Pope breaks with tradition in ritual

Pope breaks with tradition in ritual

ROME

In his most significant break with tradition yet, Pope Francis washed and kissed the feet of two young women at a juvenile detention center — a surprising departure from church rules that restrict the Holy Thursday ritual to men.

No pope ever has washed the feet of a woman before, and Francis’ gesture sparked a debate among some conservatives and liturgical purists, who lamented he had set a “questionable example.” Liberals welcomed the move as a sign of greater inclusiveness in the church.

Prosecutors: No plea deal for Holmes

DENVER

Prosecutors in the Colorado theater shooting on Thursday abruptly rejected an offer from suspect James Holmes to plead guilty in exchange for avoiding the death penalty and accused defense lawyers of a serious breach of court rules by making the offer public.

In a scathing court document, prosecutors said the defense repeatedly has refused to give them the information they need to evaluate the plea offer, so the offer can’t be considered genuine.

No plea agreement exists, prosecutors said, and one “is extremely unlikely based on the present information available to the prosecution.”

Mandela in hospital

JOHANNESBURG

Nelson Mandela was back in the hospital for the third time in four months Thursday, and the 94-year-old former South African president was reported to be responding well to treatment for a chronic lung infection.

South Africa’s presidency said that doctors were acting with extreme caution because of the advanced age of the anti-apartheid leader, who has become increasingly frail in recent years.

Iran, N. Korea, Syria block treaty

UNITED NATIONS

Iran, North Korea and Syria blocked adoption of a U.N. treaty that would regulate the multibillion-dollar international arms trade for the first time, saying it fails to ban sales to terrorists, but other countries refused to let the treaty die.

The treaty’s adoption required agreement by all 193 U.N. member states, but some countries said Thursday they would ask Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to bring the final draft before the General Assembly for adoption as soon as possible.

There has never been an international treaty regulating the estimated $60 billion global arms trade.

Both Iran and North Korea are under U.N. arms embargoes over their nuclear programs, and Syria is in the third year of a conflict that has escalated to civil war.

Mortar shells kill at least 10 at university

BEIRUT

Mortar shells crashed into an outdoor cafe at Damascus University on Thursday, killing at least 10 students in the deadliest of a rising number of mortar attacks in the heart of the Syrian capital.

The strikes have escalated as rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad try to enter the city, terrifying civilians whose support the opposition needs to advance its cause.

It was unclear who fired the rounds.

Associated Press