Nation in brief: Dolan assumes key church post
Archbishop Timothy Dolan was installed Wednesday as the leader of Roman Catholic New York, taking the most prominent American pulpit in the church during an elaborate ceremony that drew thousands of parishioners and civic leaders to St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Known for his wit and warmth, Dolan beamed as he walked down the aisle toward the altar, waving to the crowd, hugging well-wishers and stopping to shake hands in a front pew with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Gov. David Paterson, among others who attended.
At a news conference hours earlier, Dolan said he would challenge efforts to legalize gay marriage in New York state. Paterson is expected today to introduce such a bill.
Dolan, 59, the former Milwaukee archbishop, succeeded Cardinal Edward Egan, 77, who retired after nine years in the position.
Washington
EPA requiring pesticide testing
The Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday it will order pesticide manufacturers for the first time to test 67 chemicals contained in their products to determine if they disrupt the endocrine system, which regulates both animals’ and humans’ growth, metabolism and reproduction.
Researchers have raised concerns that chemicals released into the environment are interfering with animals’ hormone systems, citing problems such as male fish in the Potomac River that are growing eggs.
The testing will begin this summer and focus on whether these chemicals affect the body’s estrogen, androgen and thyroid systems, EPA officials said. It will eventually encompass all pesticide chemicals.
Los Angeles
‘Octomom’ applies for a trademark
“Octomom,” the nickname that has been all the rage for nearly three months, could belong to Nadya Suleman alone.
The mother of octuplets wants to trademark her nickname and filed two applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on April 10.
The applications say that Suleman wants to put the Octomom name on television programs, clothing, and disposable and cloth diapers. Suleman got the nickname after her eight children were born nine weeks premature on Jan. 26.
From wire reports