3 days of mourning

3 days of mourning

BEICHUAN, China — China will spend three days marking the moment when tens of thousands died in a devastating earthquake, while hope of finding more trapped survivors dwindled Sunday and preventing hunger and disease became more pressing.

The government announced an official mourning period starting today and asked China’s 1.3 billion people to observe three minutes of silence starting at 2:28 p.m. — exactly one week after the quake killed an estimated 50,000.

The Olympic torch relay — a potent symbol of national pride in the countdown to August’s much anticipated Beijing games — also will be suspended during the mourning period, the organizing committee said.

Bush lectures Arab world

SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt — President Bush lectured the Arab world Sunday about everything from political repression to the denial of women’s rights but ran into Palestinian complaints that he is favoring Israel in stalled Mideast peace talks. “Freedom and peace are within your grasp,” Bush said despite scant signs of progress.

Winding up a five-day trip to the region, Bush took a strikingly tougher tone with Arab nations than he did with Israel in a speech Thursday to the Knesset. Israel received effusive praise from the president, but Arab nations heard a litany of U.S. criticisms mixed with some compliments.

Bin Laden’s latest tirade

CAIRO, Egypt — Osama bin Laden released a new message on Sunday accusing Arab leaders of sacrificing the Palestinians and calling on Muslim militants in Egypt to help break the blockade of Gaza.

Bin Laden called Arab leaders “agents of the crusaders” and “wolves” in the audio message posted on an Islamic militant Web site where al-Qaida leaders have issued past statements. He portrayed the citizens of Arab nations as herds of sheep who have been handed over to the wolves to look after them.

Microsoft, Yahoo in talks

SEATTLE — Microsoft Corp. said Sunday it is talking to Yahoo Inc. about a transaction that doesn’t involve a full buyout like the software maker’s $47.5 billion offer that fell apart earlier this month.

Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft walked away May 3 from its offer to buy the Web pioneer. Since then, billionaire investor Carl Icahn has launched an effort to oust Yahoo’s board.

In a statement Sunday, Microsoft says it is considering a different kind of deal with Yahoo as it pursues ways to improve and expand its online services and advertising business.

Beef products recalled

CHICAGO — Federal officials say a Chicago-based company is recalling beef products distributed in 11 states because of possible E. coli contamination.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Saturday that no illnesses have reported from the meat, produced by JSM Meat Holdings Co. The meat being recalled is used in ground beef products. Included are 30-pound and 60-pound boxes and 47-gallon barrels of “MORREALE MEAT” beef products. The products have the number “EST. 6872” inside the USDA mark of inspection.

The products have 15 labels including, “Boneless Chucks,” “Boneless Clods,” “Flat Rounds,” “Gooseneck Rounds” and “Knuckle.” Pennsylvania is among the states affected.

Smoke advisory in Fla.

MIAMI — Parts of southern Florida were under a dense smoke advisory Sunday as firefighters worked to control several wildfires that have burned about 62 square miles.

The majority of fires burned around Lake Okeechobee in Glades County and on the coast in Brevard County, where a haze was expected to linger throughout the day.

In the area around Lake Okeechobee, the Florida Highway Patrol used electronic highway signs to warn people about lingering smoke, and areas northeast of the lake were continuing to experience haze from the fires, said Division of Forestry spokeswoman Melissa Yunas.

Associated Press