US soldier pleads guilty in Iraq killings

A U.S. soldier pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of accessory to murder and was sentenced to eight months in prison for his role in the killing of four Iraqi prisoners who were bound, blindfolded, shot and dumped in a canal.

Spc. Steven Ribordy, 25, of Salina, Kansas, also will receive a bad conduct discharge from the Army as part of a plea deal. In addition, he agreed to testify against other members of his unit.

"The execution of prisoners is arguably the greatest crime," prosecutor Capt. John Merriam told the court. "It betrays everything soldiers stand for."

Ribordy testified that he had helped stand guard as the …

The immunity bug bites ; India becomes a hot market for optional vaccines.

The paediatrician shrugged: "It's your choice, if you don't wantthe chicken pox vaccine for your daughter. But remember, one day shewill get married and if she has the pox when she is carrying, thechild could be born with brain damage." And what about the son, thefather voiced his and his wife's concern? "Well, you know whatcompetition is like today...what if he has pox before a major exam?"

Choices, choices. The parents knew a bout of chicken pox builtmore immunity in a child than any vaccine. But, a damaged brain?They plumped for the optional vaccine. Multiply that decision 26million times - that's the number of newborns in India every year -and it is easy to see why Big …

Jordin Sparks Crowned `American Idol'

LOS ANGELES - The big voice overwhelmed the beatbox Wednesday night as Jordin Sparks was crowned the newest and youngest "American Idol."

Sparks, 17, of Glendale, Ariz., prevailed over Blake Lewis, 25, of Bothell, Wash., after a triumphant performance Tuesday that wowed the show's judges and the viewers who gave her a majority of the record 74 million votes cast.

"Mom, Dad, I love you," Sparks, the daughter of retired NFL player Phillippi Sparks, said tearfully after a bearhug from Lewis.

In an interview backstage with The Associated Press, the overwhelmed winner recalled talking with her dad about how she used to watch him sign autographs.

Sparks said …

ECB cuts a quarter percent

The European Central Bank cut interest rates a quarter point and said it would buy euro-denominated bonds as well as offer longer-term credit to banks as it moves to get more money flowing through the 16-nation euro zone economy.

ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet, in remarks to reporters after the bank lowered its benchmark interest rate to 1 percent on Thursday, unveiled the new measures to accompany already announced ones such as increased amounts of bank credits and broader collateral rules for banks that tap them.

Trichet said the central bank plans to purchase around euro60 billion ($80.2 billion) in euro-denominated covered bonds, which would grease …

Spring Break changed

Kanawha County Schools has moved the dates of 1999-2000 SpringBreak from April 17-21 to April 24-28, which falls after the …

Carter G. Woodson Regional Library is hosting a panel discussion on the Black Chicago Renaissance

As part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration of the Harsh Research Collection of Afro-American History & Literature, the Chicago Public Library is presenting a panel discussion on the impact of Vivian G. Harsh's celebrated "Book Review and Lecture Forum" on the cultural flowering of the Chicago Black Renaissance Saturday, April 14 at 1:30 p.m. in the Woodson Regional Library Auditorium, 9525 South Halsted St.

The "Special Negro Collection" and the Chicago Renaissance will feature panelist Clarice Durham, educator, human rights activist and widow of Richard Durham, playwright, journalist and producer of the first African American television series that aired over WTTW-TV titled, …

France Cleared to Fund Search Project

France won EU approval Tuesday to give $152 million to several companies hoping to build a European rival to U.S. search giant Google Inc.

The potential benefits of allowing France to fund technology group Thomson SA and 22 other companies working on the QUAERO multimedia search project in Europe outweigh any gain Thomson would win over rivals, the European Commission said.

QUAERO _ Latin for "I search" _ would develop technology for working with all platforms, including desktops, mobile devices and televisions. Its products would be sold to TV companies, filmmakers, post-production facilities and anyone who creates or uses audiovisual …