Church could regain property in Russia

Church could regain property in Russia

MOSCOW

More than 90 years after its properties were seized by Bolsheviks during the October Revolution, the Russian Orthodox Church is set to recover most of its belongings thanks to a controversial law adopted by parliament on Friday.

The new legislation allows every religious denomination to demand from the state that its belongings be returned. Authorities can, however, decline to do so.

Russia’s cultural elite had been among the legislation’s leading opponents, warning that it would lead to a “hemorrhage” from the country’s museums. Its supporters, however, celebrated the vote as a historic victory and long-overdue justice.

Blast fears delay search for miners

WELLINGTON, New Zealand

Search efforts for 29 workers missing after a powerful blast tore through a coal mine in New Zealand were stalled today over fears that a buildup of dangerous gas could trigger a second underground explosion.

Repeated attempts to contact the 16 employees and 13 contract miners after Friday’s explosion at the Pike River mine have failed, and it was not known if the men were still alive, Pike River Mine Ltd.’s chief executive Peter Whittall said. The blast most likely was caused by coal gas igniting, he said.

Most settle suits over WTC dust

NEW YORK

More than 10,000 workers exposed to the tons of toxic dust that blanketed ground zero after the World Trade Center fell have ended their bruising legal fight with New York City and joined a settlement worth at least $625 million, officials said Friday.

The deal will resolve an overwhelming majority of the lawsuits over the city’s failure to provide protective equipment to the army of construction workers, police officers and firefighters who spent months clearing and sifting rubble after Sept. 11.

Senate OKs $4.6B for blacks, Indians

WASHINGTON

The Senate has approved almost $4.6 billion to settle long-standing claims brought by American Indians and black farmers against the government.

The money has been held up for months in the Senate as Democrats and Republicans squabbled over how to pay for it. The two class- action lawsuits were filed more than a decade ago.

The settlements include almost $1.2 billion for black farmers who say they suffered discrimination at the hands of the Agriculture Department. Also, $3.4 billion would go to Indian landowners who claim they were swindled out of royalties by the Interior Department. The legislation was approved in the Senate by voice vote Friday and sent to the House.

Combined dispatches