda as he hugged his wife, children and attorneys.

As he lingered, one of the marshals stood behind him.

"Sir," the marshal said, "we gotta go."

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Asian shares rise as Europe worries ease AP

TOKYO Asian stock markets gained in early trading Friday as sentiment improved after gains on Wall Street.

Japans Nikkei 225 stock average rose 1.8 percent to 9,261.80 at midmorning, as the market welcomed data showing Japans economy grew more than preliminary numbers indicated and the yen retreated against the dollar.

The dollar stood just above the 84-yen line, up from 83.90 yen.

Japans gross domestic product expanded at an annualized rate of 1.5 percent in the April-June period, up from a meager 0.4 percent estimated last month, the Cabinet Office announced Friday.

The result means that Japans economy is not as weak as initial reports, thanks to higher capital spending by companies. Corporate investment expanded 1.5 percent, compared with 0.5 percent growth in the Cabinet Offices preliminary figures.

The result translates to growth of 0.4 percent from the previous quarter.

South Koreas Kospi rose 1.2 percent to 1,806.2, and Australias S&P/ASX 200 added 0.1 percent to 4,586.8.

In New York overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.2 percent to 10,415, extending a September rally after another report showed modest improvement in the jobs market. The S&P 500 was up 0.4 percent, to 1,104.2, while the Nasdaq composite closed up 0.3 percent, at 2,236.

The Labor Department said the number of people requesting unemployment benefits for the first time fell to the lowest level in two months, adding to signs that employers arent resorting to staff cuts as economic growth slows.

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Embryonic stem cell funding allowed ? for now AP

WASHINGTON The government may resume funding of embryonic stem cell research for now, an appeals court said Thursday, but the short-term approval may be of little help to research scientists caught in a legal battle that has just begun.

It is far from certain that scientists actually will continue to get federal money as they struggle to decide what to do with research that is hard to start and stop.

After U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth issued a preliminary order barring the funding on Aug. 23, the National Institutes of Health suspended work on funding new research projects on embryonic stem cells. While NIH didnt immediately comment Thursday on the temporary stay from the appeals court, the governments process for approving these grants is unlikely to resume before a final court resolution.

With appeals, that could be many months off.

"No way this would be a scientific reprieve," said Patrick Clemins of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Scientists who already have received taxpayer money for stem cell experiments can continue their work until their dollars run out, but 22 projects that were due to get yearly checks in September were told after Lamberths order that theyd have to find other money. Most of the researchers have multiple sources of funding and are working now to separate what they can and cant continue, Clemins said.

Medical researchers value stem cells because they are master cells that can turn into any tissue of the body. Research eventually could lead to cures for spinal cord injuries, Parkinsons disease and other ailments, they believe.

The Obama administration is asking the appeals court in Washington to strike down a preliminary injunction by Lamberth that blocked the funding. Lamberth left little doubt that he is inclined to issue a final order barring that funding, but he has yet to issue that ruling, which inevitably will set off a new round of appeals.

Lamberth concluded that those who challenged the government support had demonstrated a strong likelihood of success in their lawsuit. He said the clear intent of a law passed by Congress was to prohibit federal spending on research in which a human embryo is destroyed.

Steven H. Aden, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, which is involved with that lawsuit, said after Thursdays action, "The American people should not be forced to pay for even one more day of experiments that destroy human life, have produced no real-world treatments and violate an existing federal law."

Lamberth rejected the administrations request to let funding continue while it appealed his preliminary order, but the three-member appeals panel disagreed on Thursday. It is suspending Lamberths ruling for now.

The appeals judges pointedly cautioned that their three-paragraph order "should not be construed in any way as a ruling on the merits."

"Nothing has really changed, because all issues are still out there and still unresolved," said Dr. Norman Fost, director of the bioethics program at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, who was on the National Academy of Sciences committee that wrote the first national guidelines on embryonic human stem cells.

Samuel B. Casey, part of the legal team representing those who filed the lawsuit, said, "We expect that when the court of appeals reviews the merits of the case, it will agree with the logic that led Judge Lamberth to issue the preliminary injunction."

He added, "We remain confident in our case against the unlawful, unethical and unnecessary federal funding of experimentation on human embryos."

Justice Department spokesman Charles Miller said the appeals court order "will allow this important, lifesaving research to continue while we present further arguments to the court in the weeks to come."

John Robertson, a University of Texas professor who specializes in law and bioethics, said Thursdays appeals court order doesnt relieve researchers working on multiyear projects of the uncertainty of whether there will be funding beyond this year.

"Theyve received the first year of a grant, and they will have to stop when the money runs out," Robertson said in an interview.

Lisa Hughes, president of the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research, said her organization was pleased.

"It is crucial that federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research be restored permanently, and this stay is a step in that direction," Hughes said. "While this issue continues to be argued in the courts, we call on Congress to move swiftly to resolve this issue and secure the future of this important biomedical research."

