Chips in official IDs raise privacy fears

Climbing into his Volvo, outfitted with a Matrics antenna and a Motorola reader he'd bought on eBay for $190, Chris Paget cruised the streets of San Francisco with this objective: To read the identity cards of strangers, wirelessly, without ever leaving his car.

It took him 20 minutes to strike hacker's gold.

Zipping past Fisherman's Wharf, his scanner downloaded to his laptop the unique serial numbers of two pedestrians' electronic U.S. passport cards embedded with radio frequency identification, or RFID, tags. Within an hour, he'd "skimmed" four more of the new, microchipped PASS cards from a distance of 20 feet.

Increasingly, government officials are promoting the …

Trade Talk Big Scoop for `Pip'

Scottie Pippen turned reporter Wednesday, grabbing a televisionmicrophone for a couple of interviews about Horace Grant's futurewith the Bulls. Unfortunately, Pippen had about as much success asthe rest of the media.

Both Grant and general manager Jerry Krause had a good laugh,but declined comment.

The incident began as reporters grilled Krause about a rumorout of Sacramento that the Kings had offered forward Lionel Simmonsand a draft pick for Grant. Krause refused comment, called thereport totally erroneous and finally pleaded with Pippen, whohappened to be walking past, to come to his aid.

"Pip, you helped the team last night; want to come over …

Citigroup earnings rise 74 percent, to $3.8 bln

NEW YORK (AP) — Citigroup Inc.'s earnings rose 74 percent in the third quarter as more of its customers paid their bills on time, leading to lower losses from loans. An accounting gain also boosted income.

It was the seventh straight quarter of income growth for Citi, America's third-largest bank by assets. Citigroup was one of the biggest recipients of taxpayer support during the financial crisis. It received $45 billion in bailouts funds and was partly owned by the government until December 2010.

The New York bank's net income rose 74 percent, to $3.8 billion, due to lower losses from loans and an accounting gain related to the valuation of the bank's own debt. Citi's stock …

Euro slips lower against dollar to $1.2751

The euro continued its downward slide in European trading on Thursday, battered by fears that the financial crisis that has enveloped Greece may infect Portugal and Spain.

The euro has dropped to lows last seen in early 2009 as markets debate whether a planned euro110 billion ($142 billion) European Union and International Monetary Fund bailout will stem Greece's woes and whether other countries in the euro zone could be at risk.

The 16-nation currency went as low as $1.2738 in trading Thursday before recovering slightly to $1.2751. That's still below the $1.2827 it bought the day before in New York trading.

Moody's Investor Services said it may …

AT THE SHEDS

Alpine Valley, County Roads D&G, East Troy (312-559-1212): Thetriple bill of Pantera, Sepultura and Prong hits the Chicago area at7 p.m. Sunday; $22.25 and $27.25. Poplar Creek Music Theatre, Illinois 59 and 72, Hoffman Estates(312-559-1212): The Beach Boys star at 8 tonight; $22.25 to $42.25.At 8 p.m. Saturday, country star Vince Gill takes the stage. …

Jesse to Dems: 'Value Black S.C. voters'; If you want to win...

If you want to win...

If Democratic presidential candidates want to defeat President George Bush, they must learn to value and appeal to African American South Carolina voters, warned the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Tuesday.

Jackson, who was born in S.C. and who twice ran for the presidency garnering nearly 7 million votes, said while the ballots are still being counted from the New Hampshire primary, the candidates must focus on S.C.

That state, he said, is "the prize of the seven states that will vote on Feb. 3rd. South Carolina's primary may be the most critical of the early states, which is why the New York Times dubbed it the `belle of the (primary) …

2 Austrian hostages freed after 8 months in Africa

Two Austrians kidnapped in Tunisia by an al-Qaida affiliate have been released, ending an eight-month ordeal and anguished diplomatic attempts to win their freedom.

Wolfgang Ebner, 51, and Andrea Kloiber, 43, were freed Thursday after 252 days in captivity and were under the protection of Mali's military, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik said Friday.

Al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa had claimed responsibility for abducting the pair Feb. 22 while they were on vacation in Tunisia.

The precise circumstances leading up to the pair's release remained unclear, but Plassnik said the kidnappers let them go and Defense Minister Norbert Darabos said no …

Our views: ; Does it really make sense to borrow for solar panels?; Spending $193,000 to save $1,000 is something no one else would do

BEN Newhouse, city manager of Hurricane, was happy when CityCouncil approved a contract to install 20 3-foot-long solar panelsat the city's wastewater treatment plant.

The panels will produce enough electricity to reduce the town'spower bill by more than $1,000 a month.

"We're making $13,000 more per year," he said. "It's like puttingmoney in our piggybank."

Best of all, the panels are "free." The town will put up nomoney. Federal taxpayers are footing the bill of $193,000 through …

New Drug Helps Heart Failure Symptoms

NEW ORLEANS - An experimental drug is the first to substantially and safely improve shortness of breath and other symptoms in people hospitalized with severe heart failure, an epidemic that is growing as baby boomers age, doctors reported Sunday.

However, many were disappointed that the drug also did not help people live longer or stay out of the hospital.

"What we really need are therapies that are going to improve the outcome," said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, an American Heart Association spokesman from the University of California at Los Angeles.

He had no role in the study, which was led by Dr. Marvin Konstam of Tufts-New England Medical Center and presented at an …

Miller returns to practice in goal for Sabres

Goalie Ryan Miller returned to Sabres on Monday, participating in his first full practice with a team that has been struggling since he was injured a month ago.

He's been skating lightly on his own over the past week, but was in full equipment and taking shots during Monday's workout. Miller has been out since sustaining a high ankle sprain against the New York Rangers on Feb. 21.

He didn't give a timetable for when he would be ready to play in a game.

"My plan is to get in as quick as possible, but I really can't tell you when that's going to be," Miller said. "It's all dependent on how quickly I get myself up to speed and how my …

Antarctic summit reaches surprise conservation vote

MADRID After a week of tough negotiations, a conference onprotecting the Antarctic from environmental exploitation reached asurprising breakthrough Monday.

The conference, attended by 300 delegates from 39 nations,agreed to back a 50-year ban on siphoning off mineral resources fromthe continent.

In 50 years, a two-thirds majority vote of the 26 nations thatsigned the Antarctic Treaty will be required to lift the ban.

The agreement still has to be …

NHL Standings

All Times EST
EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
	W	L OT Pts	GF	GA
Philadelphia	13	6	2	28	75	53
Pittsburgh	11	8	2	24	66	57
N.Y. Rangers	11	9	1	23 …

ARS 11

HELSINKI

KlASMA MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART AND OTHER VENUES

April 15-November 27

Curated by Rutta Aarniokoski, Arja Miller, Pirkko Siitari, and Jari-Pekka Vanhala

Explaining "Is Africa," the ambitious theme of ARS 11, former Kiasma Museum director Berndt Arell writes, "I do not just want to show things, but rather to make people experience Africa with all their senses." And so, for this fiftieth edition of Finland's largest annual exhibition, some thirty artists will provide perspectives on Africa as a cultural phenomenon, with particular emphasis on its western and southern regions. The show will recognize the continent's contemporary art stars - Benin-born Georges Adeagbo, Senegalese Samba Fall - but will also include the likes of Chilean Alfredo Jaar and others with an international or "outsider" perspective. Coinciding with related shows at institutions across Finland and over the Swedish border, the effort promises to reveal the full spectrum of Africa's burgeoning urban cultures and media art. - Ina Blom

Trial of Mubarak's security chief resumes in Cairo

CAIRO (AP) — A day after the start of Hosni Mubarak's historic trial, seven of his co-defendants were back in the courtroom on Thursday on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during the uprising that toppled Egypt's longtime president.

The hearing of former Interior Minister Habib el-Adly and six top police officials was broadcast live on Egyptian state television.

The seven first appeared in court on Wednesday in the same defendants' cage with Mubarak and his two sons — one-time heir apparent Gamal and businessman Alaa — in a related case that is tried by the same judge. The Mubaraks' trial resumes Aug. 15.

Mubarak, el-Adly and the six police officials face the death penalty if convicted over the protesters' deaths.

The three Mubaraks separately face corruption charges.

El-Adly was Mubarak's interior minister for more than a decade, in charge of the country's 500,000-strong security forces. Some of the worst human rights abuses during Mubarak's 29 years in office are blamed on el-Adly and his police force.

Thursday's hearing was entirely taken up by procedural matters, with Judge Ahmed Rifaat opening boxes of evidence as defense lawyers looked on. The evidence included operational police logs covering the time of the uprising — Jan. 25 to Feb. 11 — with details about the movement of forces, issuing firearms and ammunition.

