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VATICAN CITY – Surrounded by the same cardinals who elected him the day before, Pope Benedict XVI (search) held the first Mass of his papacy in the frescoed Sistine Chapel on Wednesday. Benedict, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (search), clutched his pastoral staff and made the sign of the cross …

This is a partial transcript from “The O’Reilly Factor,” April 26, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. Watch “The O’Reilly Factor” weeknights at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET and listen to the “Radio Factor!” BILL O’REILLY, HOST: “Back of the Book” segment tonight, as you may know, Scott …

JERUSALEM – The walls of the smoky “Putin” bar in Jerusalem are a pictorial tribute to the Russian president. One photo shows Vladimir Putin (search) working a pottery wheel. Another has him clamping a judo hold on a helpless comrade. Other pictures, rattled by blaring Russian pop music, project Putin’s …

Dear Friends — Here are the rest of the winners of the book “50 Ways to Protect Your Identity and Your Credit” by Steve Weisman. The subject of identify theft was covered in two columns last month (Part I here and Part II here.) Since I forgot to ask you …

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A new study finds Californians are getting alarmingly fat, with more than half of all adults overweight. The study estimates that overweight and inactive Californians cost $21.7 billion a year in medical bills, injuries and lost productivity. The study blames a decade of overeating and sitting in …

LOS ANGELES – Johnnie Cochran Jr.‘s (search) most celebrated clients, O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson, joined civil rights figures and Hollywood stars at the lawyer’s funeral Wednesday, remembering Cochran’s cunning legal skills and his commitment to the people he represented. Cochran, 67, died March 29 of an inoperable brain tumor …

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Eric Rudolph (search) led authorities to a hidden stash of dynamite in the North Carolina mountains as part of a plea deal allowing him to avoid the death penalty for a series of bombings, including a deadly blast at the Atlanta Olympics. The Justice Department said Friday …

WASHINGTON – The sale of port operations to a Dubai-owned company might have been headed off at the pass, but fears that terrorism could be perpetrated through the conduct of international commerce haven’t sailed into the sunset quite yet. After it came to light in February that Dubai Ports World …

UNITED NATIONS – U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan encouraged the United States to hold direct talks with Iran and expressed hope that an agreement can be reached to settle the nuclear dispute with Tehran without resorting to violence. The U.N. chief called for intensified diplomatic efforts to press the Iranians to …

DHAKA, Bangladesh – Police clashed with residents protesting a lack of water and electricity in the Bangladeshi capital, leaving at least 50 people injured, police and witnesses said. Police on Friday fired tear gas and used batons to disperse the stone-throwing crowd, who claimed they were not getting adequate water …