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China basically responded to such calls by telling the U.S. government to mind its own business. "No other country should interfere in China's judicial independence," Sun said.

Faced with such disregard for human rights, an editorial says in USA Today, "Now is the time for President Bush to express a little more than 'concern.'"

Predestined for stardom
"The letters in Britney Spears can be rearranged to spell Presbyterians," notes The Dallas Morning News. Then it quotes some Presbyterians commenting humorously. Sounds like someone over at the News has too much time on his hands. Still, you've got to love their headline: "Oops! Is this depravity or what?" (According to the Internet Anagram Server, you can also get "a presbyter sin" and "a berry's pet sin")

Archbishop of Canterbury to retire:

• Carey bows out as Archbishop of Canterbury | The 66-year-old evangelical archbishop is bowing out on October 31, three years before he was due to retire. (Reuters)
• Also: Archbishop of Canterbury retires (Associated Press)
• Earlier: Carey 'to retire this year' | The Archbishop of Canterbury is expected to announce his retirement this week (BBC)
• Canterbury tales of secrets and succession | George Carey's decision to retire early as archbishop has begun a labyrinthine selection process which entangles church, state and crown (The Guardian, London)
• Also: Canterbury Stakes begin as Archbishop Carey resigns (Reuters)
• Also: Bishops vie to take Carey's place (The Times, London)
• Also: Lining up for Canterbury (BBC)
• Carey—liberal leader and evangelical churchman | Despite his evangelical zeal, Carey was a quietly spoken figure ill at ease with the showbiz age. (Reuters)
• The church after Carey | He tried hard, but the questions remain (The Guardian, London)
• We must set those poor bishops free | The church needs a leader who can unshackle it from the state (The Guardian, London)

Persecution:

• Eyewitness: Christianity in North Korea | Allegations of religious repression in North Korea are hard to verify (BBC)
• Rally against kidnapping of Christian woman | At least 350 Christian women have been kidnapped and forcibly married in Pakistan (Dawn, Karachi, Pakistan)

Crime:

• Tolkien's son is questioned over child sex allegations | Men say they were abused when John Tolkien, now 84, was a priest (The Daily Telegraph)
• Also: Tolkien son accused as a sex fiend (New York Post)
• Police identify church rape suspect | "This is a church of God and this church will stay open until I leave here," says pastor. "If I have to sit in here with a baseball bat, I'll do it." (WDSU, New Orleans)
• Minister seeks police help over sacred tree threat | Assemblies of God pastor says village elders threatened to kill him for allegedly desecrating plant (The Nation, Nairobi)
• Vatican to hold secret trials of priests in pedophilia cases | The Vatican has issued new rules saying it will try priests accused of sexually abusing children in secret ecclesiastical courts and oversee the cases directly from Rome. (The New York Times)
• Also:Vatican issues new rules on pedophile priests | Churches should put them on trial in secret ecclesiastical courts (Reuters)
• Wardens put fear of God in thieves | Three robbers were chased out of a church by two elderly wardens carrying brooms after they threatened the vicar and congregation (The Daily Telegraph)

Charities:

• Goodwill to all men, except the Salvation Army | Russia's relaxed post-communist Christmas means three long weeks of revelry, but its new religious tolerance is looking increasingly like a sham (The Sunday Herald, Glasgow)

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January (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46