They also included several weapons and ammunition rounds. One piece of evidence was the blood-soaked jacket of one of the 850 protesters killed during the 18-day uprising.

The judge gave the lawyers a week to examine the evidence before hearings resume on Aug. 14.

Also Thursday, the interim prime minister named 11 new provincial governors for Egypt's 27 governorates, the state news agency said. Protesters had said many remnants of Mubarak's regime had been left in place in an earlier round of changes in local government leadership.

Protesters are also campaigning to have elections for the local government. One of the new governors, Maj. Gen. Tarek el-Mahdi, is a member of the military council that has taken temporary control of the country.

Daley lends support to lawmaker Jones

Mayor Daley on Thursday stood behind Illinois Senate MinorityLeader Emil Jones (D-Chicago) and said he does not believe that Joneswas a ghost payroller for the city, although, "I didn't sit next tohim."

One day after federal grand jury subpoenas released by the cityrevealed that Jones is under scrutiny in a ghost payrollinginvestigation, reporters should not jump to conclusions, Daley said.

The subpoenas "completely mystified" the Senate Democraticleader, according to William Harte, an attorney representing Jones.Asked what federal officials are investigating, Harte said, "Ihaven't the slightest idea. You don't know these things until thishappens. I assume there are any number of persons within thatdepartment that they're looking at."The mayor said he retains full confidence in Jones."A subpoena doesn't mean corruption," the mayor said. "Asubpoena just means they're investigating."Subpoenas released by the Daley administration in response to arequest by the Chicago Sun-Times under the Freedom of Information Actshowed that federal investigators sought records of Jones' employmentas a city sewer inspector and documents pertaining to an internalcity investigation of alleged malingering by sewer inspectors.Contributing: Dave McKinney

TIME COST OF TORNADO WARNINGS AND THE SAVINGS WITH STORM-BASED WARNINGS

Tornado warnings issued by the NWS and investment in a national network of Doppier (WSR-88D) weather radars in the 1990s have helped reduce casualties from tornadoes in the United States. As tornadoes have become less deadly, the value of time spent under warnings has become an increasing proportion of the societal cost of tornadoes. Our research estimates the cost of time spent under county-based tornado warnings, and we have found it to be substantial: 234 million personhours with a value of $2.7 billion annually between 1996 and 2004. Time under warnings, in fact, has become the largest component of the societal cost of tornadoes. Not all of this time under warnings was lost to society, as not everyone receives every warning when issued, and some people will disregard a warning. After adjusting for warning response, perhaps half of this time - almost 120 million person-hours a year - might be spent sheltering.

Tornadoes are small relative to counties, with the average warned county 3,000 times the size of the average tornado damage path. Thus, county-based warnings overwarn substantially for tornadoes, affecting many people not in immediate danger. In October 2007, the NWS introduced Storm Based Warnings (SBWs) for severe weather, designed to warn only the threatened area as opposed to entire counties. SBWs are expected to reduce the area warned for tornadoes by 70%75%, representing a substantial savings in the value of time spent under warnings - a clear benefit to society. It is anticipated that, over time, SBWs will reduce the time spent under warnings by more than 160 million personhours annually, with a value of $1.9 billion. Even after adjusting for warning response, SBWs should save an estimated 66 million person hours spent sheltering annually, with a value of $750 million. A sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the time savings from SBWs for tornadoes exceeds $100 million annually with a probability of 0.95. SBWs still warn the area in the path of the tornado, and thus should not directly compromise safety.

Several indirect channels for the new warnings to affect casualties exist, such as the potential for a tornado to veer out of the smaller warning area or confusion regarding the exact area warned, and research will be necessary in the future to determine if an increase in casualties offsets the time savings of SBW.- DANIEL SUTTER (UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS - PAN AMERICAN), AND S. ERICKSON. "The Time Cost of Tornado Warnings and the Savings with Stormbased Warnings," in the April Weather, Climate, and Society.

[Author Affiliation]

DANIEL SUTTER (UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS - PAN AMERICA), AND S. ERICKSON.

Diverse platform guarantees business

THREE-PART PLAN

Training may be the focus at Collision Express, but it's only one component of a complex business model, another key feature of which is the three-part platform.

When collaborating with Elaine Pappas on the structure of the new shop, coowner Rick Reichanadter drew on his experience designing shops for automotive dealerships. "One of biggest hang-ups at body shops is that dealer principles like big numbers-their philosophy is, 'Make the body shop run. We don't want to know a lot about it,'" he says. So several shops he worked with ended up tying up a lot of capital on heavy collision repair-and hurting their bottom line in the long run. He points out, "For a successful body shop to run, you need to do a lot of quick turnaround." That's where the three-part platform comes in-the new shop juggles marine, heavy collision and rapid repairs.

The wide-ranging focus guarantees the shop a variety of business but also creates some logistical issues. Reichanadter worked out the kinks and designed a shop that could maximize flow between the three areas. While the shop features the newest velocity measuring systems that can handle the heavy hits, "we're not going to do a lot of that," he says. He's planning to take in a majority of quick repair jobs that other shops often get to in between the bigger jobs. Since that's one of the three areas of focus, Collision Express will be able to do these simple jobs faster. The third component is the marine department, which can handle everything from jet runners to 26-ft. boats-a huge market in South Florida. "Between rapid-repair and marine industry, I think we're going to do a very good job here," Reichanadter predicts.

PLUS BUSINESS

FACTORY FINED: A South Carolina pillow factory accused of hiringmore than 100 illegal aliens, including a 12-year-old boy, is beingfined a record $580,000 by immigration officials. The 12-year-oldwas earning $4 to $5 an hour doing menial labor, said Thomas P.Fischer, head of the Immigration and Naturalization Service office inAtlanta. The boys were among 85 illegal aliens from Mexico and Perufound working at the Piedmont Quilting Corp. in Walhalla, S.C.,during a July 17 raid, Fischer said. The administrative fine is thelargest imposed by INS under a 1986 law that bars employers fromhiring illegal aliens. It was announced a day after the company, itsowners and nine managers were indicted on charges of illegallyrecruiting and harboring illegal aliens. ST. MORITZ SOLD: Struggling Australian investment conglomerate BondCorp. said today it will sell New York's luxury St. Moritz Hotel toan Australian creditor for $175 million. The buyer, FAI Insurances,said the purchase cut its net exposure to Bond debt to just above$235 million. Bond bought the 33-story hotel at the end of 1988 fromDonald Trump for $180 million, helping to fund the deal with a firstmortgage from FAI of $155 million.

EAST-WEST VENTURE: The West German federal cartel office in Berlingave the green light today to plans for the first East-West Germanjoint venture, between Volkswagen of West Germany and IFA-Kombinatautomotive company of East Germany. The joint venture between VW andIFA, which produces the Trabant car, is aimed at co-ordinating thetwo companies' future development and sales of cars and othervehicles. The joint-venture firm will probably first be establishedat VW headquarters in Wolfsburg, West Germany. THIRD AREA CODE: Telephone-crazy Southern California will get athird area code in 1992 because of overloading caused by cellularphones, fax machines and computers as well as ordinary phones. "Weare simply running out of telephone numbers," Pacific Bell VicePresident Dominic Gomez said. The existing 213 area will be split,spawning a new 310 area code to join 213 and 818, making Los Angelesthe first city to be divided into three area codes. Gomez saidrising population - the usual reason for adding area codes - is afactor, but so is the growing use of computer modems, pagers, carphones, fax machines and multiple phone lines. NO MESA DISTRIBUTION: Mesa Limited Partnership, the energy companyrun by takeover strategist T. Boone Pickens, announced today it willstop paying unit holders a cash distribution because of low pricesfor natural gas, which account for 80 percent of its holdings. Mesasaid it would pay its 37.5 cents distribution for the fourth quarter,but "discontinue cash distribution to the common units until industryconditions and cash flow improve." MASSACHUSETTS WORST: Massachusetts' credit rating has dropped belowLouisiana to the lowest for any state, and a financial official saidtoday a "junk bond" rating is possible if the state legislature failsto raise taxes. Standard & Poor's dropped Massachusetts' long-termdebt rating Wednesday from A to BBB. Cathy Daicoff, S&P's managingdirector of municipal finance, said that put Massachusetts a stepbelow Louisiana, which is rated BBB Plus. The legislature has beenunwilling to raise taxes or to make the deep spending cuts needed tobalance the budget. GRAINS HIGHER: Grain and soybean futures prices closed mostly highertoday on the Chicago Board of Trade, paced by modest gains in thesoybean market amid concerns about new-crop supplies. Wheat futureswere 1 cent to 2 1/4 cents higher with the contract for delivery inDecember at $4.16 1/4 a bushel; corn futures were 3/4 cent lower to1 3/4 cents higher with December at $2.35 a bushel; oats wereunchanged to 1/4 cent higher with December at $1.43 3/4 a bushel;soybeans were 1 1/2 cents to 4 1/4 cents higher with January at $5.821/2 a bushel.

