www.ohio.com Posted on Tue, Feb. 18, 2003 Duke gets subpoena for audit documents

Duke Energy Corp., the No. 2 U.S. utility owner, has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury for documents related to an audit that led to a $25 million settlement with state regulators for misstating profit.

Duke received the subpoena Friday from a Western District of North Carolina grand jury and will cooperate with the inquiry, the company said. The company, which denied intentional wrongdoing after the audit, agreed last year to credit consumer bills in North Carolina and South Carolina.

An auditor retained by the states said the company misstated $123.7 million in profits between January 1998 and July 2001, allowing Duke to avoid lowering rates.

Tankers will return for Venezuelan oil

Oil output could reach 2.8 million barrels a day within a month, when restrictions on sending tankers to Venezuelan ports are lifted, the head of Venezuela's state-run oil company said Monday.

Foreign shippers were warned against loading in Venezuelan ports during a two-month strike, which ended Feb. 3 in all sectors except the oil industry.

Some major companies have decided to return to Venezuela. ExxonMobil Corp. plans to resume loading this week.

Mall giants to merge in $4.25 billion deal

Simon Property Group Inc., the world's largest mall owner, said holders of 85 percent of the common stock in rival mall owner Taubman Centers Inc. agreed to its $4.25 billion offer.

A total of about 44.1 million of 52.2 million Taubman Centers shares were tendered as of Friday, said Dan Gagnier, a spokesman for Simon Property, which is joined in its bid by Australia's Westfield America Inc. Taubman Centers' board has recommended investors reject the $20-a-share offer, and Simon Property had threatened to abandon its bid if at least two-thirds of the shares weren't tendered.

Executive appointed at Myers Industries

John C. Orr has been appointed chief operating officer of Myers Industries Inc.

Orr, 52, will be in charge of Myers' worldwide operations, reporting to Stephen E. Myers, the president and chief executive officer of the Akron-based company.

Orr previously was the general manager of Buckhorn Inc., a subsidiary of Myers.

Myers Industries is an international manufacturer of polymer products for industrial, agricultural, automotive, commercial and consumer markets.

Johnny Unser to aid Cooper Tire racing

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. said Monday it has engaged Johnny Unser as a technical consultant for its Ultra-High Performance and Racing tire product lines.

Unser, son of racing veteran Jerry Unser and nephew of Al and Bobby Unser, joined the IndyCar circuit in 1993.

Overseas markets rise after U.S. rally

Stocks rose overseas Monday with investors feeling more confident in their buying after Friday's big rally on Wall Street. Worldwide anti-war protests over the weekend also soothed investors worried about prospects of war in Iraq.

Analysts said investors were encouraged after stocks in the United States claimed their first winning week in five weeks, having been persistently pummeled by war fears.

U.S. financial markets were closed Monday for the Presidents Day holiday and will reopen today.

Big N' Tasty to cost more at McDonald's

McDonald's Corp., the world's largest hamburger chain, will drop the Big N' Tasty sandwich from its Dollar Menu, easing price cuts that hurt profit and prompted discounts by such rivals as Burger King.

U.S. franchisees voted Friday to replace the lettuce-and-tomato burger in the national advertising for the Dollar Menu with a double cheeseburger, said McDonald's spokesman William Whitman. Restaurants can now begin selling the Big N' Tasty at a higher price, though the ads won't air until this summer.

pennlive.com The Associated Press 2/15/03 7:32 PM

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- Rattled by an outpouring of anti-war sentiment, the United States and Britain began reworking a draft resolution Saturday to authorize force against Saddam Hussein.

Diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the final product may be a softer text that does not explicitly call for war.

Before Friday's dramatic Security Council meeting, where weapons inspectors gave a relatively favorable accounting of Iraq's recent cooperation, U.S. and British diplomats said they had been preparing a toughly worded resolution that would give them U.N. backing for military action.

British diplomats had said then that any resolution would have to include an authorization of force. They described working versions of the draft as short, simply worded texts that found Iraq in "material breach" of its obligations and reiterated that Saddam now faces "serious consequences" as a result.

In diplomatic terms, coupling the consequences with material breach would be tantamount to an authorization.

