NPR 2008-04-20

Pope Benedict celebrated 1 Mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City today where he again referred to the clergy 2 sex abuse scandal that has rocked the Catholic Church in the US. NPR's Margot Adler reports from New York.

 Pope Benedict blessed the cathedral with holy water before entering. About 3, 000 people, mostly clergy, attended the Mass. He used the cathedral's Gothic structure to make many of his points. He said many people see only the outside of the church, dark and heavy, not the stained glass windows inside, flooded with mystic light. Benedict has addressed the sexual abuse scandal several times on this trip and he did so again. As to the abuse that has caused so much pain and suffering, he said, "I simply wish to assure you, dear priests and religious, of my spiritual closeness as you strive to respond with Christian 3 hope to the continuing challenges that this situation presents. " He also urged priests and religious leaders to cooperate with bishops 4 who were dealing 5 with these issues. Margot Adler, NPR News, New York.

 New Yorkers greeted the pontiff as he rode in his Popemobile up Fifth Avenue. The Pope also spoke 6 to a crowd of thousands of young people at a youth rally in Yonkers, New York.

 President Bush says he's still hopeful that North Korea will provide a full declaration of its nuclear weapons programs even though the deadline for doing so is four months past. He spoke after talks at Camp David today with South Korea's new president. NPR's Jennifer Ludden has that story.

Both leaders urged patience. It's difficult, says South Korea's president, but not impossible to convince Pyongyang to give up its nuclear weapons program. The delay in reporting has stalled talks among North Korea and five other nations over its nuclear technology. The Bush administration has been criticized for scaling back demands on what information should be reported. But Mr. Bush says new ways to verify Pyongyang's declarations will make up for that. The visit is the first ever by a Korean leader to Camp David. This week, the two countries signed a program to exempt 7 South Koreans from needing a visa to visit the US. Seoul also lifted its ban on US beef imports. President Bush then said he would urge Congress to approve a free trade deal with South Korea. If ratified 8, it would be the largest such agreement since NAFTA. Jennifer Ludden, NPR News, Washington.

 The Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning in Pennsylvania in advance of Tuesday's primary. Hillary Clinton said President Bush has been no friend of the middle class. "The wealthy and the well-connected have had a president. George Bush has been fighting for more tax breaks for the oil companies. " Clinton speaking at a rally in West Lawn, Pennsylvania. Her rival Barack Obama criticized Clinton for switching positions on issues and waging a negative campaign. "She's taken different positions at different times on issues as fundamental as trade, even the war, to suit the politics of the moment. And when she gets caught at it, the notion is, well, you know what, that's just politics." Obama is on a whistle-stop tour across Pennsylvania.

 This is NPR News.

 The week-long Jewish holiday of Passover begins at sundown with the ritual Seder Meal. In Israel, security forces are on high alert amid concern about possible attacks by Palestinian militants 9. Earlier today, Hamas suicide bombers 10 detonated explosives packed into two jeeps at a border crossing into the Gaza Strip. Thirteen(数字位于句首请用英语写啦^^) Israeli soldiers were wounded. Hamas has threatened more attacks in an effort to break the economic blockade of Gaza imposed by Israel and Egypt after Hamas took control of the territory last year.

 Some aboriginal 11 leaders in Canada are threatening to disrupt the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010 in the same way that pro-Tibet demonstrators have targeted this summer's Olympic Games in China. Dan Karpenchuk reports.

 The native leaders warn that Canada could see bridge blockades, airport disruptions and Internet campaigns unless there's some action on aboriginal land claims and poverty. Some in British Columbia are already beginning to draft plans that include an escalating 12 series of options as the Winter Olympics draws closer. Canada's top native leader, Phil Fontaine, the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, says the Vancouver Olympics could provide an opportunity to raise awareness 13 about native issues in Canada. He draws similarities between China's treatment of Tibet to Canada's treatment of its aboriginals 14, and adds that Canadians should be just as outraged 15 about the situation at home. Some chiefs say while there will be protests, they will be peaceful and focused on avoiding violence or creating ill will among the country's non-natives. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpenchuk in Toronto.

 American astronaut Peggy Whitson and two other crew members who were returning from the International Space Station are safe after a harrowing landing in a Russian Soyuz space capsule today. The capsule came down 260 miles away from its intended landing site.