50/ r Facing Mekka Choreographer turns Hip hop on its head Hot dance troupe performs this weekend. See story, page A8 © bserüer ‘City of Roses’ Volume X X X III Established In 1970 • N um ber 15 T, Week m TheReview Saddam’s face uncertain For U.S. leaders, the latest airstrike aim ed at Saddam Hussein has returned the Iraqi president to the limbo he had occupied after the first bombs nearly three weeks ago. Offi cials just don’t know if he is alive or dead. After videotapes were aired last week in which Saddatji seemed to refer to wartime events, officials said he probably had survived the March 20 strike aimed at kit ling him. www.portlandobserver.com Committed to Cultural Diversity Wednesday • April 09. 2003 Court 2003 Ambassadors to usher in 7^. My lee n Roberts, Jefferson Threejournallstsdiein Baghdad attacks 1 , U.S.-led military strikes in the Iraqi capital Tuesday hit a ho- tel filled with hundreds ofjour- nalists and an Arab television network, killing threejournal- ists and injuring three others. Two Arabic-language televi­ sion networks said their of­ fices were intentionally tar­ geted by American-led forces - claims military officials de­ nied. Andrea Mears, Grant IB ■“ Í S i Camel named as LA County deputy He’s been on the job for a whi le, but it became official last week: Bert the camel is now a Los A ngeles C ounty S h e riff’s deputy. Bert, whcrweighs in at ,, 1,700 pounds, got his sh eriff s ID card after a swearing-in cer­ emony Saturday during a fes­ tival in this city 30m ileseastof downtown Los Angeles. Bert, a public relations representa­ tive who travels with his han­ dlers to local schools, joins other members o f the sh eriffs four-footed force that also in­ cludes dogs and horses. Pricilla Chandler, Benson Kristen Acheson, Lincoln Cezanne Surratt, Madison Pricilla Isaacs, Franklin Lion tamer runs off from the circus A woman lion tamer has run away from a circus in Germany 1 with eight lions, two tigers and the circus director's son. The woman, in her late 40s, is be­ lieved to have developed a close relationship with the^O- year-old man she was training to become a lion tamer.The couple eloped with a truck containing the animals and is still on the run, since disap­ pearing on Monday night. “If she can handle lions and ti­ gers she s h o u ld n ’t have trouble with a 20-year-old man,” said police spokesman Georg Dongowski. Kali Sanders, David Douglas Mimi Danh, Parkrose ■ n MEI Kira Lesley, St. M ary's Academy Phoebe Keever, Roosevelt P hotos by P rince C harming P hotography Drugs in the manger Customs agents at Rom e’s Fiumicino airport have seized a nativity scene made entirely out o f pure cocaine with an estimated street value o f al­ most $3 million. Airport offi­ cials said the parcel aroused suspicions because it had been sent from Peru. Police have arrested the recipient - a 50- year-old man with a police record who was posing as a collector and an expert on sa­ cred art. He reportedly claimed he was collecting a unique p iece o f art from South America. IB jt ¡S S S j¡ . 5 T pU®" Lisa Sheridan, Central Catholic Vatlana Nasteka, Marshall Autumn Dones, Wilson mbassadors from 14 Portland Queen's Coronation on Thursday, May Grand Floral Parade is the second- high schools are now in place 29 at 8 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer largest all-floral parade in the nation for activities leading up to the Concert Hall. and ju st one o f three colorful parades. Portland Rose Festival, The Portland Rose Festival bursts into Add to the mix an 11-day waterfront te high school seniors will kick bloom each June to celebrate the City of festival, the high-speed thrills o f a he world-acclaimed celebration Roses with special events, excitement Champ Car World Series Race, and a the theme "Fun, Fantasy and and entertainment fo r all ages. fin e arts and crafts festival, and you fa r e ” during the Fred Meyer The festival's Southwest Airlines have ju st the tip o f the rosebud. I Brandy Gump, Cleveland