Defector offers to unite Syrian factions

Defector offers to unite Syrian factions

BEIRUT

Syria’s most prominent defector offered himself up Thursday as a figure to unite the fractious opposition, saying he failed to persuade his former friend, President Bashar Assad, to end a bloody crackdown that has killed thousands of Syrians.

The remarks by Manaf Tlass, a Syrian brigadier general until he abandoned the regime this month, were published in a Saudi newspaper just as opposition factions gathered in Qatar to try to agree on a transitional leadership if Assad’s regime falls.

Some opposition members are deeply skeptical of Tlass, believing he’s far too close to the regime.

Poll: Romney’s faith not major concern

WASHINGTON

Most of America doesn’t relate to Mitt Romney’s religion but that may not matter in his race against President Barack Obama.

Those are the findings of a new Pew Research Center poll released Thursday, about a month before Republican Romney is set to become the first Mormon presidential nominee of a major political party.

Misgivings about the Mormon faith are widespread and persistent. Nearly two-thirds of non-Mormons said they see Romney’s faith as very different from their own while just half consider it a Christian faith.

Despite those qualms, most voters who know that Romney is a devout Mormon say they are comfortable with his religious beliefs, and few voters reject his candidacy solely because of concerns about his faith.

Official apologizes for lesbian remark

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.

Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll apologized Thursday for offending lesbians when she said black women who engage in those relationships don’t look like her.

Carroll, who was implying that black lesbians aren’t attractive, made the remarks more than a week ago when she was asked about court documents in which a fired staffer claims that she walked in on Carroll and a female travel aide in a compromising position. Carroll denies that claim.

Fake doc charged in injection death

MIAMI

A South Florida woman posing as a doctor was arrested Thursday and charged in the death of a woman who died after authorities said her body was pumped with unknown toxic substances during a buttocks-enhancement surgery.

Shatarka Nuby, a 31-year-old mother, paid a woman known as “Dutchess” hundreds of dollars to come to her house and inject her buttocks, hips, thighs and breasts with an unknown substance. The Dutchess, whose real name is Oneal Morris, sometimes wore medical scrubs and a stethoscope. She allegedly sealed Nuby’s injections with super glue and cotton balls, according to Broward County Sheriff’s deputies.

Castro: Cuba willing to talk with US

HAVANA

Cuban President Raul Castro said Thursday that his government is willing to mend fences with bitter Cold War foe the United States and sit down to discuss anything, as long as it is a conversation between equals.

At the end of a Revolution Day ceremony marking the 59th anniversary of a failed uprising against a military barracks, Castro grabbed the microphone for apparently impromptu remarks. He echoed previous statements that no topic is off-limits, including U.S. concerns about democracy, freedom of the press and human rights on the island, as long as it is a conversation between equals.

Associated Press