The appeals judges in the case are Karen LeCraft Henderson, Janice Rogers Brown, and Thomas B. Griffith. Henderson was appointed by George H.W. Bush and Brown and Griffith were appointed by George W. Bush.

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Pastor cancels Quran-burning, then reconsiders AP

GAINESVILLE, Fla. An anti-Islamic preacher backed off and then threatened to reconsider burning the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, angrily accusing a Muslim leader of lying to him Thursday with a promise to move an Islamic center and mosque away from New Yorks ground zero. The imam planning the center denied there was ever such a deal.

The Rev. Terry Jones generated an international firestorm with his plan to burn the Quran on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and he has been under intense pressure to give it up. President Barack Obama urged him to listen to "those better angels" and give up his "stunt," saying it would endanger U.S. troops and give Islamic terrorists a recruiting tool. Defense Secretary Robert Gates took the extraordinary step of calling Jones personally.

Standing outside his 50-member Pentecostal church, the Dove Outreach Center, alongside Imam Muhammad Musri, the president of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, Jones said he relented when Musri assured him that the New York mosque will be moved.

Hours later, after Musri and the leader of the New York mosque denied such an agreement, Jones said Musri "clearly, clearly lied to us."

"Given what we are now hearing, we are forced to rethink our decision," Jones said. "So as of right now, we are not canceling the event, but we are suspending it."

Jones did not say whether the Quran burning could still be held Saturday, but he said he expected Musri to keep his word and expected "the imam in New York to back up one of his own men."

Jones had never invoked the mosque controversy as a reason for his planned protest. He cited his belief that the Quran is evil because it espouses something other than biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims.

But he said Thursday afternoon that he prayed about the decision and concluded that if the mosque was moved, it would be a sign from God to call off the Quran burning.

"We are, of course, now against any other group burning Qurans," Jones said. "We would right now ask no one to burn Qurans. We are absolutely strong on that. It is not the time to do it."

Musri thanked Jones and his church members "for making the decision today to defuse the situation and bring to a positive end what has become the world over a spectacle that no one would benefit from except extremists and terrorists" who would use it to recruit future radicals.

After the news conference, however, Musri told The Associated Press there is no deal to move the mosque. He said there was only an agreement for him and Jones to travel to New York and meet Saturday with the imam overseeing plans to build a mosque near ground zero.

"I told the pastor that I personally believe the mosque should not be there, and I will do everything in my power to make sure it is moved," Musri said. "But there is not any offer from there New York that it will be moved. All we have agreed to is a meeting, and I think we would all like to see a peaceful resolution."

Musri did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Thursday night after Jones accused him of lying.

In New York, the leader of the Islamic center project, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, issued a statement saying he was glad Jones had decided not to burn the Quran but that he had spoken to neither the pastor nor Musri.

"We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter," Rauf said. "We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony."

Jones decision to call off the Quran burning was made after a firestorm of criticism from leaders around the world. The pope and several other Christian leaders were among those urging him to reconsider his plans, which generated a wave of anger among Muslims. In Afghanistan, hundreds of Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" to protest the planned Quran burning.

Obama told ABCs "Good Morning America" in an interview aired Thursday that Jones plan "is completely contrary to our values as Americans."

"And as a very practical matter, I just want him to understand that this stunt that he is talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women who are in uniform," Obama said.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell confirmed that Gates called Jones about 4 p.m. EST Thursday ï¿½ shortly before the pastors announcement. During the "very brief" call, Gates expressed "his grave concern that going forward with this Quran burning would put the lives of our forces at risk, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan," Morrell said.

Morrell said earlier that the decision to issue a personal appeal was not easy because it could provoke other extremists "who, all they want, is a call from so-and-so." After Gates call to Jones, Morrell said the secretarys "fundamental baseline attitude about this is that if that phone call could save the life of one man or woman in uniform it was a call worth placing."

Husain Haqqani, Pakistans ambassador to the U.S., thanked Obama, Gates and other administration officials for their efforts. "This is definitely a positive moment in showing Americas tolerance and pluralism and should not go unappreciated in the Muslim world," Haqqani said.

The cancellation also was welcomed by Jones neighbors in Gainesville, a city of 125,000 anchored by the sprawling University of Florida campus. At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in the city had mobilized to plan inclusive events, including Quran readings at services, as a counterpoint to Jones protest.

Jones Dove Outreach Center is independent of any denomination. It follows the Pentecostal tradition, which teaches that the Holy Spirit can manifest itself in the modern day. Pentecostals often view themselves as engaged in spiritual warfare against satanic forces.

The pastor was not the only person to inject confusion into the debate over the New York mosque, which is planned to go up two blocks north of the trade center site. Donald Trump, who made a fortune in real estate, offered Thursday to buy out a major investor in the real estate partnership that controls the site where the 13-story Islamic center would be built.

Opponents argue it is insensitive to families and memories of Sept. 11 victims to build a mosque so close to where Islamic extremists flew planes into the World Trade Center and killed nearly 2,800 people. Proponents support the project as a reflection of religious freedom and diversity and say hatred of Muslims is fueling the opposition.