Bears bolster line further with perennial Pro Bowl guard Brown

The Bears paid the most money ever for a right tackle in John Taitlast month. Now, they've got an eight-time Pro Bowl guard to playnext to him at a bargain rate.

Ruben Brown on Thursday agreed to a $4.5 million, three-yearcontract with a $1 million signing bonus and a $500,000 roster bonusdue in March. With playing-time incentives, he can earn another $1million over the final two years of the contract. He will arrive atHalas Hall this morning. Brown becomes the fourth new starter addedon offense after Tait and the new backfield of running back ThomasJones and fullback Bryan Johnson.

It is the Bears' hope that Brown, 32, has a few good seasons leftin him. The Buffalo Bills felt that despite Pro Bowl trips followingevery season since 1996, his play had eroded. That was obviously theopinion of other clubs as he generated lukewarm interest as a freeagent, also visiting the Detroit Lions. He was cut because he was tocount $5.8 million against the Bills' salary cap this season as theresult of a $32 million, seven-year contract that has three yearsremaining. Brown will count $4 million against the Bills' cap in2004.

Brown was a left guard in Buffalo and was durable, missing eightgames in the last eight seasons and none because of injury in fourseasons. He was held out of the Bills' season finale at New Englandby coach Gregg Williams, although he was not suspended. Williams'decision was the culmination of friction between the two as Brown wascritical of the team's offensive direction and coordinator KevinGilbride.

Brown's arrival means Qasim Mitchell and Mike Gandy will fight forthe left tackle position. The Bears have a wealth of experiencebacking up on the offensive line with 2002 third-round pick TerrenceMetcalf expected to become a capable second-string center. SteveEdwards played last season in place of Rex Tucker at left guard, andTait has supplanted Aaron Gibson, whom the team might look to trade.

U.S. Pushes to Restart North Korea Talks

After a fresh series of provocative North Korean actions, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill traveled to China, Japan, and South Korea late last month in another effort to restart six-party talks designed to eliminate Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program. The talks, which also include Russia, have been stalled for nearly a year.

A Bush administration official, as well as a congressional source familiar with the matter, told Arms Control Today that recent North Korean statements, along with a modest amount of new intelligence, have increased U.S. officials' concern that North Korea may test nuclear weapons. Pyongyang has not tested such weapons, although it has threatened to do so.

In addition, a senior North Korean diplomat said April 18 that Pyongyang had halted the operation of its five-megawatt nuclear reactor, an action that could permit it to obtain additional plutonium for use as fissile material in nuclear weapons.

The announcement came approximately two months after North Korea announced that it possesses nuclear weapons. The United States believes that North Korea possesses one or two plutonium-based nuclear weapons and may possess enough fissile material for several more. Whether Pyongyang is in the process of augmenting its purported nuclear arsenal, however, remains unclear.

Talks

Administration and congressional sources confirmed an April 25 Wall Street Journal report that the United States sent an urgent diplomatic message to allies earlier in the month notifying them of U.S. concerns that North Korea might conduct a nuclear test. The message also asked at least certain talks participants, such as China and South Korea, to urge Pyongyang to refrain from provocative behavior.

The other participants have been more supportive of engaging North Korea than has the United States. Nevertheless, South Korean Foreign Minster Ban Ki-moon warned North Korea against testing April 25, stating that such an act would result in Pyongyang's "isolation."

The congressional source said the othercountries would likely follow suit, but perhaps not publicly.

Although conveying impatience with Pyongyang's behavior, U.S. officials continued to express support for the talks. Department of State spokesperson Adam Ereli acknowledged April 25 that "the stalemate has gone on...longer than any of us would have liked" but "vehemently" denied that administration officials are "at the end of our rope on this."

In an April 28 news conference, President George W. Bush also indicated continued U.S. support for the talks, adding that other actions, such as involving the UN security Council in the matter, would depend on other participants' support. China, which has veto power on the security Council, and South Korea have resisted asking that body to take up the issue.

The duration of the current diplomatic track "is dependent upon our consensus amongst ourselves," Bush said.

For its part, North Korea continues to express a willingness to return to the talks, albeit under certain conditions.

Pyongyang says it wants the United States to end its "hostile policy" toward North Korea, express a willingness to accept peaceful coexistence with the current regime, and retract secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's reference to the government as one of several "outposts of tyranny" during her January 2005 confirmation hearings. (see ACT, April 2005.)

Perhaps significantly, North Korean officials have also hinted that Pyongyang may change its stance on discussing its suspected uranium-enrichment program. The congressional source, as well as a witness to at least one such discussion, told Arms Control Today that these officials have suggested to unofficial interlocutors within the past several months that Pyongyang is willing to discuss U.S. concerns about the program in private bilateral talks.

Suspicions that North Korea is pursuing the capability to enrich uranium have played a central role in the current nuclear crisis. The standoff began in October 2002 after a visiting U.S. delegation accused Pyongyang of pursuing such a program covertly. North Korean officials admitted as much, U.S. officials said later, but Pyongyang has denied that it made such an admission. Highly enriched uranium and plutonium are the two types of fissile materials used in nuclear weapons.

The issue has also become a major point of contention in the six-party talks. During the last round, the United States insisted that North Korea disclose and dismantle the program, but the North Korean delegation denied that it has such a program and refused to discuss the matter. Pyongyang has not publicly changed this position.

The United States has said repeatedly that it will not engage North Korea in bilateral negotiations, although it has met privately with the North Koreans during the six-party talks. (see ACT, July/August 2004.)

Testing and Threats

According to the congressional source, the United States has identified "about half a dozen" possible North Korean nuclear testing sites and has recently seen "foggy" indications that Pyongyang may be preparing to test. However, South Korea's National security Adviser Kwon Jin-ho dismissed reports of such preparations in an April 27 radio interview, stating that "no unusual [North Korean] moves have been detected."

Washington's concerns stem mainly from Pyongyang's recent provocative statements, rather than any new intelligence, the administration official said.

A March 31 North Korean Foreign Ministry statement describing the country as a "full-fledged nuclear weapons state" is one such example. Speaking to reporters April 27 in Beijing, Hill voiced concern about what North Korea "might do to further demonstrate that [status]," Reuters reported.

Hill's warning came three days after North Korean Army Staff Chief Kim Yong Chun further escalated the tension, stating that Pyongyang will "steadily bolster its nuclear deterrent force," according to the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

The extent to which a nuclear test would advance North Korea's weapons capabilities is unclear. According to an August 2003 CIA assessment, North Korea has "validated" designs for simple fission nuclear weapons without conducting "yield-producing nuclear tests."

U.S. officials are also concerned about a reported North Korean threat to transfer nuclear weapons to terrorists. North Korea expert Selig Harrison told reporters April 9 that, during a recent meeting, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye Gwan said Pyongyang might give nuclear weapons to terrorists if "the United States drives us into a corner."

North Korea has previously implied that it would transfer nuclear weapons to other countries, but Assistant secretary of State for Intelligence and Research (INR) Thomas Fingar told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in February that "[t]here is no convincing evidence that [North Koreal has ever sold, given, or even offered to transfer such material to any state or nonstate actor."

Reactor Shutdown

Han Song Ryol, North Korea's deputy ambassador to the UN, told USA Today April 18 that North Korea had shut down its research reactor at Yongbyon. Pyongyang plans to reprocess the spent fuel to produce additional nuclear weapons, Han added.

South Korea has verified the reactor shutdown "through various channels," Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry official Kim Sook told the Korean Broadcasting System the same day.

Whether Pyongyang is in the process of producing additional plutonium is unclear.

Stopping the reactor's operation is necessary if North Korea is to unload the reactor's irradiated nuclear fuel rods. Spent nuclear fuel can be "reprocessed" to separate plutonium from other elements of those fuel rods, which can then be used as fissile material in nuclear weapons.

Despite Han's boast, other observers are not certain that Pyongyang intends either to unload or reprocess the fuel rods.

South Korea's semi-official Yonhap News Agency quoted an unnamed South Korean "senior government official" April 18 who contended that North Korea suspended the reactor merely for "technical reasons." That official cautioned that this assessment could change, the report said.

The U.S. assessment that North Korea has one or two weapons is believed to have been based on estimates of the amount of plutonium North Korea separated from spent fuel produced in the reactor prior to a 1994 agreement with the United States. Whether Pyongyang has since built weapons is unclear.

