2A - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, April 19, 2005 NATION/WORLD Black smoke signals no new pope NEWS IN BRIEF 0 VATICAN CITY (AP) - Black smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel's chimney yesterday eve- ning, signaling that the cardinals sequestered inside for the first papal conclave of the new mil- lennium failed to elect a new pope. The black smoke emanating shortly after 8 p.m. meant the 115 voting cardinal "princes" of the church would retire for the night and return to the chapel this morning for more balloting in their search for a suc- cessor to Pope John Paul II. If two morning ballots fail to produce a pope, the cardinals could hold two more votes this afternoon. Some 40,000 people who packed St. Peter's Square to stare at the stovepipe jutting from the chapel roof shouted, "It's black! It's black!" and snapped photos with their cell phones. White smoke will tell the world that the church's 265th pontiff has been chosen -to succeed John Paul, who died April 2 at age 84. The cardinals, from six continents and repre- senting 52 countries, began their secret delibera- tions late in the afternoon after the ceremonial closing of the massive doors of the chapel, which is decorated with frescoes by Michelangelo and wired with electronic jamming devices to thwart eavesdropping. The excitement built as darkness set in and pilgrims watched close-ups of the chimney on giant video screens in the square. As the smoke began pouring from the chimney, shouts of "e bianco! e bianco!" - "It's white! It's white!" - rip- pled through the crowd. But the cries quickly gave way to sighs of disappointment as the smoke blackened. "At first it seemed that we had a new pope, so I had a lot of emotions. But of course we didn't really expect to have a pope on the first day," said Alessia Di Caro, a 23-year-old university student. There was initial confusion when a Vatican Radio commentator said, "It seems white," as the first puffs emerged from the chimney. But as thick, darker smoke followed, the station proclaimed it black. "At first it seemed that we had a new pope, so I had a lot of emotions. But of course we didn't really expect to have a pope on the first day." - Alessia Di Caro Twenty-three-year-old university student "It looks like the stove wasn't working well at first," an announcer joked a few minutes later. Before shutting themselves inside, German Car- dinal Joseph Ratzinger led his fellow cardinals in reading aloud an oath of secrecy. One by one, they then filed up to a Book of the Gospels, placed their right hands on it and pronounced a second oath to keep their sessions secret. Ratzinger's admonition read, in part: "In a par- ticular way, we promise and swear to observe with the greatest fidelity and with all persons, clerical or lay, secrecy regarding everything that in any way relates to the election of the Roman Pontiff and regarding what occurs in the place of the elec- tion, directly or indirectly related to the results of the voting; we promise and swear not to break this secret in any way..." Ratzinger - a powerful Vatican official often men- tioned as a leading candidate for pope - began by reciting a prayer at the palace. The cardinals chanted the Litany of the Saints as they made the short walk to the chapel, led by altar servers carrying two long, lit white candles and a metal crucifix. In a stately and colorful procession carried live on television, they walked past a pair of Swiss Guards in red plumed hats standing at attention at the entrance to the chapel and took two steps into the voting area, where special devices were installed beneath a false floor to block cell phone calls or bugs in an unprec- edented effort to secure the proceedings. Most of the cardinals were clad in crimson vest- ments and hats except for two Eastern Rite prelates - Lubomyr Husar of Ukraine and Ignace Moussa I Daoud of Syria - who wore black. Ratzinger entered the chapel last - an honor bestowed upon the dean of the College of Cardinals. Before the procession, Ratzinger asked for prayers from the church that a pastor fit to lead all of Christ's flock would be elected. "May the Lord lead our steps on the path of truth, so that through the intercession of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, and of all the saints, we may always do that which is pleasing to him," he said in Latin. With Michelangelo's "Last Judgment" as a back- drop behind the altar, depicting a muscular Jesus amid masses of people ascending to heaven and falling to hell, the cardinals took their assigned places behind their name placards, with a copy of the conclave ritual on their desks. They then placed their red, three-cornered square birettas on the tables, leaving only their crimson skull- caps on their heads. "I slept well, and now my ideas are clear," French Cardinal Paul Poupard said as he headed into a special pre-conclave Mass held earlier yesterday at St. Peter's Basilica. "I have realized the seriousness of the elec- tion. The Holy Spirit will do the rest." In his homily at the Mass, Ratzinger, who presid- ed from the main altar usually reserved for a pope, generated applause from fellow cardinals as he asked God to give the church "a pastor according to his own heart, a pastor who guides us to knowledge in Christ, to his love and to true joy." ROME Berlusconi won't resign as predicted Premier Silvio Berlusconi defied predictions that he would quit as head of his weakened center-right government yesterday, prompting opposition charges that he was turning Italian politics into a joke. Berlusconi's meeting with President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi - to whom he would have to submit his resignation - topped a day of intense talks as the media magnate tries to find a way out of the worst political crisis of his four years in power. When asked by reporters if he had handed in his resignation, Berlusconi responded, "No," the ANSA news agency reported. Berlusconi was quoted as saying he would explain the situation in parliament, but it was unclear when he would do so. Resigning to form a new government is a technique often used by Italian pre- miers to strengthen faltering coalitions, but Berlusconi has always resisted, sensing it would dent his image as a new-style politician. The premier's decision not to step down surprised friends and foes, and left the country wondering whether he was closer to solving problems with his conserva- tive allies or still locked in a stalemate with them. BEIJING Japan, China attempt to defuse tensions Japan