Pa. Dems set a new record

Pa. Dems number 4M

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Democratic Party enrollment surged past the 4 million mark Monday, setting a state record on the last day Pennsylvanians had to register to vote in next month’s presidential primary. The figures, which showed modest declines in the ranks of Republicans and independents, reflected intense interest in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination and recruitment efforts by both candidates, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois.

WHO: No polio in Somalia

LONDON — The World Health Organization claims polio transmission has been stopped in Somalia, leaving only a dozen other countries with the deadly disease. But given the lack of detailed medical data from Somalia, the absence of a centralized government and continued violence across the country, officials admitted the virus could very easily pop up again. “Polio could absolutely return to Somalia,” said Dr. Bruce Aylward, director of WHO’s polio department. “Based on our surveillance, we’re pretty confident, but we could still be surprised.” Polio mostly strikes children under 5, and is spread when unvaccinated people come into contact with the feces of those with the virus, often through water. It usually attacks the nervous system, causing paralysis, muscular atrophy, deformation and sometimes death. WHO said Somalia has not reported a case in exactly a year.

Aid falls short by $5B

KABUL, Afghanistan — The United States has not delivered $5 billion worth of aid it pledged to help rebuild Afghanistan, and other donors have fallen short by about that same amount, a report from humanitarian groups said today. The Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief, an alliance of 94 international aid agencies, said the prospects for peace in Afghanistan are being undermined because Western countries are failing to deliver on aid promises. Since 2001, the international community has pledged $25 billion in help but has delivered only $15 billion, the alliance said.

Al-Qaida issues threat

CAIRO, Egypt — Osama bin Laden’s deputy urged Muslims on Monday to attack Jewish and American targets worldwide in retaliation for Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, intensifying an al-Qaida push to use Arab anger to rally support for the terror network. The tape by Ayman al-Zawahri came just days after two messages from bin Laden, who called for a holy war on behalf of the Palestinians and warned of a “severe” reaction against Europe over the republishing of newspaper cartoons seen as insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. The string of messages has raised fears that al-Qaida is planning new attacks in the West — or that it hopes to inspire sympathizers to carry out violence. The broader goal may be to show supporters that al-Qaida can open a new front against Israel.

‘Dr. Death’ runs for office

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Jack Kevorkian, the assisted-suicide advocate who served eight years in prison for second-degree murder, announced Monday he’s running for Congress as an independent. Kevorkian, 79, is jumping into a competitive congressional race, challenging a Republican incumbent for a district in suburban Detroit. “I’m not a politician,” Kevorkian said, adding he is not tied to anybody or anything. “My mind is free. So I can say what I think.” Although he has been nicknamed “Dr. Death,” Kevorkian didn’t say much about assisted suicide at his news conference. He alluded to it, though, saying: “What I did was my right.” If elected, he said his main priority will be promoting the little-known Ninth Amendment, which protects rights not explicitly specified elsewhere in the U.S. Constitution. Kevorkian said he interprets it as protecting a person’s choice to die through assisted suicide or to avoid wearing a seat belt.

Astronauts head home

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Shuttle Endeavour pulled away from the international space station Monday and headed for home after a heartfelt farewell between the two crews. It culminated 12 days of shared work, the longest mission ever of its kind. The 10 space travelers performed a record-tying five spacewalks, put together a space station robot and provided a new Japanese compartment — and resident — for the orbiting complex. “In my mind, in my view, it’s been an extraordinary mission,” said LeRoy Cain, chairman of the mission management team. “It’s just been a textbook mission up and down the line in every way that I look at it.”

Associated Press