Persistence pays off

Persistence pays off
BOSTON -- Nicole Pasquarelli, above, and Ruth Nazoliny, whose high school classmates graduated three years ago, will finally receive their diplomas today after scoring high enough on their 11th attempt at the Massachusetts graduation exit exam. Education Department spokeswoman Heidi Perlman said the women are the only two people the state knows of who passed the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment Systems exam after 10 retries. Pasquarelli, 21, got past the English portion of the exam on the first try, but the algebra and geometry on the math section stumped her. Pasquarelli, who manages a pizza restaurant, has no plans to change jobs or attend college. School officials have asked her to speak at the North Shore Technical High graduation in Middleton. Nazoliny, who graduates from Jeremiah Burke High School in Boston, declined an interview request.
Estate tax repeal fails
WASHINGTON -- The Senate rejected Republican efforts Thursday to repeal the estate tax, but GOP leaders promised to try again before this election year is over. "Wiping this vicious tax from the books is a matter of principle," said Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn. Senators voted 57-41 to advance the bill, but that was three votes short of the 60 needed to overcome objections from a majority of Democrats and a pair of Republicans.
DeLay takes parting shot
WASHINGTON -- Former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, bowing to legal and ethical troubles, said goodbye to the House on Thursday and took a shot at his liberal opponents. Some Democrats walked out during the farewell. The 11-term Republican from Texas, said it is customary for departing lawmakers to "reminisce about the 'good old days' of political harmony and across-the-aisle camaraderie." "I can't do that," he said. At least two dozen Democratic lawmakers rose and left. DeLay stepped down as majority leader, the No. 2 job, last year after he was indicted in Texas on campaign money laundering charges.
Leaders agree on funding
WASHINGTON -- House and Senate Republican leaders Thursday finalized agreement on a long-sought $94.5 billion bill to pay for the war in Iraq and deliver a much-needed infusion of relief to Louisiana and other hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast states. The bill won't clear Congress for President Bush's desk until next week, but the official submission of the deal would ease Pentagon worries of a money crunch caused by weeks of delays in creating a compromise bill. GOP leaders overcame the last snag to agreement -- insistence by two Senate GOP moderates that the bill include a promise to increase future spending on education and health programs -- by winning endorsement from Democratic Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Daniel Inouye of Hawaii. The bill includes $65.8 billion for military operations and maintenance in Afghanistan and Iraq; personnel and energy costs; new weapons and ammunition; and an initiative to locate and disarm roadside bombs. The bill also contains $19.8 billion in new money for hurricane relief along the Gulf Coast.
Hamas enforcer killed
RAFAH, Gaza Strip -- A top Hamas enforcer in Gaza accused of spearheading rocket attacks against Israel died in an Israeli airstrike Thursday, Palestinian hospital officials and group members said. The Israeli military confirmed the strike against the Popular Resistance Committees training camp in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, saying militants there were planning a large-scale attack on Israel. It said "the camp was the target" when asked if Abu Samhadana, the No. 2 man on Israel's wanted list, had been the target.
Bin Laden tough to get
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Tracking down Osama bin Laden has proved tougher than getting to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi because the top al-Qaida leader does almost nothing to call attention to himself and is protected by a ring of far more faithful followers, intelligence experts said Thursday. The mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks avoids using satellite phones and the Internet.
Associated Press