Mass marches in London, Rome, Berlin and Damascus, clashes in Athens on day of global protest

LONDON (AP) -- Millions of protesters -- many of them marching in the capitals of America's traditional allies -- demonstrated Saturday against possible U.S. plans to attack Iraq.

In a global outpouring of anti-war sentiment, Rome claimed the biggest turnout -- 1 million according to police, while organizers claimed three times that figure.

In London, at least 750,000 people joined the city's biggest demonstration ever, police said. About 660,000 people protested in Madrid, Spain, police said, while organizers said three times that number gathered.

Berlin had up to half-a-million people on the streets, and Paris was estimated to have had about 100,000.

Peace activists hoped to draw 100,000 demonstrators in New York for a protest near the United Nations.

Emboldened Iraq stages huge marches, says it can fight for 10 years

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) -- An emboldened Iraq held huge demonstrations Saturday and boasted of having "men and supplies to fight for 10 years" as the United States and Britain sought to recover from a diplomatic setback to their hard-line stance against Saddam Hussein.

On a worldwide day of anti-war protests, tens of thousands of people marched in cities across Iraq, many brandishing assault rifles and waving giant pictures of Saddam.

On Saturday, a senior member of the ruling Baath Party presided over a central Baghdad demonstration and other party figures greeted demonstrators from a stage erected for the occasion.

Chief U.N. weapons inspectors indicated Friday that Saddam has shown increasing cooperation with their mission to make sure Iraq has eliminated its weapons of mass destruction. That assertion dashed U.S. and British hopes of galvanizing council support for a threat to disarm Iraq by force.

The inspectors continued their work Saturday, visiting a dozen sites across the country.

Authorities search for Americans allegedly abducted by Colombian rebels

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Hundreds of Colombian soldiers and U.S.-donated Black Hawk helicopters scoured rebel territory Saturday for three Americans allegedly kidnapped by a rebel group after their plane crashed in the region while on a spy mission, the army said.

Rebels shot and killed a fourth American and a Colombian army sergeant who were also on the plane, the country's top military commander, Gen. Jorge Mora said.

The U.S. aircraft was on an intelligence mission when it went down Thursday in a drug-producing area crawling with fighters from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. The pilot of the single-engine Cessna reported engine trouble shortly before the crash.

Bolivia calls for human rights investigation of shooting deaths during protests

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) -- Bolivia called on international human rights groups Saturday to investigate the shooting deaths of 13 people in rioting that swept the capital last week.

Government officials said President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada would appeal to activists to probe the deaths of four soldiers and nine police officers killed during demonstrations in La Paz's central plaza Wednesday.

Rights groups in Bolivia blasted the government's heavy-handed response to the protests, criticizing the use of live ammunition and tanks to break up the demonstrations.

Witnesses and reporters said unidentified gunmen fired into the crowd from nearby rooftops.

Clashes between soldiers and striking police and protesters left 22 people dead and about 140 people injured. Protesters also torched 12 government buildings.

Four Israeli soldiers killed in bomb attack on tank

JERUSALEM (AP) -- A roadside bomb in the Gaza Strip turned a passing Israeli army tank into a fireball Saturday, wiping out its four-man crew in an attack claimed by the militant Palestinian Islamic group Hamas.

The blast from the 220 pound device detonated the U.S.-made Patton tank's fuel and ammunition, setting the vehicle ablaze, the military said.

In a statement faxed to news agencies Hamas said the bombing was revenge for the deaths of two of its activists who were killed in the same vicinity in a clash with Israeli troops earlier this week.

The attack, near the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahia, occurred Saturday morning but the Israeli military censor delayed publication for nearly 10 hours until relatives were informed.

U.S. ally Bahrain arrests five men allegedly planning terror attacks

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) -- Bahraini authorities have broken up an alleged terrorist ring suspected of planning attacks in this Gulf kingdom, home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, officials said Saturday.

Five Bahraini men aged 31-41 were arrested for plotting terrorist acts against the island's "national interests and endangering the lives of innocent people," the official Bahrain News Agency reported.

Police also seized weapons and ammunition that the detainees were planning to use "for carrying out acts of terrorism targeting the security of the country and the people," the agency reported.

