Arafat downplays Israeli 'road map' offers
GAZA, June 5 (UPI) -- Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat said Thursday the Israelis offered nothing tangible in statements regarding the "road map" to peace. Arafat, pointedly not included in meetings Wednesday in Jordan involving President Bush and the Israeli and Palestinian leaders, planned sessions with Palestinian participants to discuss the talks.
Britain says 'no asylum' for Saddam's kin
LONDON, Andorra, June 5 (UPI) -- Britain's Home Office said Thursday Saddam Hussein's former wife and two daughters would be denied asylum in the country. The decision follows news reports that the three had planned to seek asylum in Britain because they like its hospitals and schools.
Bush flies over Iraq
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, June 5 (UPI) -- President Bush Thursday flew over Iraq, including a pass over Baghdad where clear weather afforded those aboard Air Force One, guarded by a pair of F-18 fighters off each wing, a view of the Iraqi capital. Bush was en route from Qatar to Washington, the last leg of a weeklong trip that saw the president travel to Poland, Russia, France, Egypt and Jordan before a final stop to meet with U.S. troops in Qatar. Asked if Bush would make an unscheduled stop in the Iraqi capital, spokesman Ari Fleischer said: "We're going home. It's not the purpose of this trip." Air Force One flew over Iraq for 66 minutes.
The New York Times' top editors quit
NEW YORK, June 5 (UPI) -- The New York Times' two top editors, Howell Raines and Gerald Boyd, resigned Thursday following a series of embarrassments at the newspaper that stemmed from fabrications by one of its reporters, the newspaper announced. Joseph Lelyveld, The Times' former executive editor, will assume Raines' executive editor position in an interim capacity; no replacement was named for Boyd, the paper's managing editor. Under Raines, who as executive editor oversaw the newspaper's coverage of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, the Times won a record seven Pulitzer Prizes in 2002 for that coverage.
Jobless claims jump by 16,000
WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- New claims for state unemployment benefits during the week ended May 31 remained above the key 400,000 level for the 16th consecutive week, the Labor Department said Thursday. The Labor Department said new applications for jobless insurance jumped by 16,000 to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 442,000, figures that support the Federal Reserve's concern about the "exceptionally weak" labor market.
Factory orders fall 2.9 percent
WASHINGTON, June 5 (UPI) -- The Commerce Department said Thursday orders for manufactured goods posted their largest decline in more than a year during April, falling 2.9 percent to $319.99 billion. Wall Street economists were expecting new orders placed with U.S. factories to decline 1.8 percent after rising a revised 2.1 percent in March, falling 1 percent in February and rising 1.7 percent in January. The Commerce Department had originally reported the March rise as 2.2 percent, which was the biggest since a 4.4 percent increase posted in July of 2002.
European bank slashes rates
BRUSSELS, June 5 (UPI) -- The European Central Bank Thursday reduced interest rates to their lowest-ever level in an attempt to boost sluggish growth and slow the euro's rise in value against the dollar. Responding to a widespread clamor for rate cuts, the Frankfurt-based bank reduced lending levels by half a percentage point to 2 percent. The Bank of England in London, which remains outside the 12-member eurozone area, left rates unchanged at 3.75 percent.
Stocks sag on jobless report
NEW YORK, June 5 (UPI) -- Stocks were lower Thursday, knocked down by profit-taking and a disappointing report on the nation's labor market. In early afternoon trading, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 17.36 points to 9,021.62 while Nasdaq was down 1.48 points to 1,633.17.
Baseball says Sosa's bats are legal
CHICAGO, June 5 (UPI) -- Major League Baseball said no evidence had been found in X-rays of 76 bats to suggest Chicago Cubs superstar Sammy Sosa had a collection of corked bats at his disposal, reducing the prospect he would face major punishment for using an illegal bat Tuesday night. Sosa faces suspension for making what he admitted was a mistake during an inter-league game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The only player to hit 60 or more homers in a season three times was ejected by home plate umpire and crew chief Tim McClelland after cork was found inside his broken bat.
Agassi to play Stella Artois event
LONDON, June 5 (UPI) -- Andre Agassi has accepted a wild card to the Stella Artois Championships, a tune-up to the third Grand Slam event of the season. Tournament organizers announced Thursday that Agassi, 33, ousted in the quarterfinals of the French Open this week, has decided to play at the Queen's Club for the first time since 2000. He will be seeking his ninth Grand Slam title and second Wimbledon crown, having won the event in 1992. He has shown no signs of slowing down as he leads the ATP Champions Race.
