Pope kicks off trip to Israel, Palestinian areas in bid to improve interfaith relations

TEL AVIV, Israel — Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in Israel on an emotion-charged visit to the Holy Land hoping to improve relations with Jews and Muslims.

Pope calls visit to mosque a highlight of his trip to Jordan as he prepares to go to Israel

AMMAN, Jordan — Pope Benedict XVI urged Christians and Muslims on Monday to work toward religious tolerance and said his visit to a Jordan’s largest mosque was one of the highlights so far of his first Middle East pilgrimage.

Group says plan to develop tourist sites in east Jerusalem will cement Israeli hold on city

JERUSALEM — An Israeli government plan to develop parks, hiking trails and tourist sites in east Jerusalem will permanently change the landscape of the contested city and cement Israel’s hold there, an Israeli group charged in a report released Sunday ahead of the pope’s visit to the city.

Klasnic calls former team-mates in kidney treatment claim

BREMEN - Croatian footballer Ivan Klasnic is calling 64 players and coaches as witnesses as he seeks damages of more than 1 million euros ($1.35 million) in a medical dispute with his former club Werder Bremen.

India trying to help Tamils in Sri Lanka: PM

CHENNAI - India is doing what it can to help the beleaguered Tamil community in Sri Lanka lead ‘a life of dignity and honour’, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Saturday.

Russia military might displayed on Victory Day, president warns against ‘military adventurism’

MOSCOW — Rows of missiles and tanks rumbled through Moscow’s Red Square and dozens of combat jets streaked overhead in the Victory Day parade Saturday in the largest display of military might since the Soviet times.

Chrysler bond holders drop opposition to proposed Chrysler Chapter 11 plan

NEW YORK — The group of dissident Chrysler bond holders challenging Chrysler LLC’s government-backed restructuring plans, said Friday that it is dropping its court fight.

Ill. ex-cop Drew Peterson, suspect in 4th wife’s disappearance, indicted in 3rd wife’s death

LOCKPORT, Ill. — Drew Peterson, the former police sergeant who went on a high-profile media blitz after his fourth wife’s disappearance more than a year and a half ago, will make his first court appearance in the drowning death of an ex-wife found dead in an empty bathtub in 2004.

NHL lawyers headed to Phoenix for bankruptcy court showdown with Coyotes

PHOENIX — The National Hockey League is planning a showdown in court over the Phoenix Coyotes’ filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and the proposed sale of the team to Blackberry boss Jim Balsillie.

Obama to propose $1.25B to settle lingering discrimination complaints from black farmers

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is proposing that the government provide $1.25 billion to settle discrimination claims by black farmers against the Agriculture Department.

Connecticut AG: Marsh & McLennan settles claims of price fixing, kickbacks for $2.4 million

HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut’s attorney general says New York-based insurance broker Marsh & McLennan will pay the state $2.4 million to settle claims of bid rigging, price fixing and receiving kickbacks.

Wal-Mart agrees to pay $2M to avoid charges in probe of stampede death at Long Island store

MINEOLA, N.Y. — Wal-Mart agreed Wednesday to pay nearly $2 million and improve safety at its 92 New York stores as part of a deal with prosecutors that avoids criminal charges in the trampling death of a temporary worker.

Cooper Tire & Rubber posts 1st-quarter loss of $21.3M as consumers buy fewer tires

FINDLAY, Ohio — Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. said Wednesday it lost $21.3 million in the first quarter as consumers bought fewer replacement tires.

Boston Globe: Newspaper reaches deal with largest union after all-night negotiations

BOSTON — A spokesman for the Boston Globe says the newspaper has completed negotiations with its largest union.

Chrysler gets urgent court approval for loan

WASHINGTON - Perched on the brink of collapse, Chrysler LLC. crept forward Tuesday with approval by a US bankruptcy judge to start drawing down from a government loan to pay outstanding bills.

Iranian president to meet hard-line Palestinian factions in Syria, sending message to Israel

DAMASCUS, Syria — Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday his country and Syria are united behind Palestinian “resistance” to Israel, taking a tough tone as he met with his top Arab ally, Syria’s president.

Diebold 1st-quarter profit plunges on hefty charge, will reduce staff by about 300 jobs

NORTH CANTON, Ohio — ATM maker Diebold Inc. says it will reduce its staff by about 300 jobs as its profit skidded 88 percent in the first quarter on a hefty charge related to a proposed SEC settlement.

Yellowstone Club owner says she opposed $375M loan blamed in collapse of Montana resort

MISSOULA, Mont. — The owner of the ultra-exclusive Yellowstone Club says she opposed a $375 million loan blamed for the resort’s financial collapse, but never tried to stop the transaction.

Family, friends gather to remember heavyweight champ injured in final fight

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Greg Page was remembered by family and friends as a champion inside and outside the ring, who saw the devastating injury that cut his life short as a chance to save other boxers.

Playing politics with Tamil lives in Sri Lanka (Comment)

Sri Lanka’s beleaguered Tamil community deserved better from Tamil Nadu. As the West gets hyper to know what it can do to end the killings of innocent civilians in the conflict and assist their flight from the war zone, election-bound Tamil Nadu is obsessed with street protests.

Brown lied in saying that Gurkhas living in UK would cost taxpayers 1.4 billion pounds

LONDON - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown used a “fabric of falsehood and fantasy” in claiming that it would cost taxpayers 1.4 billion pounds to let Gurkhas live in Britain, according to campaigners supporting the latter’s cause.

Mel Gibson’s ex offers to help his wife in divorce battle

WASHINGTON - Mel Gibson’s former mistress wants to help his wife win the divorce battle- insisting she still hasn’t forgiven the actor for cheating on her.

Calif. says Nev. agencies never shared accident record of driver in bus crash that killed 5

SAN FRANCISCO — California agencies had no record that the driver of a tour bus that crashed, killing himself and four French tourists, had struck a woman in Nevada in 2005 despite requirements to report infractions by commercial drivers, a state official said Thursday.

Sharpton groups fined $285,000 for conduct in 2004 elections, but the Rev. feels vindicated

NEW YORK — The Rev. Al Sharpton said he feels a weight has lifted, now that his longrunning battles with the Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Election Commission are finally resolved.

Alternative fuel tax credit, reduced spending, boost International Paper’s 1st-qtr profit

NEW YORK — International Paper Co.’s first-quarter profit nearly doubled, as lower spending and a big tax credit for alternative fuel use offset falling sales of paper and timberlands.

NATO exercises in Georgia open provocation: Russia

MOSCOW - Russia Thursday said NATO’s planned military exercises in Georgia next month are an ‘open provocation’ and warned of negative consequences.

Chrysler’s bid to stave off bankruptcy filing uncertain as debtholder talks break off

DETROIT — Chrysler will survive. At least for now, even if it’s forced into bankruptcy court.

Sri Lanka, LTTE could face war crimes charges: NYT

NEW YORK - Sri Lanka’s government and the Tamil Tigers could face prosecution for committing war crimes in their long-running war that appears to be ending, the New York Times said Thursday.

China announces regulations for financial information in settlement with US, Europe

BEIJING — Beijing announced rules that ease controls on foreign financial information providers Thursday under an agreement with the U.S., Europe and Canada, but said those already operating in China must apply for permission to continue.

Ancient temple in Turkey to cast new light on “dark age”

WASHINGTON - Archaeologists have found an ancient temple in Turkey, filled with broken metal, ivory carvings, and stone slabs engraved with a dead language, which would cast new light on the “dark age” that was thought to have engulfed the region from 1200 to 900 B.C.