Vatican Hits Back at Times

The Vatican has its eyes set squarely on The New York Times, following the paper's story on a possible church cover-up of a Wisconsin priest, whom The Times reported abused hundreds of deaf boys during the 1950s and 1960s. "I ask the Times to reconsider its attack mode about Pope Benedict XVI and give the world a more balanced view of a leader it can and should count on," a leading Catholic official said in a statement. The Times stood by its story, saying it was "based on meticulous reporting and documents." In Rome, 4,000 Catholic university students held a rally in support of the pope.