and China considered yesterday whether their leaders should meet this weekend to try to defuse the worst dispute in decades between the Asian powers, but at the same time they traded more angry words over anti-Japanese protests and Tokyo's wartime history. China said Japan proposed that its prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, meet one-on-one with President Hu Jintao during a conference of Asian and African leaders in Indonesia. "We are still considering it," said Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei. Suggesting that plenty of work lay ahead before either leader might commit, Koizumi warned in Tokyo that "if it's going to be the exchange of harsh words, it's better not to meet." The heated rhetoric and sometimes violent protests aimed at Japanese interests in China have raised worries about the potential effect on the economic relation- ship between Asia's two biggest economies, which are linked by billions of dollars in trade and investment. AV-mb.d dd -.0 -..a Sharon may postpone Gaza withdrawal COLUMBIA,SeC. Bush's social secuity pitch finds resistance Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gestures during a train ride from the southern town of Ashkelon to Jerusalem yesterday. clarification from the government of Israel" on both issues. "Mr. Sharon reiterated his commit- ment to the 'road map' just last week in Crawford (Texas) and his commitment to the president's two-state vision," McClellan said. Sharon told reporters he would dis- cuss the possible delay in the Gaza pullout, which is currently scheduled to begin in late July, at a meeting with top ministers today. Israel TV reported he has decided to delay the evacuation. It did not cite a source. Talking to reporters earlier, Sharon hinted he would support the delay to allow settlers to observe a three-week Jewish mourning period culminating with Tisha B'Av, the date on the Jew- ish calendar marking the destruction of the biblical temples. Tisha B'av is Aug. 14 this year. "We have to take every step to make it easier for the settlers," Sharon said. "These are difficult days today." , Until now, Sharon has refused calls to delay the pullout, which calls for removing 9,000 Israelis from all 21 settlements in the Gaza Strip and four small settlements in the West Bank. Under the proposed change, the four- week operation would begin Aug. 15 instead of July 25. Yonatan Bassi, who heads the administration responsible for com- pensating and relocating settlers slated for evacuation, suggested the delay Sunday at a Cabinet meeting. Bassi raised the issue after "an inter- nal struggle and talking to rabbis," said his spokesman, Haim Altman. Bassi, an observant Jew, explained that Jews are not allowed to move to a new home during the Tisha B'Av mourning period. Israel Vice Premier Shimon Peres said he was caught off guard by the possible delay. "We knew all of these events before- hand. Why did they wait until the last minute?" he said on Israel Radio. Military officials involved in prep- arations for the operation said they opposed any change in the timeline. The Palestinians have welcomed the planned Israeli pullout from areas they claim for an independent state but want assurances that Sharon will resume peace talks after the withdraw- al is complete. The Palestinians claim all of the West Bank and Gaza Strip for an independent state. Sharon has said he remains com- mitted to the U.S.-backed "road map" peace plan. He says Israel will retain major West Bank settlements under any final peace agreement. Yaakov Harel, spokesman for the Israel Lands Authority, said yesterday the agency was seeking bids for con- structionof the new homes inElkana,. a settlement near the Israel-West Bank boundary. Construction could begin within three months, he said. The announcement drew U.S. and Palestinian criticism. "What the president said last week remains our policy, namely under the road map settlement activity must cease," said U.S. Embassy spokesman Paul Patin. Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestin- ian official, said the latest West Bank construction plan "is undermining the efforts to realize the vision of a two- state solution." "We urge the American administra- tion that while they focus on the Gaza disengagement they should not close their eyes to units being added in the hundreds in the West Bank," Erekat said. President Bush yesterday made a fresh pitch for his Social Security overhaul in this Republican-friendly state, yet a Republican congressman made clear that Bush still faces resistance within his own party. While Bush still hasn't offered a specific plan to strengthen the nation's retire- ment benefit system, he encouraged more lawmakers to offer their ideas as South Carolina's two Republican senators have. "These men have been leaders in the debate," Bush told a joint session of the South Carolina Legislature in this conservative state. "They've stepped up and said, 'Here are some ideas I want you to consider.' " Bush wants to allow younger workers to divert some of their Social Security tax contributions into private accounts invested in stocks and bonds, but some Repub- licans have been slow to embrace the idea. AUGUSTA, Ga. Armstrong to retire after Tour de France Lance Armstrong will retire from professional cycling after this summer's Tour de France, ending one of the great careers in all sports. "Ultimately, athletes have to retire ... the body doesn't just keep going and going," Armstrong said yesterday at a news conference. The 33-year-old Texan will attempt to win his record seventh straight Tour de France in July. Before Armstrong, Miguel Indurain's five straight Tour de France wins were the record. Eddy Merckx of Belgium and Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil of France are the only other riders to win five Tour de France races overall. - Compiled from Daily wire reports a i .l1. Fib 6 AML. i i i I I 6 6 0 6 Three-week delay, based on Jewish holiday, catches officials off-guard JERUSALEM (AP) - Prime Min- ister Ariel Sharon said yesterday he is "positively inclined" toward delaying Israel's planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip this summer by three weeks out of respect for a Jewish mourning period that marks the destruction of the biblical temples. Sharon's statement came as govern- ment officials confirmed Israel plans to build 50 new homes in a West Bank settlement, a week after President Bush demanded a freeze on such con- struction. In Washington, White. 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