Pope hospitalized with flu bug, suffers from inflamed throat

Pope John Paul II was hospitalized Tuesday night after he reportedly had trouble breathing because of the flu which he had contracted days earlier.

According to CNN.com, the 84-year-old pope also suffered from throat inflammation that required immediate medical attention and a breathing tube to help keep his airway clear.

A Vatican official said the pope, who has had the flu since Sunday, had apparently suffered a breathing crisis and there was no reason for alarm.

In addition, the pope has Parkinson's disease, which makes his speech difficult, as well as chronic hip and knee problems.

Fox Sports announces change; Turf Cams to cover Super Bowl

Fox Sports announced its plans to install pencil eraser-sized Turf Cams around Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., where the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles will play Super Bowl XXXIX Sunday at 5:30 p.m. on Fox.

According to CNN.com, four of the cams will be located in the turf itself, while eight more will be mounted at the end zones.

When the new turf was being placed onto the field after the Jacksonville Jaguars' last game, technicians started to lay devices about half the size of a cigar box and cable underneath the field. They will plant the cameras tomorrow.

Two of the Turf Cams will be placed around each 20-yard line facing the end zone, and the other two at the three-yard lines.

The cameras will be placed at 45-degree angles prior to the game.

Weekend's elections in Iraq yield transitional government

Iraqi elections were held Saturday and Sunday to elect 275 delegates who will form a National Assembly and write the country's constitution, according to The Minnesota Daily.

Eighteen regional elections were held as well.

Over 14 million Iraqis registered to vote in the elections.

Registered Iraqis in North America, Asia and Europe were able to vote abroad.

Attacks, including suicide bombers, were made against ballot centers and caused over 30 deaths.

Despite those attacks, President Bush declared the elections a success and phoned Iraqi leaders after the election to congratulate them.

The National Assembly is transitional, according to The Minnesota Daily, and a permanent government is expected to be elected in about a year.

Around the world, leaders of countries such as France and Germany have voiced approval of the results and organization of the elections.

The Sunni Muslim clerics said Wednesday that the election was not legitimate because many Sunnis did not participate. The clerics had encouraged them to boycott, according to the Associated Press.

No results or turnouts have been released, according to the AP, but voter numbers are projected to be low in Sunni areas, which foreshadows a Shiite dominancy in the National Assembly.

N.J. jet crosses highway after skidding; 11 injured, 2 missing

A corporate jet skidded off the runway at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey while taking off Wednesday.

According to the Associated Press, the plane plunged across a highway through morning traffic and crashed into a building.

An early report said the plane hit some cars when it crossed the highway, according to the AP.

Twelve people were reported to be on board, and state police said 11 people were injured and 2 missing. It was not certain if all people on the plane were accounted for.

The plane was described by the Associated Press as a twin-engine Canadair, Challenger 600, which typically holds 12-15 passengers.

Arab militants claim to have U.S. hostage; likely a hoax

It seems as if little girls are not the only ones who like to play with dolls; Arab militants do too.

According to FoxNews.com, a Web site's claim that a U.S. soldier was being held hostage in Iraq is most likely a hoax.

The claim, posted on an Arabic Web site frequented by militants, was first cast into doubt when a military spokesman in Baghdad said the kidnapping claim and photo could not be verified, and no units had reported anyone missing.

Later, a toy manufacturer said the figure in the photo resembled one of its military action figures, called "GI Cody."

It is possible the claim was posted in Iraq, since the 12-inch action figure is sold at U.S. bases in Kuwait, according to the manufacturer.

The posting included a threat to kill the purported soldier if Iraqi prisoners were not released.

15-year-old blames drug Zoloft for murder of grandparents

A 15-year-old boy on trial for killing his grandparents when he was 12 blames his actions on the antidepressant drug Zoloft.

Christopher Pittman is being tried as an adult in the murder case.

According to CNN, Zoloft, as well as Paxil and Prozac, have been under scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration for their possible suicidal effects on children.

Pittman shot his grandparents as they slept, and then set their house on fire. His defense claims hallucinations brought on by taking the antidepressant caused Pittman to do this, while Pittman confessed to police that his grandparents deserved to die.

Pittman could serve 30 years to life in prison if convicted.

Bush discusses Social Security in State of the Union address

President Bush offered some new details of how he wants Congress to refurbish Social Security in his State of the Union address program.

CNN.com reported last night he discussed goals for the U.S. military mission in Iraq but would not agree with Democrats, who have called on the White House to offer an exit timetable in the wake of the Iraq elections.

The signature domestic theme was Social Security, and without offering any new specifics themselves, Bush explained how he envisioned major changes to the program, including an option for younger Americans to divert some Social Security payroll taxes into private investment accounts.

According to CNN.com, Democrats said he should offer more details on his Social Security proposals and blamed the Bush tax cuts for the record deficits; many fiscal conservatives in the Republican ranks have also complained about what they consider to be far too generous increases in government spending in the first Bush term.