Preview -- World News Tonight 05/04/01

N E W   Y O R K, May 4 -- Good Afternoon.

Important statistics about the economy often surface on Fridays. And we got a very important statistic today: 4.5 percent of Americans who would like to have work are out of work.

Not too long ago that would have been a number to celebrate. Today it reflects an increase of two-tenths of one percent, or nearly a quarter of a million jobs lost in the last month alone. It's the steepest rise in unemployment since the country's last recession, and it is a decidedly depressing barometer for economists. ABCNEWS's Economics Correspondent Betsy Stark reports for us tonight. We'll also report on the one segment of society that was hit hardest.

Among the other headlines today, some rather unusual ones: a congressman indicted on charges of tax evasion, bribery, and racketeering; the world's first genetically altered people; and air quality bad enough to produce early smog alerts, widespread allergy attacks, and other unpleasant consequences. We have reporters looking at all those for tonight.

A year ago we went to the Holy Land to cover Pope John Paul II's historic visit, which the Vatican described as a lifelong dream of the pontiff's — his chance to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. Today John Paul — who is 80 years old but not short on dreams, or energy — has begun a trip that traces the travels of St. Paul. He has arrived in Athens, where St. Paul once preached, and where the Catholic Church has fences to mend. Last year the Pope was trying to assuage long-running tensions with the Jews; today he is expressing regret for what the Catholic crusaders did to Constantinople, eight centuries ago. Our reporter, as always on these papal visits, is Bill Blakemore.

We take a Closer Look tonight at the sad tradition of celebrity addiction: F. Scott Fitzgerald to Judy Garland, Charlie Parker to Robert Downey, Jr. Today it was Darryl Strawberry in court — again — because of his addiction, and his inability to escape it. For people in the public eye, the battle against addiction is different, and often it is more difficult. The experts tell us that humility is crucial --