Iranian leader: US version of 9/11 a lie

Iranian leader: US version of 9/11 a lie

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Saturday called the official version of the Sept. 11 attacks a “big lie” used by the U.S. as an excuse for the war on terror, state media reported.

Ahmadinejad’s comments, made during an address to Intelligence Ministry staff, come amid escalating tensions between the West and Tehran over its disputed nuclear program. They show that Iran has no intention of toning itself down even with tighter sanctions looming because of its refusal to halt uranium enrichment.

Iditarod under way

ANCHORAGE, Alaska

Hundreds of sled dogs and thousands of fans lined up along Anchorage’s Fourth Avenue on Saturday for the ceremonial start of the 1,100-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The 16-dog teams leaped and barked when it was their turn to leave the downtown chute for an 11-mile run across Alaska’s largest city. The actual competition will start today in Willow, about 50 miles to the north.

Seventy-one teams are entered in the trek to Nome, an old gold-rush town on Alaska’s western coast. More than a third of the mushers are from seven other countries and nine other states.

Defending champion Lance Mackey is seeking his fourth consecutive win.

British PM pays visit to soldiers

KABUL

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown promised British troops 200 new patrol vehicles that can resist roadside bombs more effectively during an unannounced visit Saturday to southern Afghanistan.

Brown made the trip to Camp Bastion in Helmand province to thank some of the 4,000 British soldiers who are involved in a three-week-old NATO offensive to wrest control of the Taliban haven of Marjah from the insurgents.

Brown, who faces a difficult election campaign in the coming months, has been criticized by the British press and by some opposition politicians for failing to provide enough protection for soldiers in Afghanistan.

Vatican backs probe into abuse claims

VATICAN CITY

The Vatican says it supports efforts in a German diocese to shed light on a sexual-abuse scandal in a choir once led by Pope Benedict XVI’s brother.

The Vatican said Saturday that the “main reason of the church’s clarification is to render justice to possible victims.” It said it was backing the Regensburg Diocese in its “willingness to analyze the painful question in a decisive and open way.”

The statement was published in the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

The Regensburg Diocese said this week that a former member claims he was abused while singing with Germany’s leading Roman Catholic boys choir. The choir was led for 30 years by the Rev. Georg Ratzinger, the pope’s brother. Ratzinger told a German public radio he did not know of any abuse cases at the choir.

Armed robbers raid poker tournament

BERLIN

A heavily armed group stormed a poker tournament in a German luxury hotel Saturday afternoon and made off with a jackpot, a police spokesman said.

Several participants at the tournament in Berlin’s Grand Hyatt hotel were slightly injured when they panicked and fled after the daring afternoon heist, Carsten Mueller said.

Mueller said four robbers in disguises forced employees to hand over money and then managed to escape. Mueller declined to give details, including how much money the men got away with.

Associated Press