North Korea announced in December 2002 that it was restarting the reactor, which, along with North Korea's reprocessing facility and approximately 8,000 spent fuel rods, had been frozen under the 1994 agreement. Later that month, North Korea ejected International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors charged with monitoring the freeze. The United States announced in February 2003 that North Korea had restarted the reactor.

Pyongyang's announcement followed the escalation of bilateral diplomatic tensions after the October 2002 meeting with the U.S. delegation.

Pyongyang has since claimed to have reprocessed the spent fuel previously subject to IAEA monitoring. That fuel would have contained enough plutonium for "several more" nuclear weapons, then-CIA director George Tenet told the Senate Intelligence Committee in February 2004.

North Korea's possible reprocessing likely formed the basis for current CIA director Porter Goss's February 2005 statement before the same committee that Pyongyang's "capability" to produce nuclear weapons has "increased," (see ACl] March 2005.)

South Korean Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung reportedly stated in February, however, that North Korea has reprocessed "only part of the spent fuel rods." Siegfried Hecker, a senior fellow at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in January 2004 that the fuel rods were no longer in storage when he visited North Korea earlier that year, but he could not verify North Korea's reprocessing claim. (See ACT, March 2005.)

A 2004 Congressional Research Service report stated that the fuel rods currently in the reactor could yield enough plutonium for one nuclear weapon annually.

Describing another possible danger of North Korea's unfettered nuclear program, a 2003 INR assessment indicates that North Korea is more apt to export nuclear material as it produces more plutonium. Pyongyang would be "most likely to export nuclear material if it has more fissile material than it believes it needs for deterrent purposes and if it perceives little risk" that such a transaction would be detected, the assessment said. -PAUL KERR

AREA BRIEFS

Body Found in Tinley Pk. Tinley Park police are investigating the death of a man whose bodywas found in a rural area of the southwest suburb. Two young boysfound the body Saturday, police said. The body appeared to be thatof a black man 17 to 20 years old. The man suffered a gunshot woundto the head and multiple stab wounds, the Cook County medicalexaminer's office said. The body appeared to have been dumped 48hours or less before it was found, officials said.Crime Victims' ProgramA lunchtime observance of Crime Victims' Rights Week will be at noontoday at the Daley Center, with a program in the west lobby featuringCook County State's Attorney Jack O'Malley. Dora Larson, a leader inthe victims' rights movement, and Cook County chief probation officerNancy Martin also will speak. Also, more than 25 government agencieswill participate in an information fair to increase public awarenessof services available to crime victims. The fair is from 8 a.m. to4:30 p.m. in the Daley Center's east lobby. As part of theobservance, the Cook County probation office will hold an open housefrom 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday at 2650 S. California.

Powell leaves FDIC chairmanship to head Gulf Coast recovery efforts

FDIC Chairman Donald E. PoweU has been selected by President George W. Bush to coordinate the federal support for the Gulf Coast's recovery and rebuilding efforts. Powell became the 18th FDIC chairman on Aug. 29, 2001.

"I am honored that the President has chosen me for this important effort to help rebuild the Gulf region," said Powell. "This new position allows me to continue to serve my country and help the many people who have had their lives turned completely upside down.

"In my role as FDIC chairman, I had the opportunity to tour the area and see firsthand what the communities in the Gulf region face. I look forward to this new challenge and appreciate the trust that the President has in me. Of course, I will always have fond memories of my rime at the FDIC. I have been afforded the opportunity to work with many wonderful people inside and outside the agency, and I feel truly blessed" Powell concluded.

Powell received praise from the various banking organizations for his work as FDIC chairman and for his new appointment.

Conference of State Bank Supervisors President and CEO Neil Milner commended President Bush on his choice of Powell to head the Gulf Coast Recovery and Rebuilding Council.

''Chairman Powell has earned the respect and admiration of bank regulators nationwide as well as among poky-makers in Washington. He has the proven leadership ability and financial management acumen needed to take on a mission that is enormously important to our country as we seek to restore the Gulf Coast's viability and quality of life."

Milner continued. "As he takes on this new challenge, we know that his experience as a community banker and his tenure at the helm of the FDIC have given him both the perspective and the contacts in the financial industry to get the job done. He knows well that local banks will be playing leading roles in the rebuilding of their respective communities."

Milner said Powell has been a strong leader and leaves the agency in an excellent position to continue its legacy of service to the public and the banking industry.

PLUS BUSINESS

HOME SALES DROP: Rising interest rates sent new-home sales slidingfor a fourth straight month in March as inflation sapped consumers'spending power, the Commerce Department said today. Single-familyhome sales dropped 5 percent from February levels to a seasonallyadjusted annual rate of 574,000 units - the slowest pace of salessince a 556,000-unit rate in March, 1989. OTC STOCKS HID HARD: While the performance of all major U.S. stockmarkets has been uninspired so far in 1990, the going has beenparticularly tough in the over-the-counter market. From New Year'sthrough the middle of last week, the Dow Jones industrial averagedropped 3.15 percent while the NASDAQ composite index fell 7.53percent. AMES REPLACES CEO: Ames Department Stores Inc., the discountretailer that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last week, said todayit appointed Stephen Pistner, an experienced retailing executive, aschief executive officer to replace Peter Hollis, who has resigned.The appointment is subject to court approval. Pistner has served aspresident of giant Dayton-Hudson Corp. and as chairman and chiefexecutive of Montgomery Ward & Co. THIRD WORLD STOCKS: An annual survey by the World Bank affiliatedInternational Finance Corp. shows that stock markets in developingcountries generally outperformed those of the major industrialcountries last year. An IFC composite index of 19 emerging marketsshow a gain last year of 47 percent in U.S. dollar terms, exceedingthe performances of the stock markets in the United States, up 27percent; the United Kingdom, up 21 percent, and Japan, up 12percent. AUSSIES TAKE HIT: The weekend slump on Wall Street drovedown Australian share prices by about 1.5 percent today. "Sentimentis very poor," one broker said. "The sharp fall was almost entirelyon the back of a weaker Wall Street." DODGING BANKRUPTCY: Western Union Co., seeking to avoid bankruptcycourt, said today it has filed a restructuring plan based on swapping$530 million in notes for new securities with lower rates and alonger repayment schedule. The filing with the Securities andExchange Commission comes as the company faces a June 15 deadline tomake a $51 million biannual interest payment. INDIA STANDS FIRM: India, isolated on Washington's trade hit listfor erecting barricades against foreign competition, insists it willnot negotiate under threat of retaliation. Officials today declinedto comment on India being cited by the United States as an unfairtrader. EAST GERMAN JOBS: East Germany could end up with between100,000 and 300,000 jobless following the introduction of economicand monetary union with West Germany, a senior West German officialsaid today. But he said it was "irresponsible to talk about 2million jobless in East Germany" after the countries are united. OPEC EMERGENCY: OPEC ministers will meet in emergency sessionWednesday in a strategy session to support oil prices, which havefallen sharply in recent weeks. APPLE, DIGITAL PLAN: Digital Computer Corp. and Apple Computer Inc.will announce products tomorrow that allow Digital and Applecomputers to connect easily, the first fruit of a 2-year-old alliancebetween the companies. BEANS DIP: Soybean futures prices closed slightly lower today on theChicago Board of Trade. Wheat futures were 2 cents to 5 1/4 centshigher with the contract for delivery in May at $3.72 1/2 a bushel;corn was 1 1/2 cents lower to 1 1/4 cents higher with May at $2.811/4 a bushel; oats were 1 1/2 cents to 3 cents higher with May at$1.65 1/4 a bushel; soybeans were 1 1/2 cents to 3 cents lower at$6.33 a bushel.

Va. Tech Inspires Delaware St. Response

DOVER, Del. - Alex Bishoff heard five gunshots from inside his dorm room at Delaware State University and looked out his window to see people scattering. He immediately thought of the Virginia Tech shootings in April.

So did Delaware State officials. Even as two students who were shot were being transported to hospitals, campus police and residence hall advisers were knocking on doors and telling students to stay in their rooms.

Administrators mindful of the Virginia Tech massacre ordered a swift shutdown of the campus Friday, lowering gates to keep anyone from coming onto it, while police searched for the gunman.

"The biggest lesson learned from that whole situation at Virginia Tech is don't wait. Once you have an incident, start notifying the community," said university spokesman Carlos Holmes.

Students were warned within about 15 minutes, said Bishoff, 20, a freshman from Washington, D.C. "I think they handled it pretty well," he said.

