Vatican in Bold Bid to Attract Anglicans

The Vatican said it will make it far easier for disgruntled Anglicans to convert to Catholicism, in one of Rome's most sweeping gestures to a Protestant church since the Reformation.

A newly created set of canon laws, known as an "Apostolic Constitution," will clear the way for entire congregations of Anglican faithful to join the Catholic Church. That represents a potentially serious threat to the already fragile world-wide communion of national Anglican churches, which has about 77 million members globally.

Vatican official Cardinal William Levada announces plans to make it easier for Anglicans to convert to Catholicism.

The move comes nearly five centuries after King Henry VIII broke with Rome and proclaimed himself head of the new Church of England after being refused permission to divorce.

In a news conference Tuesday, Cardinal William Levada, head of the Vatican's office on doctrine, described the measures as a step in the Holy See's long efforts to heal the rift between Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism. He said they are a response to requests from Anglicans around the world seeking to join the Catholic Church.

Such requests have grown with the Anglicans' embrace of liberal theological doctrine, starting with the ordination of women priests in the 1970s.

The Vatican stressed that Pope Benedict XVI, who plans to visit the U.K. next year, wasn't seeking to poach from the Anglicans. The two churches have for decades been engaged in formal dialogue aimed at healing the wounds of the schism.

Still, the announcement appeared to catch Anglican leaders off guard. Hours after it was made, Archbishop Williams sent a letter to Anglican bishops expressing concern over any confusion the news may cause them.

Attack shuts all Pakistan schools

All schools and universities have been closed across Pakistan a day after suicide bombers attacked an Islamic university in the capital, Islamabad.

Four people died and at least 18 were wounded in the twin blasts at the International Islamic University.

The Taliban claimed the attack and said there would be more violence unless the army ended its offensive in the tribal areas of South Waziristan.

It was the first attack since the army began it offensive against militants.

Following the attack, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that Pakistan was now in state of war.

'Indefinite'

The government has ordered the closure of schools, colleges and universities to prevent them from being targeted by suicide bombers.

Earlier, schools run by the armed forces and the government - and some public schools - closed for a week in the wake of the South Waziristan operation.

The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Islamabad says the present closure is indefinite.

Schools, colleges and universities may reopen next week if the security threat decreases, he says.

A wave of attacks on Pakistani cities have killed more than 180 people in October alone.

Wednesday's attack was the first since the army launched its offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan.

The militants have threatened more such attacks if the army continues its offensive.

Meanwhile, in South Waziristan, fighting is continuing for the fifth day as Pakistani troops battle to gain control of the key Taliban-held town of Kotkai.

Because of reporting restrictions, it is extremely hard to find out what is going on there.

The fighting has caused tens of thousands of civilians to flee the area.

College tuition is up sharply amid recession

With the economy struggling, parents and students dared to hope this year might offer a break from rising college costs. Instead, they got another sharp increase.

Average tuition at four-year public colleges in the U.S. climbed 6.5 percent, or $429, to $7,020 this fall as schools apologetically passed on much of their own financial problems, according to an annual report from the College Board, released Tuesday. At private colleges, tuition rose 4.4 percent, or $1,096, to $26,273.

"Every sector of the American economy is under stress and higher education is no exception," said Terry Hartle, senior vice president of the American Council on Education. "It's regrettable, and it's yet another piece of disappointing economic news that affects families."

The price increases came despite painful cost-cutting by colleges on everything from faculty to cafeterias and sports travel. And as usual, the rise in tuition outstripped the overall inflation rate.

In fact, during the period covered by the report, consumer prices declined 2.1 percent. So the latest tuition increase at public colleges was closer to 9 percent in real terms.

"It's only natural for parents to question why colleges are raising their prices yet again, while the rest of our economy is inflation-free," said James Boyle, president of the group College Parents of America.

The news isn't all bad. The estimated net price — what the average student actually pays after financial aid is taken into account — is still much lower than the list price, at about $1,620 at public four-year colleges, and under $12,000 at private ones. Both figures are up slightly from last year but still lower than five years ago.

Community colleges, home to about 40 percent of college students, raised prices, too, but tuition is still essentially free to many, after financial aid is factored in.

A companion report also out Tuesday shows financial aid from Uncle Sam is surging and reliance on often-expensive private loans has plummeted. And while students in states such as California, Florida and New York have seen double-digit tuition increases, some other states have held the line. Maryland and Missouri froze tuition.

Still, this year's increases were bad news for the estimated one-third of students who do not receive grant aid and must pay full price.