Roswell Daily Record
Pope’s message stresses peace
Vol. 121, No. 309 75¢ Daily / $1.25 Sunday
INSIDE NEWS 2 ACTORS DIE MONDAY
CHARLES DURNING, 89
VATICAN CITY (AP) — In his Christmas message to the world Tuesday, Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to the slaughter in Syria and for more meaningful negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, while encouraging more religious freedom under China’s new leaders. Delivering the traditional speech from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Benedict also encouraged Arab spring nations, especially Egypt, to build just and respectful societies.
THE VOICE OF THE PECOS VALLEY
December 26, 2012
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The pope prayed that China’s new leadership may “esteem the contribution of the religions, in respect for each other” to help build a “fraternal society for the benefit of that noble people.”
It was a clear reference to the Chinese government’s often harsh treatment of Catholics loyal to the pontiff instead of to the statesanctioned church. Earlier this month, the Vatican refused to accept the decision by Chinese authorities to revoke the title of a Shanghai bishop, who had
Mountain snow
been appointed in a rare show of consensus between the Holy See and China. In his “Urbi et Orbi” speech, which traditionally reviews world events and global challenges, Benedict prayed that “peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict that does not spare even the defenseless and reaps innocent victims.” He called for easier access to help refugees and for “dialogue in the pursuit See PEACE, Page A3
AP Photo
A Palestinian security officer stands guard as Christian worshippers and tourists celebrate at the Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, Monday.
Storms hit all over US
JACK KLUGMAN, 90
- PAGE A6
TOP 5 WEB
For The Past 24 Hours
• 7 RHS Key Clubbers play Santa • Some city, county cold cases decades old • 2 families receive shopping checks • Warm glow on a cold night • Gridiron King
INSIDE SPORTS Mark Wilson Photo
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Christmas Day twister outbreak left damage across the Deep South while holiday travelers in the nation’s much colder midsection battled sometimes treacherous driving conditions from freezing rain and blizzard conditions. Conditions were volatile throughout the afternoon and into the night with tornado warnings in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The storms were blamed for two deaths, several injuries, and left homes from Louisiana to Alabama damaged. In Mobile, Ala., a tornado or high winds damaged homes and knocked down power lines and large tree
US holiday retail sales growth weakest since 2008 Freshly fallen snow clings to trees in the mountains near Cloudcroft, recently.
LAKERS BEAT KNICKS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The pieces of the puzzle that have been the Lakers’ confounding season so far are starting to fall into place. Kobe Bryant engineered a second-half comeback, the defense stepped up, and Los Angeles beat the New York Knicks 100-94 on Tuesday, extending its winning streak to five games. “We’re .500,” a smiling Dwight Howard said. “We did it on Christmas, too. I knew this day would come.” Bryant scored 34 points in his NBA-record 15th Christmas Day game and Metta World Peace added 20 points and seven rebounds while defending ... - PAGE B1
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. holiday retail sales this year grew at the weakest pace since 2008, when the nation was in a deep recession. In 2012, the shopping season was disrupted by bad weather and consumers’ rising uncertainty about the economy. A report that tracks spending on popular holiday goods, the MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, said Tuesday that sales in the two months before Christmas increased 0.7 percent, compared with last year. Many analysts
had expected holiday sales to grow 3 to 4 percent. In 2008, sales declined by between 2 percent and 4 percent as the financial crisis that crested that fall dragged the economy into recession. Last year, by contrast, retail sales in November and December rose between 4 percent and 5 percent, according to ShopperTrak, a separate market research firm. A 4 percent increase is considered a healthy season. Shoppers were buffeted this year by a string of events that made them less
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Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., meet the press on Capitol Hill, Friday.
AP Photo
See SALES, Page A3
WASHINGTON (AP) — In case the public weren’t frustrated enough over Congress’ failure to resolve the “fiscal cliff,” consider this: lawmakers probably could enact a compromise quickly and easily if Republican leaders let Democrats provide most of the votes.
OBITUARIES
TODAY’S FORECAST
likely to spend: Superstorm Sandy and other bad weather, the distraction of the presidential election and grief about the massacre of schoolchildren in Newtown, Conn. The numbers also show how Washington’s current budget impasse is trickling down to Main Street and unsettling consumers. If Americans remain reluctant to spend, analysts say, economic growth could falter next year.
Some urge Boehner: Let Dems pass fiscal cliff bill
TODAY’S • Opal L. Wiley • Glendel Thurman - PAGE A6
See STORMS, Page A3
tives — were able to thwart Speaker John Boehner’s bid to pass a narrowly crafted bill that might have strengthened his bargaining hand.
That would give Democrats a bigger voice in the bargain, of course, which the Republican-led House is loath to do. That’s why about 10 percent of the House’s members — staunch anti-tax conserva-
By trying to pass his plan with GOP votes alone, Boehner could af ford to lose only two dozen of the 241 House Republicans. His private headcount found nearly twice that many defectors, party insiders say, forcing Boehner to give up without seeking a formal vote. The miscalculation left negotia-
grounds that it will lead to stability, improve the grip of Morsi and his allies on state institutions, restore investor confidence and bring back tourists. But there are already multiple fights on the horizon. The U.S. State Department bluntly told Morsi it was now time to make compromises, acknowledging deep concer ns over the
constitution. After a spate of resignations of senior aides and advisers during the constitutional crisis, Morsi appeared to have lost another member of his government late Tuesday night when his communications minister posted on his Twitter account that he was resigning. The minister Hany Mahmoud said he “couldn’t
tions in disarray as the Dec. 31 deadline nears. The House’s 192 Democrats essentially sat on the sidelines, bit players in last week’s House drama. House speakers traditionally advance major legislation only if most of their party’s members support it. It’s called the “majority of the majority” rule of thumb. But past speakers, including Democrat Nancy Pelosi and Republican Dennis Hastert, have ignored
Egypt constitution passes, economic crunch looms CAIRO (AP) — The official approval of Egypt’s disputed, Islamist-backed constitution Tuesday held out little hope of stabilizing the country after two years of turmoil and Islamist President Mohammed Morsi may now face a more immediate crisis with the economy falling deeper into distress. In a clear sign of anxiety over the economy, the tur-
bulence of the past month and expected austerity measures ahead have some Egyptians hoarding dollars for fear the currency is about to take a significant turn for the weaker. The battle over the constitution left Egypt deeply polarized at a time when the government is increasingly cash-strapped. Supporters of the charter campaigned for it on the
See CLIFF, Page A3
cope with the culture of government work, particular in the current conditions of the country.” The resignation could not be immediately verified because it came so late at night. Morsi signed a decree Tuesday night that put the new constitution into effect after the election commisSee EGYPT, Page A3