The shootings, reported to police at 12:54 a.m. Friday, occurred as a group of students were returning from an on-campus cafe. A 17-year-old male student was in stable condition; a female student, also 17, was shot in the abdomen and in serious condition.

University police said they had identified two persons of interest, both students. Both were located and interviewed, though no arrests had been made by Friday night.

The students were shot on the Campus Mall, between the Memorial Hall gymnasium and Richard S. Grossley Hall, an administrative building. Investigators believed the shootings may have been preceded by an argument at the cafe, and officials said it did not appear to be random.

"This is an internal problem," university President Allen Sessoms said. "There are no externalities ... this is just kids who did very, very stupid things."

The male student, who was wounded in the ankle, refused to answer questions by police about the shootings, raising the likelihood that he knew his attacker, according to a federal law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

"This not an act of terrorism," said university police Chief James Overton. "This was not a crazed gunman who found his way onto campus."

Campus officials acted much more swiftly than officials at Virginia Tech did five months ago, when administrators delayed notifying students nearly two hours after gunman Seung-Hui Cho killed his first two victims. By then, he had already started shooting 30 other people in a classroom building across campus.

A report by a panel appointed by Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine concluded that lives could have been saved if alerts had been sent out earlier and classes canceled after Cho killed his first two victims.

At Delaware State, officials didn't wait. By 2:11 a.m., Overton was meeting with another university official to discuss the school's response. Notices were posted in dormitories and the school Web site by about 2:40 a.m., and the decision to cancel classes was made shortly after 5 a.m., well before the school day started.

At Virginia Tech, the rampage began at 7 a.m. as students thronged the campus and headed to morning classes; at Delaware State, it happened in the middle of the night, when many students were in their dorm rooms.

The panel that investigated the response to the Virginia Tech shootings noted that it would have been tough to shut down the 2,600-acre Tech campus; Delaware State is only about 400 acres. But it appears Delaware State responded to the crisis well, said Gerald Massengill, who led the group.

"I think just like post-9/11, there's a post-April 16 mentality," he said.

Officials said access to the campus would remain limited Saturday, and that Saturday classes, a weekend farmers market and an alumni meeting had been canceled.

Delaware State, a historically black, 400-acre school with 3,690 students, began the school year mourning victims of the Aug. 4 shootings that occurred at an elementary school in their hometown of Newark, N.J.

Natasha Aeriel, 19; her brother, Terrance Aeriel, 18, and Dashon Harvey, 20, were students. Iofemi Hightower, 20, had planned to attend Delaware State this fall. Natasha Aeriel, the only survivor, helped police identify six suspects who have been arrested.

Holmes said there was no indication that Friday's shooting was related in any way to the Newark, N.J., killings. Both of the victims in Friday's shootings were from the Washington, D.C., area, officials said.

---

Associated Press writer Lara Jakes Jordan in Washington contributed to this report.

---

On the Net:

Delaware State University: http://www.desu.edu

McCarthy calls photo complaints a 'poor decision'

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy says injured players who were upset about potentially being left out of the Super Bowl team photo made a "poor decision" when they complained about it in public.

Still, the coach says it's no big deal for the team to take the photo late next week so the players can be included.

Earlier this week, linebacker Nick Barnett and tight end Jermichael Finley complained on their Twitter accounts that they weren't going to be in the team photo. The photo typically would be taken at media day next Tuesday, and injured players are not scheduled to join the team in the Dallas area until next Thursday.

McCarthy says cornerback Charles Woodson and quarterback Aaron Rodgers brought the issue to his attention. McCarthy then decided to schedule the photo for next Friday instead.

Boeing adds orders for 20 new planes

CHICAGO (AP) — Boeing Co. says it booked orders for 20 new aircraft in the last week, although it lost a few, too.

The new orders include 15 new 737s. That jet is a workhorse and it dominates Boeing's order book. Customers also ordered five new 777s, a larger plane often used on longer flights. None of the customers were identified.

Customers also canceled orders for a 737 and two 777s.

Besides the new orders, Boeing identified Continental Airlines Inc. as the customer for seven of its 737s. The airline was previously listed as an unidentified customer.

So far this year, Boeing has added orders for 278 planes, including 250 of the 737s.

APNewsBreak: Settlement in Wis. ride accident

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The lawyer for a 13-year-old Florida girl who fell about 100 feet to the ground from a Wisconsin amusement park ride says he's reached a settlement with the park.

Stuart Grossman said Friday a pre-lawsuit settlement has been reached with Extreme World in Wisconsin Dells but he couldn't release details. The court must approve it.

He says they still may file a lawsuit against the German manufacturer of the ride, Montic.

The state Department of Commerce has said the operator of the Terminal Velocity ride didn't follow protocol when Teagan Marti (TEE'-gehn MAHR'-tee) fell July 30.

The report says Teagan was dropped before the cage in which she was riding reached the top and before a net was in proper position. She remains hospitalized.

A number listed for Extreme World rang unanswered Friday.

Big 3 in Italy hoping to finish 2009 with wins

The top three teams in Italy will be looking to bounce back from disappointing results last week when they play their final Serie A matches of 2009.

Defending champion Inter Milan leads the league with 36 points, five ahead of AC Milan. Juventus is third with 30 points.

Inter, which drew 1-1 at Atalanta last Sunday, play Lazio at home and want to turn the spotlight back to on-field matters following two weeks in which coach Jose Mourinho has dominated the headlines.

Mourinho was sent to the stands during Inter's 2-1 loss to Juventus at the start of December.

"After the sending-off, I decided not to speak to anyone," Mourinho said. "And for someone like me who says what he thinks, to not speak is a little strange."

Lazio has had a poor start to the season and sits three points above the relegation zone in 15th place. Coach Davide Ballardini has managed to hang on to his job but the team needs to improve its form.

"The end of 2009 has been horrible, disastrous," Lazio striker Mauro Zarate said. "In 2010 we shall see a different Lazio. I don't want to hear talk about Serie B. I want to tell the fans to stay calm and trust us."

Milan travels to Fiorentina following a 2-0 loss at home to Palermo. The defeat ended an unbeaten run in the league that stretched back to the end of September.

"At the moment the team is doing well, apart from the last loss to Palermo," Milan defender Kakha Kaladze said. "It is never pleasant to lose at home, especially 2-0. But despite that, it is a good time for us.

"We are second in the table and at the start of the season no one would have thought we would be there."

Juventus' morale has been damaged since that win against Inter. The team was knocked out of the Champions League after losing 4-1 to Bayern Munich and then it lost 3-1 to Bari last Saturday.

Diego missed a penalty against Bari and the Brazilian is being blamed for Juventus' problems, along with Felipe Melo. Defender Giorgio Chiellini believes the whole team needs to take responsibility.

"We need to find some momentum because in the past few months after every great match we have played badly," Chiellini said. "There are too many ups and downs and it is difficult to understand why.

"Compared to last year, there has been a generational change. New players have arrived and it is not easy for them to fit in straightaway. In defense we lack familiarity, but that is the entire team's fault, not just the four defenders."

Also, it's: Bologna vs. Atalanta; Genoa vs. Bari; Livorno vs. Sampdoria; Napoli vs. Chievo Verona; Palermo vs. Siena; AS Roma vs. Parma; and Udinese vs. Cagliari.

Government releases reports from Elian Gonzalez raid: ; Agent contends photo from incident is misleading

WASHINGTON - "I never purposely pointed my weapon at ElianGonzalez" or his rescuer Donato Dalrymple, says the armed BorderPatrol agent photographed confronting the terrified 6-year-old Cubanboy during an April raid in Miami. The agent said Dalrymplevoluntarily released Elian "without any sort of a struggle" as theagent put his hand "firmly against Mr. Dalrymple's chest" to controlhis movements, according to government documents released Monday.

An Associated Press photograph of the fatigue-clad agent holdingan MP-5 submachine gun prompted sympathizers of Elian's Miamirelatives and others to criticize the raid as an excessive show offorce. The relatives said they were terrorized.

With the relatives defying a government order to give Elian tohis father, raiders snatched the boy April 22 at 5:15 a.m. whenCuban exile protesters outside the Miami home had dwindled to a fewdozen.

The Justice Department released written reports by the sixtactical unit officers who entered the house, but continued towithhold their names.

Taking the six reports together, the agents said they used noprofanity, no team member threatened to shoot anyone, team membersmade no threats to use force against anyone in the home, no oneinside the home was pushed to the floor or held to the floor, andElian's cousin, Marisleysis Gonzalez, was not touched in any way.

In addition, no pepper spray or other chemical irritants wereused inside the house, three locked doors were broken open onlyafter occupants did not open them as requested, and the fireselector of the submachine gun in the photograph was in the safeposition, making it "virtually impossible to fire the weaponinadvertently," the government said.