Bahraini officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the arrests -- the first terror-related detentions inside this close U.S. ally since Sept. 11 -- occurred in the past two days.

It was not clear if the men were part of a larger terrorist network.

Belgium proposes steps to end bitter NATO deadlock over Turkey aid

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- Belgium offered a compromise Saturday to end a bitter dispute within the NATO alliance over providing military aid to Turkey in advance of a possible war against Iraq.

Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt said Belgium, France and Germany would endorse a U.S. proposal for such help if NATO makes clear the aid is defensive in nature and must not be seen as making the alliance a participant in war preparations against Iraq.

NATO called an urgent session of the ambassadors of its 19 member states for Sunday to discuss the proposal.

Verhofstadt said his government has been consulting with France and Germany on language letting the three countries drop their vetoes against plans to deploy early-warning aircraft, missile defenses and anti-biochemical units to Turkey, the only NATO country bordering Iraq.

Oliver Stone films Castro documentary in Cuba

BERLIN (AP) -- Oliver Stone says Fidel Castro's charm did not cause him to lose his objectivity when filming a documentary of the 76-year-old Cuban president.

Nevertheless, the three-day encounter with the communist leader left a deep impression. "We should look to him as one of the Earth's wisest people, one of the people we should consult," Stone said at a press conference after "Comandante" was screened Friday at the Berlin Film Festival.

"The film is an attempt to portray the human figure," Stone said of the HBO documentary in which Castro talks about late fellow revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara and the assassination of President Kennedy, and offers a rare glimpse into his private life.

Stone, director of "Platoon" and "Nixon," said Castro's regime has achieved much, such as providing schooling and basic services lacking elsewhere in Latin America. He said he hoped the film helps lead the United States to drop its long-standing embargo against Cuba.

A dream final round: Tiger leading, playing with Mickelson

SAN DIEGO (AP) -- The return of Tiger Woods is shaping up to be a real treat. Not only is he leading the Buick Invitational, he gets to spend the final round with Phil Mickelson trying to chase him down.

With a dazzling array of shots and a diet of crucial pars on the back nine, Woods ended an entertaining day by hitting into a corporate tent and still making birdie for a 4-under 68, giving him a one-stroke lead over Brad Faxon.

"I'm excited about even having a chance after taking off as much time as I did," said Woods, who was at 12-under 204.

In his first tournament since Dec. 12 surgery on his left knee, Woods didn't waste any time getting back into a familiar position. The next test is whether he can hold the lead, something he does better than anyone.

Woods is 26-2 on the PGA Tour when he has at least a share of the 54-hole lead, and the last one to beat him from behind was Mickelson, in the 2000 Tour Championship at East Lake.

www.agenziaitalia.it Italy On Line Special service by AGI on behalf of the Italian Prime Minister's office

ITALY-VENEZUELA: LETTA, GOVERNMENT WILL FOLLOW OUR COUNTRYMEN (AGI) - Rome, Italy, Feb. 14 - The Italian Government confirms "its priority attention and maximum assistance" towards its countrymen and women resident in Venezuela and stresses that "Italy hopes for a peaceful solution to the political confront underway." This was said by undersecretary to the Office of the Prime Minister, Gianni Letta, who yesterday met with a delegation of Italian residents in Venezuela, accompanied by the General Secretary for Italians in the World, Romeo Ricciuti, in Palazzao Chigi.    A statement announces that during the course of the meeting the Italians representing Italians in Venezuela illustrated the difficult moment which the country is going through, as a consequence of the internal political situation and the consequences of this crisis on the Italian community.    The Undersecretary Letta informed the delegation that the Government had been following developments with great attention and apprehension, and is in constant contact with Italian diplomatic representatives in Venezuela. He pointed out that in December Italy had promted for a EU statement on Venezuela and had announced its willingness to become part of the Group of Friends of Venezuela, the group created on the initiative of the Organisation of the American States.    Italian diplomatic and consulate offices in the country have also been given instructions to offer maximum assistance to Italians there.    Letta also confirmed that the priority attention of the Italian government towards its countrymen and women in Venezuela and stressed that Italy will continue to follow the situation and hopes that a peaceful solution to the political confront will be reached. (AGI) 141252 FEB 03

