Sunday,  April 1, 2012 • Vol. 12--No. 263 • 19 of 25 •  Other Editions

(Continued from page 18)

U.N. censure of Assad by Russia and China, who fear the measures could lead to foreign military intervention.
• "If the U.N. Security Council fails once again to bring about its historic responsibility, there will be no other choice than to support the Syrian people's right to self-defense," Erdogan said.
• ___

Pope begins Holy Week with Palm Sunday Mass and good news for church in Cuba

• VATICAN CITY (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI has kicked off the Catholic Church's Holy Week celebrations with Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square and good news from Cuba.
• Cuba's communist government on Saturday agreed to Benedict's request to make Good Friday a holiday, a request made during his visit to the Caribbean island last week. The day, which is celebrated this Friday, marks the solemn commemoration of Christ's death.
• On Sunday, Benedict traveled into St. Peter's Square on the back of a white jeep at the start of Palm Sunday Mass, which marks Jesus' arrival in Jerusalem and inaugurates Holy Week.
• Benedict and the cardinals who proceeded him clutched ornately braided palm fronds, while ordinary faithful carried olive and palm branches to recreate the welcome Jesus received. St. Peter's was nearly full under cloudy, chilly skies.
• The pope looked rested despite having just returned from an exhausting, six-day trip to Mexico and Cuba, where he met with former and present Cuban presidents, Fidel Castro and his brother, Raul.
• ___

Raucous fans burn couches, flip cars in the streets after Ky.'s Final Four win over Louisville

• LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) -- Riot police used pepper spray in small amounts for crowd control as thousands of rowdy fans swarmed into the streets near the University of Kentucky campus, overturning cars and lighting couches ablaze after a victory over cross-state rival Louisville in a Final Four matchup.
• Police had been bracing for the possibility of post-game violence and resorted to pepper spray though large amounts weren't needed before they ultimately began dispersing the throngs, Lexington police spokeswoman Sherelle Roberts said.

(Continued on page 20)

© 2012 Groton Daily Independent • To send correspondence, click here.