Alan Diaz, the freelance photographer on assignment for the APwho took the dramatic pictures, remembers more about the sounds thanthe sights of the moment.

"All I hear is that kid's crying," Diaz said two weeks later."The most awful cry you could ever hear in your life."

The team leader saw the AP photographer against the bedroom's farwall and out of the corner of his eye "saw someone peek out of thecloset and then disappear back into the closet."

"I ... pulled the door open until I could see inside the closet,"the agent said. He saw a boy held by a man who turned out to beDalrymple, who had helped fish Elian out of the Atlantic Ocean lastThanksgiving. "Dalrymple shouted, 'Don't take Elian.'"

"When I determined that Mr. Dalrymple was not a threat, Iimmediately went into a defensive controlling posture," the agentsaid. "I moved my left hand from the foregrip of my weapon andplaced it (my hand) firmly against Mr. Dalrymple's left chest area"and shouted to other team members.

"As I was doing this, I diverted the barrel of my weapon downwardand away from Mr. Dalrymple, creating distance between him and myweapon. I was using my left hand to control Mr. Dalrymple'smovements and to defend myself against a possible physical attack."

The agent said the widely published photograph "does not presenta clear rendition of the entire event."

"While my weapon was being pointed in the general direction I wassearching, I never purposely pointed my weapon at Elian Gonzalez orMr. Dalrymple," he said. "I was looking into the closet to determinewhether or not a threat existed. Immediately upon determining thatno threat existed in the closet, I transitioned to a defensiveposture."

Dalrymple handed Elian to team member 4, while the team leaderwas pressing on his chest. Team member 4 said, "There was nostruggle and I did not have to pull Elian away from Mr. Dalrymple.Mr. Dalrymple released Elian at the same time I put my hands onElian."

Team member 4 pivoted and handed Elian to a female agent. Theentire team then hurried out of the house.

RegionalHeadlines

MAN FACES CHARGES IN TWO ROBBERIES

WEST MILTON -- Police on Thursday charged a former West Milton manin two recent robberies, including Wednesday's holdup of the U.S.Bank at 303 S. Miami St.

Montgomery County sheriff's deputies arrested David Cooper, 22, ona warrant for felony burglary about 6 a.m. at the Parkway Inn, 2221Wagner Ford Road in Harrison Twp., sheriff's Capt. Mike Nolan said.The arrest was based on a tip from West Milton police.

Police Chief Michael Vickers said the bank robber made off with$3,500, but did not injure anyone. Police recovered a large sum ofcash, clothing matching the description of that worn by the robberand a large pellet gun resembling a .45-caliber pistol.

Vickers said the robber shown on videotape evidence resemblesCooper.

Vickers said Cooper also was charged in a Jan. 9 heist of $120 andtwo cartons of cigarettes from the Sunoco Food Mart, 1046 S. MiamiSt. No one was injured in the robbery.

UD STUDENT GETS 4 MONTHS IN PROTEST

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- A second University of Dayton student arrestedduring a November demonstration at the former School of the Americasat Fort Benning has been sentenced to prison for trespassing on postproperty.

Brian D. DeRouen, 26, was sentenced Wednesday to four months andfined $500 after he demanded a trial. U.S. Magistrate G. MallonFaircloth sentenced him and a man from Oakland, Calif., to 30 daysmore than most of the defendants, who pleaded not guilty butstipulated to facts admitting their trespass. Faircloth cited"dilatory conduct" and "patently frivolous" defenses in the face ofthe evidence.

DeRouen's defense included the claim that he didn't enter the postNov. 21 to engage in political protest, but to pray for his country.

Meagan Doty, 22, a sociology major from St. Louis, received athree-month federal prison sentence Monday and a $500 fine. She saidshe hopes to begin serving her sentence after she graduates in May.

About 16,000 protesters gathered at the gates of Fort Benning inan annual protest organized by School of the Americas Watch.

Twenty protesters were originally arrested, 17 of whom werecharged with federal trespassing for climbing a 10-foot chain linkfence inside the post's outer fence.

PLANE CRASHES IN HIGHLAND COUNTY

WILMINGTON -- The Ohio Highway Patrol post at Wilmington isinvestigating a minor plane crash Thursday at Highland CountyAirport.

The incident began when authorities received a call about aprivate plane with a front landing gear malfunction.

A Beechcraft A-36 Bonanza flown by Justin I. Englehardt, 27, ofFort Thomas, Ky., landed at 2:39 p.m.

The front landing gear would not lock and the nose and propellerstruck the runway, causing minor damage to the front of the aircraft.

Englehardt and passenger Matthew D. Meyer, 25, of Cincinnati,weren't injured.

The Federal Aviation Administration also is investigating.

MAN ENTERS INSANITY PLEA IN HIT MAN CASE

HAMILTON -- A former Liberty Twp. man pleaded not guilty by reasonof insanity Thursday to charges he tried to hire a hit man while injail to kill his estranged wife and her family.

It was the third time Christopher Rezos has tried to kill hiswife, Amy, of Liberty Twp., authorities said.

He was charged with trying to kill her twice in July and was injail awaiting trial on Feb. 23 on those charges when the newallegations arose, authorities said.

Rezos, 35, was arraigned in Butler County Common Pleas Court onthree counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

He was indicted after authorities planted an undercover deputy inthe jail, officials said.

CONCORD TWP. REZONING APPROVED

TROY -- The Miami County commissioners Thursday approved therezoning of 36.3 acres in Concord Twp. from agricultural to single-family residential.

Merrimont Development Corp., developer of the Merrimontsubdivision, sought the rezoning of the land south of Swailes Roadand east of Merrimont Drive south of Troy.

County Planning Director Dan Brandewie said the rezoning wasrecommended as a logical extension of the subdivision.

Irving Shroyer of Merrimont Development Corp. said there are noplans to develop the land.

He said members of the owning Shroyer family agreed to seek therezoning so any development would be in keeping with the Merrimontarea.

JUDGE REDUCES

AWARD FOR 'LEMON'

TROY -- A Miami County judge reduced a jury's award to a Daytoncouple who claimed violations of vehicle warranties and Ohio's "LemonLaw" before granting a request for triple damages.

A common pleas jury in October awarded Ellen and Roscoe Reagans$181,923 in their lawsuit against Paul Sherry Vans and RVs Inc. ofPiqua. The Reagans claimed a new 1999 recreational vehicle theybought that year was defective and a continual problem despiteattempts to repair it.

Judge Jeffrey Welbaum this week ruled the verdict was excessivebased on evidence and law.

He issued a judgment for $53,778, then granted a request fortriple damages, bringing the judgment to $161,334.

Welbaum ruled the Reagans have 14 days to accept the award or moveforward with a new trial on damages only.

CINCY COUNCIL REJECTS TASER RULE

CINCINNATI -- It's strike three for a proposal to prohibitCincinnati police from using Tasers on children younger than 10.

For the third time in less than a month, the City Council voted 5-4 Wednesday to defeat the proposed restriction. A councilman proposedincreasing the current minimum age limit from 7 to 10, noting a lackof scientific evidence about the effects of the weapons on children'sbodies.

He also said police cannot control the 50,000-volt shock deliveredby a Taser.

RegionalHeadlines

MAN FACES CHARGES IN TWO ROBBERIES

WEST MILTON -- Police on Thursday charged a former West Milton manin two recent robberies, including Wednesday's holdup of the U.S.Bank at 303 S. Miami St.

Montgomery County sheriff's deputies arrested David Cooper, 22, ona warrant for felony burglary about 6 a.m. at the Parkway Inn, 2221Wagner Ford Road in Harrison Twp., sheriff's Capt. Mike Nolan said.The arrest was based on a tip from West Milton police.

Police Chief Michael Vickers said the bank robber made off with$3,500, but did not injure anyone. Police recovered a large sum ofcash, clothing matching the description of that worn by the robberand a large pellet gun resembling a .45-caliber pistol.

Vickers said the robber shown on videotape evidence resemblesCooper.

Vickers said Cooper also was charged in a Jan. 9 heist of $120 andtwo cartons of cigarettes from the Sunoco Food Mart, 1046 S. MiamiSt. No one was injured in the robbery.

UD STUDENT GETS 4 MONTHS IN PROTEST

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- A second University of Dayton student arrestedduring a November demonstration at the former School of the Americasat Fort Benning has been sentenced to prison for trespassing on postproperty.

Brian D. DeRouen, 26, was sentenced Wednesday to four months andfined $500 after he demanded a trial. U.S. Magistrate G. MallonFaircloth sentenced him and a man from Oakland, Calif., to 30 daysmore than most of the defendants, who pleaded not guilty butstipulated to facts admitting their trespass. Faircloth cited"dilatory conduct" and "patently frivolous" defenses in the face ofthe evidence.

