World briefs 10/3/05

Flash flooding in Kan. traps people in homes, cars

GRANTVILLE, Kan. -- A storm dumped up to a foot of rain over parts of northeast Kansas on Sunday, sparking flash flooding that left people stranded in homes and cars, emergency officials said. No serious injuries were reported, but emergency crews used airboats to navigate fast-moving floodwaters that damaged many homes. About a foot of rain fell overnight in Jefferson County, and up to 10 inches was reported in Jackson County. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius declared an emergency in four counties. Emergency officials did not have an estimate of how many people had been rescued, but reports from several officials indicated there were at least two dozen. A voluntary evacuation order was issued for Rossville, a town of 1,070 people in Shawnee County. Shelters were being opened.

Delay pledges active role in House leadership

WASHINGTON -- A defiant Tom DeLay, removed as House majority leader because of a criminal indictment, said Sunday he can do his job even without the title and pledged to continue his close partnership with House Speaker Dennis Hastert in pushing the GOP's agenda. The Texas Republican said he is only guilty of working to defeat Democrats. "But that's not illegal," he said. Yet some House Republicans said the fund-raising conspiracy case in Texas has plunged DeLay back into the GOP pack. "He's lost his office. He's lost his staff. And he's now basically a rank-and-file member who has a lot of friends and will still have influence," said Connecticut Rep. Christopher Shays, a moderate Republican.

Sharon, Abbas agree to meet as violence eases

JERUSALEM -- Israel Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas agreed Sunday to hold their first summit since Israel's pullout from Gaza as part of their efforts to restart the stalled Middle East peace process, officials from both sides said. Abbas called Sharon on Sunday to offer holiday wishes ahead of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, which begins Monday night. During the conversation the leaders decided to meet soon, though no date for the summit was announced.

Iraqi leader calls for prime minister to step down

KIRKUK, Iraq -- Iraq's Kurdish president called on the country's Shiite prime minister to step down, the spokesman for the president's party said Sunday, escalating a political split between the two factions that make up the government. "The time has come for the United Iraqi Alliance and the Kurdistan coalition to study Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari's stepping aside from his post," said Azad Jundiyani, a spokesman for Talabani's Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.

Rare annular eclipse to cross Europe, Africa

LISBON, Portugal -- A rare and spectacular eclipse will dim the morning sky on Monday across a strip of southwestern Europe and eight African countries. During the event, called an annular eclipse, the moon will mask the sun like a black plate, leaving a bright, fiery rim. The moon will be too small to blot out the sun completely, as in a total eclipse, because its elliptical orbit has taken it too far from the Earth.

-- From wire reports

However, scientists say the daylight will fade and temperatures will drop slightly as the eclipse travels along a narrow band girdling almost half the planet.

The rim of fire that appears around the moon glows brighter than the corona seen during a total eclipse.

"It's quite spectacular," said Dr. Stephen Maran, an astronomer with the American Astrological Society in Washington.

"I wouldn't miss it if I was over there, because it's rare," Maran said by telephone.

The phenomenon does not include North America and will not be visible from the United States.

The eclipse's 3 1/2 hour path first traverses Portugal and Spain, including the capital, Madrid, and the Balearic Islands.

-- From wire reports