■ United States
Bishop charged with rape
Thomas Dupre, former Roman Catholic bishop of Springfield, Massachusetts, was charged with two counts of child rape in an indict-ment unsealed on Monday, but only hours later District Attorney William Bennett said a statute of limitations would keep him from pro-secuting. Dupre is the first prelate to be indicted in the sexual abuse scandal in the US. He was accused by a grand jury of sexually abusing two boys while a parish priest in the 1970s. Dupre retired on Feb. 11 at age 70, citing health reasons, one day after a newspaper reported accusations that he had abused the two boys.
■ United States
Terror warning confirmed
Al-Qaeda's intention to carry out an election-year attack inside the US has been con-firmed by recent intelligence, but the threat information does not indicate any time, place or method of attack, senior administration offi-cials said on Monday. As a result, counterterrorism agencies will move to a higher state of alert in the weeks leading up to the Nov. 2 election and will remain at an increased state of readiness through the presidential inaugura-tion next year, the officials said. The FBI is re-examining terror cases for fresh leads and is interviewing possible al-Qaeda sympathizers in the US, the officials said.
■ United States
MOMA hikes admission
The Museum of Modern Art in New York, home to some of his most famous works, is increasing admission charges by 67 percent, making it the most expen-sive big museum in America. MOMA will reopen on Nov. 20 after a renovation costing US$425 million. It will charge visitors US$20 to spend the day there, up from US$12. "Hey, we don't wanna BUY the art," said the New York Daily News. Visitors will be able to get in for nothing after 4pm on a Friday, if they are under 16 or if they are univeristy students.
■ United States
California bars prison smoke
Governor Arnold Schwar-zenegger, who set up a tent outside his smoke-free state office to accommodate his taste for a good cigar, signed a bill on Monday barring tobacco from state prisons. The measure amends the state's penal code to bar tobacco products from prisons and youth correc-tional facilities. Supporters say the changes will help save the state money on health care and improve the health of 160,000 inmates. The state earned about US$1.37 million in tobacco and sales taxes by selling tobacco products to inmates last year.
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