DeRouen's defense included the claim that he didn't enter the postNov. 21 to engage in political protest, but to pray for his country.

Meagan Doty, 22, a sociology major from St. Louis, received athree-month federal prison sentence Monday and a $500 fine. She saidshe hopes to begin serving her sentence after she graduates in May.

About 16,000 protesters gathered at the gates of Fort Benning inan annual protest organized by School of the Americas Watch.

Twenty protesters were originally arrested, 17 of whom werecharged with federal trespassing for climbing a 10-foot chain linkfence inside the post's outer fence.

PLANE CRASHES IN HIGHLAND COUNTY

WILMINGTON -- The Ohio Highway Patrol post at Wilmington isinvestigating a minor plane crash Thursday at Highland CountyAirport.

The incident began when authorities received a call about aprivate plane with a front landing gear malfunction.

A Beechcraft A-36 Bonanza flown by Justin I. Englehardt, 27, ofFort Thomas, Ky., landed at 2:39 p.m.

The front landing gear would not lock and the nose and propellerstruck the runway, causing minor damage to the front of the aircraft.

Englehardt and passenger Matthew D. Meyer, 25, of Cincinnati,weren't injured.

The Federal Aviation Administration also is investigating.

MAN ENTERS INSANITY PLEA IN HIT MAN CASE

HAMILTON -- A former Liberty Twp. man pleaded not guilty by reasonof insanity Thursday to charges he tried to hire a hit man while injail to kill his estranged wife and her family.

It was the third time Christopher Rezos has tried to kill hiswife, Amy, of Liberty Twp., authorities said.

He was charged with trying to kill her twice in July and was injail awaiting trial on Feb. 23 on those charges when the newallegations arose, authorities said.

Rezos, 35, was arraigned in Butler County Common Pleas Court onthree counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

He was indicted after authorities planted an undercover deputy inthe jail, officials said.

CONCORD TWP. REZONING APPROVED

TROY -- The Miami County commissioners Thursday approved therezoning of 36.3 acres in Concord Twp. from agricultural to single-family residential.

Merrimont Development Corp., developer of the Merrimontsubdivision, sought the rezoning of the land south of Swailes Roadand east of Merrimont Drive south of Troy.

County Planning Director Dan Brandewie said the rezoning wasrecommended as a logical extension of the subdivision.

Irving Shroyer of Merrimont Development Corp. said there are noplans to develop the land.

He said members of the owning Shroyer family agreed to seek therezoning so any development would be in keeping with the Merrimontarea.

JUDGE REDUCES

AWARD FOR 'LEMON'

TROY -- A Miami County judge reduced a jury's award to a Daytoncouple who claimed violations of vehicle warranties and Ohio's "LemonLaw" before granting a request for triple damages.

A common pleas jury in October awarded Ellen and Roscoe Reagans$181,923 in their lawsuit against Paul Sherry Vans and RVs Inc. ofPiqua. The Reagans claimed a new 1999 recreational vehicle theybought that year was defective and a continual problem despiteattempts to repair it.

Judge Jeffrey Welbaum this week ruled the verdict was excessivebased on evidence and law.

He issued a judgment for $53,778, then granted a request fortriple damages, bringing the judgment to $161,334.

Welbaum ruled the Reagans have 14 days to accept the award or moveforward with a new trial on damages only.

CINCY COUNCIL REJECTS TASER RULE

CINCINNATI -- It's strike three for a proposal to prohibitCincinnati police from using Tasers on children younger than 10.

For the third time in less than a month, the City Council voted 5-4 Wednesday to defeat the proposed restriction. A councilman proposedincreasing the current minimum age limit from 7 to 10, noting a lackof scientific evidence about the effects of the weapons on children'sbodies.

He also said police cannot control the 50,000-volt shock deliveredby a Taser.

RegionalHeadlines

MAN FACES CHARGES IN TWO ROBBERIES

WEST MILTON -- Police on Thursday charged a former West Milton manin two recent robberies, including Wednesday's holdup of the U.S.Bank at 303 S. Miami St.

Montgomery County sheriff's deputies arrested David Cooper, 22, ona warrant for felony burglary about 6 a.m. at the Parkway Inn, 2221Wagner Ford Road in Harrison Twp., sheriff's Capt. Mike Nolan said.The arrest was based on a tip from West Milton police.

Police Chief Michael Vickers said the bank robber made off with$3,500, but did not injure anyone. Police recovered a large sum ofcash, clothing matching the description of that worn by the robberand a large pellet gun resembling a .45-caliber pistol.

Vickers said the robber shown on videotape evidence resemblesCooper.

Vickers said Cooper also was charged in a Jan. 9 heist of $120 andtwo cartons of cigarettes from the Sunoco Food Mart, 1046 S. MiamiSt. No one was injured in the robbery.

UD STUDENT GETS 4 MONTHS IN PROTEST

COLUMBUS, Ga. -- A second University of Dayton student arrestedduring a November demonstration at the former School of the Americasat Fort Benning has been sentenced to prison for trespassing on postproperty.

Brian D. DeRouen, 26, was sentenced Wednesday to four months andfined $500 after he demanded a trial. U.S. Magistrate G. MallonFaircloth sentenced him and a man from Oakland, Calif., to 30 daysmore than most of the defendants, who pleaded not guilty butstipulated to facts admitting their trespass. Faircloth cited"dilatory conduct" and "patently frivolous" defenses in the face ofthe evidence.

DeRouen's defense included the claim that he didn't enter the postNov. 21 to engage in political protest, but to pray for his country.

Meagan Doty, 22, a sociology major from St. Louis, received athree-month federal prison sentence Monday and a $500 fine. She saidshe hopes to begin serving her sentence after she graduates in May.

About 16,000 protesters gathered at the gates of Fort Benning inan annual protest organized by School of the Americas Watch.

Twenty protesters were originally arrested, 17 of whom werecharged with federal trespassing for climbing a 10-foot chain linkfence inside the post's outer fence.

PLANE CRASHES IN HIGHLAND COUNTY

WILMINGTON -- The Ohio Highway Patrol post at Wilmington isinvestigating a minor plane crash Thursday at Highland CountyAirport.

The incident began when authorities received a call about aprivate plane with a front landing gear malfunction.

A Beechcraft A-36 Bonanza flown by Justin I. Englehardt, 27, ofFort Thomas, Ky., landed at 2:39 p.m.

The front landing gear would not lock and the nose and propellerstruck the runway, causing minor damage to the front of the aircraft.

Englehardt and passenger Matthew D. Meyer, 25, of Cincinnati,weren't injured.

The Federal Aviation Administration also is investigating.

MAN ENTERS INSANITY PLEA IN HIT MAN CASE

HAMILTON -- A former Liberty Twp. man pleaded not guilty by reasonof insanity Thursday to charges he tried to hire a hit man while injail to kill his estranged wife and her family.

It was the third time Christopher Rezos has tried to kill hiswife, Amy, of Liberty Twp., authorities said.

He was charged with trying to kill her twice in July and was injail awaiting trial on Feb. 23 on those charges when the newallegations arose, authorities said.

Rezos, 35, was arraigned in Butler County Common Pleas Court onthree counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

He was indicted after authorities planted an undercover deputy inthe jail, officials said.

CONCORD TWP. REZONING APPROVED

TROY -- The Miami County commissioners Thursday approved therezoning of 36.3 acres in Concord Twp. from agricultural to single-family residential.

Merrimont Development Corp., developer of the Merrimontsubdivision, sought the rezoning of the land south of Swailes Roadand east of Merrimont Drive south of Troy.

County Planning Director Dan Brandewie said the rezoning wasrecommended as a logical extension of the subdivision.

Irving Shroyer of Merrimont Development Corp. said there are noplans to develop the land.

He said members of the owning Shroyer family agreed to seek therezoning so any development would be in keeping with the Merrimontarea.

JUDGE REDUCES

AWARD FOR 'LEMON'

TROY -- A Miami County judge reduced a jury's award to a Daytoncouple who claimed violations of vehicle warranties and Ohio's "LemonLaw" before granting a request for triple damages.

A common pleas jury in October awarded Ellen and Roscoe Reagans$181,923 in their lawsuit against Paul Sherry Vans and RVs Inc. ofPiqua. The Reagans claimed a new 1999 recreational vehicle theybought that year was defective and a continual problem despiteattempts to repair it.

Judge Jeffrey Welbaum this week ruled the verdict was excessivebased on evidence and law.

