Jerusalem: Summit plans in disarray

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat stepped in to assert Tuesday that he — not his prime minister — is in charge of the Palestinian side in negotiations with Israel, throwing plans for an Israeli-Palestinian summit into confusion.

Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had been set to meet in talks today on implementing the U.S.-backed “road map” peace plan — their second meeting since Abbas assumed office in April.

But at a meeting of the PLO executive committee, Arafat said he wanted to review Israeli proposals on security arrangements before approving another summit — raising the possibility of a delay.

Idaho: Grandmother charged in girl’s disappearance

A woman described as mentally ill was charged Tuesday with murder for allegedly jumping into a river with her granddaughter in an apparent murder-suicide attempt, authorities said.

Divers spent more than seven hours Tuesday searching the murky and frigid waters of the Snake River near Idaho Falls. They planned to resume this morning.

Kelley Jean Lodmell, 38, was described by authorities as transient and a paranoid schizophrenic. Police say Lodmell took 19-month-old Acacia Patience Bishop on Sunday evening from her great-grandparents’ home in Salt Lake County, Utah.

Miami: Cruise ship toll rises; crew member sues

The death toll from a cruise ship explosion rose to five Tuesday, and one of the injured crew members filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the ship’s owner, Norwegian Cruise Line.

All of the dead and injured were crew members on the Norway, where a boiler exploded Sunday.

The negligence lawsuit was brought by Abdi Comadia, 44, who was listed in good condition at a hospital. He is seeking $1 billion in punitive damages and $1 million in compensatory damages for his pain and suffering.

Comadia, a cook, said he was in the shower one floor above the room where the boiler exploded. He suffered steam burns.