www.upi.com From the International Desk Published 2/13/2003 11:56 AM

High-level French politicians are claiming that U.S. diplomats are threatening Paris with an effort to strip France of its permanent membership of the U.N. Security Council as the row over Iraq escalates. One has even gone public. Pierre Lellouche, a senior deputy for President Jacques Chirac's UMP party in the National Assembly, and head of France's delegation to the NATO parliamentary assembly, tells Le Monde that the United States wants France's seat to be transferred to the European Union as a whole. (No such threats to the British seat on the Security Council, apparently). Lellouche, seen as one of the best-informed and most pro-NATO of French politicians, is also claiming that French officials have been warned "will be dealt right out of the reconstruction of Iraq and of the new geo-political system" once the war is over. U.S. officials tell UPI that Lellouche "must have been smoking something."

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The fact is that initial consultations between U.S. officials have led to the conclusion that there are few ways to punish France. Most economic sanctions would be illegal under World Trade Organization rules. Any move against France's U.N. seat would run into a French veto and put friendly Tony Blair into an impossible position as a partner of France in the European Union. The one area that could hurt Paris would be for the Pentagon to frown on French (and German) arms sales. Kuwait, long eying the purchase of German-built Fuchs armored vehicles, has already been told this would be frowned on. But the two big French defense groups, EADS and Thales, last year sold $500 million and $300 million in goods respectively to the United States. This is peanuts in defense terms, and U.S. officials do not want to punish Raytheon, maker of the Patriot missiles, which currently has a close partnership with Thales making Firefinder radars that just secured a $150 million sale to India. Besides, after the United States used political muscle and easy credit terms to persuade both South Korea and Poland to buy F-16s rather than French Mirage warplanes, there is little more damage to U.S.-French relations that blocking arms sales could do. Moreover, after buying the British defense firm's Racal Electronics, Pilkington Optronics, Shorts Missile Systems and Thomson Marconi Sonar, Thales now counts as nearly half-British, the last people the Bush administration wants to hurt.

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Maybe Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was right to draw that distinction between Old Europe and the New. The European Union is convening an emergency summit in Brussels Monday night of its 15 heads of government to try and resolve splits over Iraq. Britain and Spain suggested that the 10 candidate members of the EU from Eastern Europe, who are scheduled to become full members next year, should be invited to attend. Absolutely not, insisted Germany, France and Belgium -- the core of Old Europe. Those new members, strongly pro-American after their grim years of enforced membership in the old Soviet-dominated Warsaw Pact, make up the "New Europe" that Rumsfeld admires. No wonder the Old Guard insisted on keeping them out. Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic will have to settle for a "readout" of the decisions of the 15 on Tuesday, after what looks like being a contentious dinner in Brussels.

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After the dramas of economic collapse in Argentina and a bitter strike in Venezuela, Bolivia is turning into South America's new trouble spot. An extraordinary 5-hour street battle between armed police and the army has left 16 dead and 80 wounded on the streets of the capital, La Paz, after striking policemen took to the streets to demonstrate against a tax hike. Along with the country's 750,000 other civil servants, the Bolivian police have been hit with a new emergency tax that creams 12.5 percent off their paychecks. It may be a crisis for the new President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, popularly known since his inauguration six months ago as "Goni," but it's another triumph for the political wizards of the International Monetary Fund, who backed the government's decision to cut the budget deficit from 8 percent to 5 percent of gross domestic product by imposing the new tax.

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No, they were not UFOs, as some pilots initially feared when 12 airliners had to abort landing and take avoiding action at Malaysia's Penang International Airport Saturday. It was just the celebrations for Chinese new year, traditionally marked by the release of flying lanterns. Known as "Kung Ming" lanterns, after an ancient Chinese general who used them to send messages across enemy lines, they are hot air balloons made of paper and bamboo, and candles or oil-soaked rags provide both the heat to make them rise and the light that dances in the sky. They are now banned for 5 miles around all of Malaysia's airports -- except for this Saturday night over Penang, when the airlines have been asked to suspend flights for 4 hours to mark Chap Goh Mei, the 15th and final day of the new year.

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