He issued a judgment for $53,778, then granted a request fortriple damages, bringing the judgment to $161,334.

Welbaum ruled the Reagans have 14 days to accept the award or moveforward with a new trial on damages only.

CINCY COUNCIL REJECTS TASER RULE

CINCINNATI -- It's strike three for a proposal to prohibitCincinnati police from using Tasers on children younger than 10.

For the third time in less than a month, the City Council voted 5-4 Wednesday to defeat the proposed restriction. A councilman proposedincreasing the current minimum age limit from 7 to 10, noting a lackof scientific evidence about the effects of the weapons on children'sbodies.

He also said police cannot control the 50,000-volt shock deliveredby a Taser.

Discovery astronauts coming home, say they were at limit in fixing ripped solar wing

With the mission finally coming to a close, Discovery's commander acknowledged Tuesday she was "extremely concerned" about the safety of the spacewalker who went out to fix the space station's ripped solar wing.

And the spacewalker, Scott Parazynski, said he barely managed to reach the tangled wires that had snagged the wing. If the damage had been just another foot (30 centimeters) away, "it would have been a Plan B or C or D," he told The Associated Press. "I don't know what it would have been."

As they prepared for an early Wednesday afternoon landing, the seven astronauts recalled for the AP the dramatic highlight of their 15-day space station construction mission.

Saturday's emergency repair of the torn wing at the international space station was an unprecedented and daring feat whipped up by flight controllers in just a few days.

Discovery's commander, Pamela Melroy, described how nervous she was when Parazynski approached the torn wing on the end of a 90-foot robotically operated boom.

"You may have heard me at one point kind of squeak out 'Be careful' as I saw the solar array coming toward him," Melroy said. She got more comfortable as she saw him do just that, and she took comfort that another spacewalker was watching the wing "like a hawk" from its base and calling out the clearances.

Parazynski said he could have used another pair of hands once he got right up to the solar wing, which was coursing with more than 100 volts of electricity. He had to stabilize the wing as it swayed back and forth, using a hockey-like stick wrapped with insulating tape. He figured out a way to hold the stick and another tool in one hand, while using his other hand to loop homemade braces into the wing.

It was like nothing he had ever experienced on previous spacewalks or in the pool where astronauts train. No one, in fact, had ever been so far away from the safe confines of the space station before.

"It was an unbelievably long distance away," he said. "You never come face to face with a solar array, so it was a very unique experience."

Parazynski said he was energized by the wake-up music that was beamed up that morning courtesy of his 10-year-old son, Luke _ the theme from the movie, "Star Wars."

The lightsaber that was used by the character Luke Skywalker in the 1983 sequel "Return of the Jedi" is flying aboard Discovery, to mark the 30th anniversary of the original film.

"All of us have been really dying to get into the lower holds of the ship and dig out the lightsaber," Parazynski said. "But it really would be a lot of work, I think, and I think Pam would frown upon it."

Discovery also is bringing back some samples of the steel shavings that are clogging a rotary joint needed to turn another set of solar wings at the space station, as well as an astronaut who spent five months there, Clayton Anderson.

Anderson said he cannot wait to cook up his "special secret recipe" to go with a medium-rare steak once he's back home in Houston with his family. He's also craving ice-cold drinks and ice cream, unavailable in space.

"It's kind of a bittersweet time for me to come home, but I'm ready," he said.

___

On the Net:

NASA: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov

BALCO jury hears from 4 Raiders Running back Wheatley strikes photographer before testifying

SAN FRANCISCO -- Oakland Raiders running back Tyrone Wheatley hita photographer outside a federal courthouse Thursday, hours prior totestifying before a grand jury probing a nutritional supplements lab.

Wheatley was one of five NFL players -- including four Raiders --to appear Thursday before the panel. Others included former NFLdefensive player of the year Dana Stubblefield and Kansas City Chiefswide receiver Johnnie Morton.

Also appearing before the grand jury Thursday was Marion Jones,who won an unprecedented five track medals in the 2000 SydneyOlympics.

"I can't make any comment, you guys. I would if I could, but Ican't," Jones said as she left the grand jury room following herafternoon appearance.

Wheatley threatened and cursed at a group of photographers and TVcameramen outside the building, then raised his right fist andslapped photographer Noah Berger hard on the right wrist after Bergertook a photo of him Thursday morning.

Berger, a free-lance photographer on assignment for The AssociatedPress, said he was nothurt. He filed a report with the FederalProtective Service, but it was not clear whether Wheatley would becharged.

Wheatley, who appeared before the grand jury in the afternoon,declined to comment when asked repeatedly about the incident.

The five players -- also including Raiders fullback ChrisHetherington and defensive tackle Chris Cooper -- were the first non-track and field athletes to testify in the case.

Stubblefield, the NFL defensive player of the year in 1997 whilewith the San Francisco 49ers, declined to comment after his morningappearance. His attorney, Michael Armstrong, also refused to comment.

Morton, who had four seasons with more than 1,000 yards receivingfor the Detroit Lions before joining the Chiefs two seasons ago, alsorefused to comment after his morning appearance.

Track and field stars, including Tim Montgomery, the world record-holder at 100 meters and Jones' boyfriend, have appeared before thepanel in previous weeks. Dozens of other athletes, includingbaseball's Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi and boxer Shane Mosley, alsohave been subpoenaed.

It's not clear what, if any, drug charges might result from theinvestigation. An appearance before the grand jury, or beingsubpoenaed to testify, does not mean an athlete is a target of theprobe.

Federal officials have refused to discuss the grand jury or thescope of its secret proceedings, but two sources familiar with thegrand jury have said the probe is focusing on drug use by athletes aswell as possible tax evasion by the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, or BALCO.

An attorney for BALCO founder Victor Conte has said his client isa target of the grand jury investigation.

BALCO also is at the center of an investigation by anti-dopingagencies into the newly discovered steroid THG. An unidentified coachwho turned in a used syringe containing THG said he got the substancefrom Conte, who has denied being the course of the substance.

At least five track and field athletes already have testedpositive for THG and face two-year bans.

BALCO jury hears from 4 Raiders Running back Wheatley strikes photographer before testifying

SAN FRANCISCO -- Oakland Raiders running back Tyrone Wheatley hita photographer outside a federal courthouse Thursday, hours prior totestifying before a grand jury probing a nutritional supplements lab.

Wheatley was one of five NFL players -- including four Raiders --to appear Thursday before the panel. Others included former NFLdefensive player of the year Dana Stubblefield and Kansas City Chiefswide receiver Johnnie Morton.

Also appearing before the grand jury Thursday was Marion Jones,who won an unprecedented five track medals in the 2000 SydneyOlympics.

"I can't make any comment, you guys. I would if I could, but Ican't," Jones said as she left the grand jury room following herafternoon appearance.

Wheatley threatened and cursed at a group of photographers and TVcameramen outside the building, then raised his right fist andslapped photographer Noah Berger hard on the right wrist after Bergertook a photo of him Thursday morning.

Berger, a free-lance photographer on assignment for The AssociatedPress, said he was nothurt. He filed a report with the FederalProtective Service, but it was not clear whether Wheatley would becharged.

Wheatley, who appeared before the grand jury in the afternoon,declined to comment when asked repeatedly about the incident.

The five players -- also including Raiders fullback ChrisHetherington and defensive tackle Chris Cooper -- were the first non-track and field athletes to testify in the case.

Stubblefield, the NFL defensive player of the year in 1997 whilewith the San Francisco 49ers, declined to comment after his morningappearance. His attorney, Michael Armstrong, also refused to comment.

Morton, who had four seasons with more than 1,000 yards receivingfor the Detroit Lions before joining the Chiefs two seasons ago, alsorefused to comment after his morning appearance.

Track and field stars, including Tim Montgomery, the world record-holder at 100 meters and Jones' boyfriend, have appeared before thepanel in previous weeks. Dozens of other athletes, includingbaseball's Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi and boxer Shane Mosley, alsohave been subpoenaed.

It's not clear what, if any, drug charges might result from theinvestigation. An appearance before the grand jury, or beingsubpoenaed to testify, does not mean an athlete is a target of theprobe.

Federal officials have refused to discuss the grand jury or thescope of its secret proceedings, but two sources familiar with thegrand jury have said the probe is focusing on drug use by athletes aswell as possible tax evasion by the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, or BALCO.

An attorney for BALCO founder Victor Conte has said his client isa target of the grand jury investigation.

BALCO also is at the center of an investigation by anti-dopingagencies into the newly discovered steroid THG. An unidentified coachwho turned in a used syringe containing THG said he got the substancefrom Conte, who has denied being the course of the substance.

At least five track and field athletes already have testedpositive for THG and face two-year bans.