In a letter released Thursday by Trumps publicist, Trump told Hisham Elzanaty that he would buy his stake in one of the two lower Manhattan buildings involved in the project for 25 percent more than whatever he paid ï¿½ if the mosque is moved at least five blocks farther away from the trade center site.

"I am making this offer as a resident of New York and citizen of the United States, not because I think the location is a spectacular one because it is not, but because it will end a very serious, inflammatory, and highly divisive situation that is destined, in my opinion, to only get worse," the letter said.

Elzanatys response: No sale.

"This is just a cheap attempt to get publicity and get in the limelight," said his lawyer, Wolodymyr Starosolsky.

He added that the offers lack of seriousness is evident in the price.

The group collectively paid $4.8 million for the building Trump offered to buy. The other is being leased.

Starosolsky said the real estate partnership had already received two offers in the ballpark of $20 million.

"He knows what the value of the building is. If he were really interested in buying the building, he would have come forward with at least $20 million," Starosolsky said.

Starosolsky added that Elzanaty remains committed to the idea of having a mosque built on at least part of the property.

Its unclear how much control Elzanaty has over the property, which is owned by an eight-member investment group led by El-Gamals real estate company, Soho Properties.

El-Gamal said Soho Properties controls the site, but didnt elaborate. His spokesman said he couldnt answer questions about the investment team or ownership issues.

In a pair of interviews with the AP this week, Elzanaty said he had invested in the site with an intention of making a profit and was willing to half the land for private development, and maybe all of it if a Muslim group doesnt come forward with enough money to build the mosque.

___

Associated Press Writers David B. Caruso in New York, Anne Flaherty and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington and AP Legal Affairs Writer Curt Anderson in Miami contributed to this report.

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Activist: Beached whale in Brazil cant be saved AP

SAO PAULO An animal-rights activist says an endangered right whale stranded on a beach in southern Brazil for two days is too weak to be rescued and returned safely to the sea.

Elizabeth Carvalho da Rocha is head of the right-whale protection area in Brazil. She is quoted by Globo televisions G1 website as saying the 40-ton, 50-foot-long 15-meter-long whale was probably in frail condition when it beached itself because it is "very difficult for a healthy animal to get stranded."

The whale ended up in shallow water at the Praia do Sol beach, on Brazils southern coast.

Rocha said Thursday that biologists would continue to monitor the whales vital signs but there were indications it wouldnt survive much longer. She said biologists were considering euthanizing the whale to minimize its suffering.

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Pastor nixes Quran-burning, claims NYC mosque deal AP

GAINESVILLE, Fla. The anti-Muslim leader of a tiny Florida church backed off his threat to burn the Quran, defusing an international firestorm Thursday after he said he was promised that a planned Islamic center and mosque would be moved away from New Yorks ground zero. The imam planning the center, however, quickly denied such a deal.

The Rev. Terry Jones had been under intense pressure to abandon his plan to burn the Quran on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. President Barack Obama urged him to listen to "those better angels" and give up his "stunt," saying it would endanger U.S. troops and give Islamic terrorists a recruiting tool. Defense Secretary Robert Gates took the extraordinary step of calling Jones personally.

But he said Thursday that that he prayed about the decision and concluded that if the mosque was moved, it would be a sign from God to call off the Quran burning.

"We are, of course, now against any other group burning Qurans," Jones said. "We would right now ask no one to burn Qurans. We are absolutely strong on that. It is not the time to do it."

In New York, the leader of the Islamic center project, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, said he was surprised by Jones announcement.

"I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Qurans. However, I have not spoken to Pastor Jones or Imam Musri," Rauf said in a statement. "We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we going to barter. We are here to extend our hands to build peace and harmony."

Jones later insisted that he had struck a deal, without suggesting that he would go back to his Quran-burning plan in light of the imams denials. He said Musri told him that officials would guarantee that the mosque would be moved.

"We are canceling the event because we have agreed, I take him at his word, he has agreed to move the Ground Zero mosque," Jones said. "I verified that three or four times with witnesses. I trust that man who gave me that. I believe he is a man of integrity, a man of his word, I do not believe that he lied to me."

Jones said that if the mosque is not moved, "then I think Islam is a very poor example of religion. I think that would be very pitiful. I do not expect that."

His decision was made after a firestorm of criticism from leaders around the world. The pope and several other Christian leaders were among those urging him to reconsider his plans, which generated a wave of anger across the Muslim world. In Afghanistan, hundreds of Afghans burned an American flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" to protest the planned Quran burning.

Obama told ABCs "Good Morning America" in an interview aired Thursday that Jones plan "is completely contrary to our values as Americans."

"And as a very practical matter, I just want him to understand that this stunt that he is talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women who are in uniform," Obama said.

The cancellation was welcomed in Gainesville, a city of 125,000 anchored by the sprawling University of Florida campus. At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in the city had mobilized to plan inclusive events, including Quran readings at services, as a counterpoint to Jones protest.