Pope Benedict changes rule for selection

VATICAN CITY— Pope Benedict XVI paved the way Monday for cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church to gather earlier than usual to elect his successor if they choose to do so after he steps down later this week.

Benedict amended the Vatican’s rules governing when cardinals are supposed to start meeting to select a new pontiff, usually between 15 and 20 days once the office becomes vacant. The new rules allow the cardinals to assemble earlier than that if all those eligible to vote for a new pope are present.

The change could facilitate the naming of Benedict’s successor in time for him to preside over Holy Week celebrations leading up to Easter Sunday, which falls on March 31.

The previous rule was designed mostly to give cardinals from around the world time to converge on Rome after a pope’s death. But Benedict’s surprise announcement that he would resign has allowed the “princes” of the church to begin arriving here before his papacy ends Thursday; most of the cardinals are expected to be on hand for him to bid them farewell on his final day.

Some analysts expect the cardinals then to decide to open their conclave about March 10 so that they can try to agree on a successor to Benedict within a week and have the new pope installed March 17. (Papal installations traditionally take place on Sundays.) That would allow the next pontiff to lead celebrations beginning on Palm Sunday, March 24, and culminating on Easter a week later.

The rule change is one of Benedict’s final acts as pope.

A Vatican spokesman also said Monday that Benedict would leave secret a much-speculated-about report on the inner workings of the Vatican, which will be given to his successor to read but not to the cardinals.

The report was commissioned by Benedict in the wake of the scandal over documents leaked by his personal butler, which showed infighting and corruption in the Vatican’s upper echelons. Italian media have issued reports purporting to reveal the contents of the top-secret dossier, but the Vatican has dismissed the accounts as baseless.

North Korea threatens U.S., South Korea ahead of drills

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA — North Korea warned Saturday that U.S. military forces in South Korea “would meet a miserable destruction” if the two allies went ahead with planned military drills in March, North Korean state media reported.

Washington and Seoul regularly carry out military exercises in the region. The North alleges they are preparations for an attack _ a claim denied by the South and the U.S.

“You had better bear in mind that those igniting a war are destined to meet a miserable destruction while a great victory is in store for the guardians of justice,” North Korea’s Pak Rim Su, a top military officer to the border village of Panmunjom, told James Thurman, head of U.S. forces in South Korea, by telephone.

The heated rhetoric comes after North Korea conducted its third nuclear test this month, drawing international condemnation.

Pyongyang said the test was in retaliation for a tightening of UN sanctions.

posed after the North launched a rocket in December that put a detectable object into orbit for the first time.

South Korean and American military drills begin on March 1 and will last two months.

• Associated Press