World Nation Briefs February 2, 2013
<p>Musicians play during the unveiling of the Virgin Mary holding a baby Jesus on Santa Barbara hill in the mining city of Oruro, Bolivia, Friday. The statue, known in Spanish as "Virgen del Socav—n," or the Virgin of the Tunnel, is Oruro's patron, venerated in particular by miners and folkloric Carnival dancers. The statue was unveiled on Friday to mark the start of Carnival in Oruro, which coincides with celebrations honoring the Virgin that starts on Saturday, Bolivia's largest religious event. The city's carnival dates back to pre-Hispanic times, but it was during the…
Suicide bombingkills Turkish guard at U.S. Embassy
ANKARA, Turkey - In the second deadly assault on a U.S. diplomatic post in five months, a suicide bomber struck the American Embassy in Ankara on Friday, killing a Turkish security guard in what the White House described as a terrorist attack.
Washington immediately warned Americans to stay away from all U.S. diplomatic facilities in Turkey and to be wary in large crowds.
Turkish officials said the bombing was linked to leftist domestic militants.
The attack drew condemnation from Turkey, the U.S., Britain and other nations and officials from both Turkey and the U.S. pledged to work together to fight terrorism.
"We strongly condemn what was a suicide attack against our embassy in Ankara, which took place at the embassy's outer security perimeter," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
Administration offers faith groups a compromise
WASHINGTON - Facing a wave of lawsuits over what government can tell religious groups to do, the Obama administration on Friday proposed a compromise for faith-based nonprofits that object to covering birth control in their employee health plans.
Some of the lawsuits appear headed for the Supreme Court, threatening another divisive legal battle over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law, which requires most employers to cover birth control free of charge to female workers as a preventive service. The law exempted churches and other houses of worship, but religious charities, universities, hospitals and even some for-profit businesses have objected.
The government's new offer, in a proposed regulation, has two parts.
Administration officials said it would more simply define the religious organizations that are exempt from the requirement altogether. For example, a mosque whose food pantry serves the whole community would not have to comply.
For other religious employers, the proposal attempts to create a buffer between them and contraception coverage. Female employees would still have free access through insurers or a third party, but the employer would not have to arrange for the coverage or pay for it. Insurers would be reimbursed for any costs by a credit against fees owed the government.
Mayhem as Egypt protesters clash with police
CAIRO - Protesters denouncing Egypt's Islamist president hurled stones and firebombs through the gates of his palace on Friday, clashing with security forces who fired tear gas and water cannons, as more than a week of political violence came to Mohammed Morsi's symbolic doorstep for the first time.
The streets outside the presidential palace were a scene of mayhem for hours into the night.
Security forces pumped volley after volley of tear gas, set fire to protester tents and at one point dragged a protester to the ground, stripped him and beat him. Protesters burned tires and hurled stones and fireworks. A 23-year-old died when he was shot in the chest and forehead, the Health Ministry said.
The march on the palace, where Morsi was not present, was part of a wave of demonstrations in cities around the country called by opposition politicians, trying to wrest concessions from Morsi after around 60 people were killed in protests, clashes and riots.
- The Associated Press